Best Backpacking Cookware 2024

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Best Backpacking Cookware

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This is a gear review about the Best Backpacking Cookware for 2024.

When it comes to the best backpacking cook pots to take with you into the backcountry there are lots of choices out there. You don’t want your backpack to be too heavy but you still need something to make those warm meals at the end of the day.

Hiking cookware should be as lightweight as possible and not too big and bulky for your needs, just add a Backpacking Stove or an Alcohol Stove and a Titanium Spork and you are ready to cook. Even if you are only going to make Instant Coffee for Backpacking or need hot water for your Camping Coffee Maker, you will need backpacking cookware.


How We Tested

All the Backpacking Cookware in this review has been extensively evaluated and researched by the expert author who has more than 30 years of experience in Thru-Hiking, Backpacking, and Hiking. He also spent several years managing a hiking retail store and is regarded as an expert in this field. Some of the Cookware was purchased by the author for this review. They have been rigorously tested by the author while backpacking, thru-hiking, and bikepacking in all kinds of weather. The research, testing, and experience of the author have combined to come up with the best backpacking cookware for 2024. Read the Review Policy for further details

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Best Cookware Set for Backpacking 2024

Here are the best cookware sets for backpacking and Best Titanium Pots:

Best Backpacking Pot – Overall

Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Cook Set Pot and Skillet

Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Pot - Best Backpacking Pot - Overall

Weight: 6.2 oz / 175 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Includes pot & skillet
> Skillet doubles as a lid
> Lifetime guarantee
Cons:
> The Skillet isn’t a perfect fit as a lid
> The Skillet is not so good to use for cooking food

This has been my go-to piece of titanium cookware for more years than I can remember. It has been used to cook thousands of meals, yes, thousands.

The Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium pot set includes a 30 fluid ounce pot which is 900ml (just under 1 liter) and a small skillet, so you can cook two different dishes, and you can cook a main and a side dish.

Or if you don’t need to use the skillet as intended, you can instead use it as a lid for the other pot, and help retain your food’s moisture. But let me be honest, the skillet lid is not the best for cooking as it is not nonstick, so meals such as pancakes or eggs are difficult to cook.

They’re both made from pure Grade A Japanese titanium. Titanium is perfect for ultralight backpacking cookware, as I explain later in the buyer’s guide. It’s ultralight for one, making it far more comfortable to carry around.

Both items sport handles that fold down flat, for more compact storage. Which means more room for other handy items.

And if you wanted to keep your cookware away from other items in your backpack, say if you didn’t have enough clean water to wash them, you can take advantage of the accompanying mesh carry bag but I got rid of that in favor of a lightweight stuff sack.

And particularly reassuringly, the set comes backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Overall, this is the best titanium cookware for backpacking in 2024.

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Best Ultralight Titanium Hiking Pot

Snow Peak Ti-Single 600 Cup

Snow Peak Ti-Single 600 Cup Ultralight Titanium Hiking Pot

Weight: 2.8 oz / 88 grams
Pros:

> Ultralight
> Made with titanium
> 600 ml size
> Handles fold down
Cons:
> No lid, could lead to spillages
> A bit small for most solo backpackers

Now, this is a cup for the minimalists thru hikers amongst you. 

A day spent backpacking and hiking is thirsty work, and while water is great for keeping you hydrated, there’s nothing quite like a hot drink at the end of the morning or at night.

And if you would like a cup for your hot drink, this one would be a great choice, but many ultralight hikers use this to cook their small meals of pasta or rice. Just add a small amount of aluminum foil to act as a lid and you have an ultralight pot.

The size makes it just big enough for meals and certainly something to consider when hiking solo. I do love the ultralight small size.

It’s made with titanium, which means that it will not only heat up your drink very quickly but will also retain its heat, meaning your drink stays hot for longer.

The handles fold down when not in use, which makes the cup or should I say lightweight backpacking pot more compact to stow away. 

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Best Ultralight Backpacking Cookware

TOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (Ultralight Version)

Toaks Light Titanium 550ml Pot Ultralight Backpacking Cookware

Weight: 2.6 oz / 72 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Ultralight
> 550 ml size is perfect for ultralight solo hikers
> Comes with a lid
Cons:
> Not much, not big enough for more than 1 person.

Superlight and small. The Toaks Titanium ultralight titanium pot set is for the ultralight solo hiker only.

