Beginner's Guide: Containers and Cookware

By George Nikolakopoulos

 

Containers are an often overlooked part of the 10 C’s but can be critical to your survival and enjoyment of the outdoors.  Up to this point, we have covered shelter and tools, and packs. Now that your shelter is built, you can settle in and make yourself a meal or boil some water. While food and water are not immediate needs on day one, they are critical and do make time spent in the woods more enjoyable. George Nikolakopoulos, Mountain Raider, walks you through the available options and why one may be better than another.    

 

The author’s favorite containers for water and cooking.

 

Food and water are two of the top priorities on an everyday basis, while camping, or even in survival situations. Food consumption will give the necessary energy to perform everyday tasks. You can go without food for more days than without water, but in the end, food consumption is necessary. To cook food, items like pots, skillet/pan, and sometimes a grill are needed. To drink water you are going to need bottles, canteens, and cups. In today’s market, someone can find a plethora of cooking sets and drinking containers to choose from. In this article, I will try to describe some of these options, their advantages and disadvantages, and what items I use on my outdoor trips.

 

Canteens, Water Bottles, and Cups

Water is a vital need; we can’t last long without water. After three days without water, our body starts to break down. So, when planning our camping trip we have to calculate how much water we have to bring with us, and if there are water sources in the area where we are going to camp. In such cases, we must have the means to filter and purify water. This can be done either by boiling or chemically treating using tablets or chlorine/ iodine drops. Also, there are portable filters that can be carried in the pack without adding weight. Weather conditions, like heat or humidity, and the season of travel should also be considered in the calculation.

 

 

A military surplus water canteen set with its cup and stove. The cap is the NBC version. 

  

The most common types of water containers are canteens or water bottles. Most of the canteens are similar sized to the US Army canteen, holding 1 qt of water. The majority of these canteens are made of plastic but in the last years, stainless steel and titanium versions can be found. The plastic canteens are cheaper than the metal ones, especially the military surplus ones. If you buy a military surplus canteen, pick one with the NBC cap. This cap prevents leaking, a useful feature if you are planning to carry the canteen inside a pack or haversack. Also, wash the inside of the canteen with toothpaste or mild soap to eliminate any odor from the long stocking period. The military surplus stores also carry canteen cups that fit under the canteen, so you can have a convenient way to drink or cook a meal. You can also find aftermarket cups, lids, and stoves. The stove also fits below the canteen cup, creating a very sturdy cooking set. This set can be carried in a military surplus pouch, making it a cheap and great carrying method. The downside of the plastic canteens is that you cannot use them over an open flame to boil water, but with a stainless steel or titanium-made canteen, you can achieve that.

Another container for carrying water is a stainless steel bottle. The bottles can be found in many sizes from 300 ml up to 40 oz or even 64 oz. The preferable size for any backpacker is a 32oz bottle. The bottle must be single-walled to use it over a fire to boil water. A round metal cup can be nested at the bottom of the bottle, to create a drinking or cooking vessel. You can also add another cup at the top of the bottle, to have one cooking container and one drinking container. The metal cups also vary in size, from 375ml to 700ml, giving more choices and combinations to the user. Although stainless steel bottles are a little heavier than plastic canteens or bottles, and cost more, they are more robust and will withstand hard use. You can also choose titanium-made bottles and cups, which are also bomb-proof and lighter than stainless steel, but the cost is significantly higher than the other two options.

 

The author’s personal water bottles, cookware, and utensils were carried in his backpack.

 

What is important to remember is that a person needs approximately 3 liters of water a day and plan the quantity you need to carry accordingly. When I was in the military, I always carried two 1 qt canteens at the minimum. In my backpack, I have a 40 oz stainless steel bottle that I pair with a 27 oz bottle. Another 32 oz stainless steel bottle is always in my shoulder bag, along with a 25 oz stainless cup, that is used as a small cooking pot. The cups that I use though are Kupilka cups.

 

This set of cookware is carried in my shoulder bag. The small red kupilka belongs to my 5-year-old daughter who enjoys outdoor time also.