It’s a very nice size at 550 ml and is made from ultralight titanium. And with the titanium being just 0.3 mm thick, this makes it one the lightest pots of its kind on the market.

What I love the most about this one, besides the ultralight weight, is that it comes with its own perfectly fitting lid. This lid features a small fold-away handle that is cool to the touch and locks safely in place.

It also features handles that fold down, for easier, more compact storage. And if all that’s not enough, it also comes with its very own mesh carry bag but like all the other backpacking cookware sets in this review, I prefer a more rigid stuff sack to store cookware sets.

Overall, the Toaks Titanium Pot set at a great price and the perfect lightweight backpacking cookware set for 1.

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Best Compact Cookset for Backpacking

Sea to Summit X-Set 21

Sea to Summit X-Set 21 Compact Cookset for backpacking

Weight: 14 oz / 394 grams
Pros:

> Very compact size
> Includes large pot, cup, and bowl
> Perfect for one person
> Stackable with all other Sea to Summit pots, bowls, or cups, can easily turn it into a 2-person cookset.
Cons:
> Heavy
> Cant be used on a campfire or stove at home

There is a lot to like about the Sea to Summit X-Set 31. It is the most compact backpacking cookware set in this review and you can add more Sea to Summit bowls, cups, pots, or kettles to the system if you want to make it a 2 person cookset.

The Sea to Summit X-Set 31 cookware system is a little on the heavy side at 14 oz / 394 grams so ultralight hikers will not seriously look at this as something to consider. But for overnight or week-long backpacking trips or Bikepacking trips, it is certainly a worthy consideration. As I have been using the x-mug and x-bowl for many years it was an easy thing to just buy the pot.

Overall, this is the most compact backpacking cookware set.

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Best Titanium Cookset

TOAKS Ultralight Titanium Cook System

Toaks Ultralight Titanium Cookset

Weight: 3.9 oz / 109 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Bargain affordable price
> Includes pot, stove, spork & windshield
> Comes with a carry bag
Cons:
> Uses Esbit fuel only

Now this is not just one or two pieces of cookware but an entire cooking system. It has everything you need in one small lightweight kit.

The set is composed of a large 550 ml pot, measuring 95mm x 80mm, a stove to go under it, a folding spoon that doubles as a fork (a spork), and a windshield to stop the wind from cooling down your food as you try to cook.

The pot features its own perfectly fitting lid. This lid features a small fold-away handle that is cool to the touch, and locks safely in place. And there are handy measurements inside the pot.

Better yet the entire set is made of titanium. Not only does titanium heat up and retain heat really well, but it’s also super lightweight for carrying around. Moreover, it’s corrosion-resistant and super durable, despite being so thin and lightweight.

The set also comes complete with its own bright orange mesh carry bag.

Just be aware this titanium cookware set uses Esbit stove fuel to cook which is not for everyone. Look elsewhere if you want to use it with your gas canister stove.

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Best Stainless Steel Backpacking Pots

MSR Alpine Stainless Steel 2 Pot Set

Weight: 26 oz / 730 grams
Pros:

> Almost unbreakable
> Great to use on an open fire
> You can use one pot or both depending on what trip you have planned
Cons:
> Heavy

The MSR Alpine Stainless Steel Cookware Set is the best stainless backpacking pot set on the market at the moment. I used these pots for many years when I hiked in areas that allowed me to cook on an open fire.

Stainless Steel pots are great for several reasons. They are easy to clean, give an even heat across the whole pot, hold heat well and they are great to cook food as opposed to just boiling water.

The MSR Alpine Stainless Steel Cookware Set comes with a 2L and 1.5L pot, frying pan lid, and pot holder. In fact, the pot gripper is the best in the business.

Overall, if you want a very solid, almost unbreakable stainless steel backpacking pot then this is for you.

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MSR

More Backpacking Cookpots

Evernew Titanium Ultra Light Deep Pot

Weight: 3.3 oz / 95 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Can fit 2 small gas canisters inside
> Large 600 ml size
> Safe red fold-away handles
Cons:
> Premium product at a premium price

Now, this particular piece of cookware has a feature that none of the other cookware pieces in our shortlist have.

If you look at the photo, you will see red handles on the pot. But this is not just an aesthetic feature.

The red handle covering on the handles will protect your hands from the pot’s heat after being on your hot camp stove. It’s a great safety feature, just don’t use it on an open fire as the red material on the handles will melt and burn.