 

Pots, pans, and utensils

As mentioned above, having a bottle or canteen with a nesting cup, you can have a minimalistic cooking set. If you want or like to cook with more convenience, then you will probably need more proper items.

The most cherished cooking item for any outdoorsman is a cooking pot. With a cooking pot, you can boil, fry, or even bake your food. A pot is truly versatile! The pots are usually made from aluminum, sometimes anodized, stainless steel, or titanium. I haven't seen a brand new aluminum pot for sale for many years. Most of them nowadays are either stainless steel or titanium. Stainless steel cookware is the better choice between these two materials, as it’s more durable, lasts longer, has better heat retention, and overall provides a better cooking experience. While stainless may be more expensive than aluminum, aluminum can react with acidic or alkaline foods, potentially altering the taste and causing the pot to degrade, so it’s best to avoid storing such foods in aluminum pots or pans. The amount of aluminum that leaches into food is typically minimal and considered safe for most people. The human body can handle small quantities of aluminum efficiently, and it’s naturally eliminated through urine without causing harm. Despite that, health agencies suggest minimizing dietary intake as much as possible. Pots can be found in many different sizes. With a total volume of 1.75 lt, you have a great balance of weight and cooking capabilities for two persons. A very useful feature is a bail handle, especially if it is a locking bail. Titanium pots are much lighter than stainless steel ones, but again they tend to cost more. The pot that I currently use the most, is a Zebra stainless steel pot 12cm in diameter.

For reference, a titanium-made pot set with two pots and a small alcohol stove.

 

The pot is the staple for your cooking set. The next item that you should consider is a pan/skillet. Again the rule here follows the same route with the pots. You can either choose stainless steel or titanium. A pan skillet especially with a folding handle doesn’t take much space and is perfect for making quick meals like breakfast. You can also use it as a plate. A skillet with a diameter of eight inches is enough to cook for two people and doesn’t weigh much either. Currently, I am using an old pan from a military surplus kit; it is aluminum and I want to upgrade it in the future, but it was a gift from a very close friend and I don’t think I will retire it completely.

You can choose to carry utensils or not. G.W. Shears(Nessmuk) used to make his utensils on the field. If you choose to carry though, a spoon and fork are the most essential. After that, you can add a spatula or carve one while camping and a pair of tongs. There are many designs and materials to choose from; the most widespread is the spork, a combination of spoon and fork. On one side there is a fork and on the other the spoon. If you have a dedicated spoon and fork you can have makeshift tongs though. The utensils can be made from plastic or silicone, wood, steel, or titanium. The advantages and disadvantages of the materials are the same here, as were with the categories mentioned above. In any case, the choice belongs to the final user. Sometimes, I use a spork, but other times I use a fork and spoon, too.

There are other cooking items made from cast iron or carbon steel, but they do have disadvantages in portability, they are heavy, especially the ones made from cast iron, and need special care to keep their properties. Also, they are more pricey than a stainless steel set for example. The stainless steel and titanium cookware has the advantage of low weight, robust construction, and almost carefree treatment.

If you like to grill your meat, then you will definitely need to look for a portable grill. These are made from stainless steel and come in various sizes. You have to look for one whose legs are foldable, so it will not take up much space in your pack. If you want a cheaper alternative, check your microwave oven. Often, they come with a small round grill surface, that you can remove and use at camp. The legs are not foldable though, but you can bend them carefully, for easier packing. At the camp, you can make a two-prong from a stick too.

Whatever containers and cookware you choose, being outside and cooking over an open fire, will make the food taste much better. So, make your picks and go outside!

 

 

George Spent nine years in the Greek Army Raiders where he learned survival skills. Since being honorably discharged, he has been working in the tourism industry. After every season ends, you will find him at his olive field harvesting olives to make oil. In his free time, George loves spending time outdoors hunting, camping, and practicing traditional archery. He enjoys writing articles, sharing his experiences of his trips to the woods, gear reviews, recipes and survival tips. George was a a contributing writer to Self-Reliance Illustrated magazine and has a YouTube and Blog under the name Mountain Raider. 

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