It’s a nice large size at 12.5 cm deep and 9.5 cm in diameter, which means it’s able to hold 600 ml of food or liquid.

It’s made of titanium, which is strong, ultralight, super efficient, and conducting heat.

Sure it’s expensive, which is why I think there are so few customer reviews around for it, but if you’re the kind of person who likes to put safety first, you may well decide it’s worth every penny.

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MSR Titan 2 Camping Pot Set

MSR Titan 2 Pot Set

Weight: 9.6 oz / 270 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> 1 liter pot nests inside the larger one
> Special pot handle for safety
Cons:
> Premium product at a premium price

This 2-pot set includes a large 1.5-liter pot and a smaller 1 liter one that nests right inside the larger one for convenient storage and carrying.

It also comes with a lid big enough for the larger pot, and a LiteLifter pot handle, which allows you to grab either pot or lid.

With the LiteLifter Pot Handle, you don’t have to worry about scalding your hands on any metal handles.

And the pots and pans of the set are made with ultra-lightweight titanium which I love.

It’s quite expensive for what it is, but if you are looking for the best hiking cookware set for 2 people then this is worthy of consideration.

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MSR Titan Titanium Kettle

MSR Titan Titanium Kettle

Weight: 4.2 oz / 118 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Use as pot, mug, or bowl
> Large 850 ml size
> Handles fold down
> Has a lid
Cons:
> No volume indicators

What I like about this camping kettle is its versatility. You can use it as either a pot, a bowl, a mug, or of course a kettle.

It’s a nice, large size, able to hold up to 850 ml of liquid. It comes with its very own lid which features a small handle on top. There’s also a handle on one side. Better yet, the handle will fold down for easier, more compact storage.

I love all the backpacking pots that are this size as it is small enough for a solo hiker and just big enough for a couple. When it comes to backpacking cookware for 2 people this is the smallest size I would ever consider. But I would prefer slightly bigger for a couple.

As with all the other best titanium pots for backpacking in the review I love the weight saving and strength of this pot.

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MSR

Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set

Stanley Adventure Camp Cookset

Weight: 14.4 oz / 408 grams
Pros:

> Includes a pot and two cups
> Very durable stainless steel
> Features a vented lid
> Folding handle secures items in place
> Backed by a lifetime warranty
> Great Price
Cons:
> Very Heavy

This is a cookware set that is very popular.

The set is composed of a 24 ounce kettle and two cups that fit right inside it for very compact storage and portability.

The slimline kettle features a lid with a cool to the touch handle. Plus the lid is vented, which is a great safety feature. 

The kettle itself has its own handle too, so you don’t have to scald yourself holding it.

Better yet, when the kettle handle is not in use, you can fold it down over the lid with cups inside, keeping all the items in the set nice and secure as you go.

Reassuringly, the set is backed by a lifetime warranty.

The only drawback is that the kettle and lid are made with stainless steel rather than titanium, so it isn’t as lightweight as many of the other items that made our shortlist.

It only weighs 0.2kg. Stainless steel may not be ultralight but it’s easy to clean and won’t ever rust.

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Best Budget Titanium Backpacking Cookset

Lixada Camping Titanium Cookware Set

Weight: 7.1 oz / 201 grams
Pros:

> Made with titanium
> Won Amazon’s Choice
> Includes pot, cup & spork
> Collapsible handles
Cons:
> The lids are not lockable

The set is made up of a large 750 ml pot, a 420 ml cup, a lid and a folding spork. Both the pot and the cup feature lids, which is excellent for both safety and for heat retention.

The handles of the pot and cup are collapsible, folding away for easier more compact storage, ready for when you go back in the move again.

All parts of the set are made with titanium but comes at a budget price. If you are looking for budget titanium pots for backpacking then this could be a great option.

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Gear Testing Titanium Pots in Winter conditions melting snow
Boiling snow when backpacking is easy with a titanium backpacking pot

Other Backpacking Pots and Hiking Cooksets

The backpacking cookware list below will be added to the list as soon as they are reviewed.

  • MSR Ceramic Solo Pot – The MSR Ceramic Solo Pot is a great non-stick pot.
  • MSR Ceramic 2 Pot Cookset – The MSR Ceramic 2 Pot Cookset is a great 2 person backpacking cookset. Lightweight pot set that and non-stock anodized aluminum.
  • GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Campset – The GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Campset is huge and only for the large group of about 4 people. Just too big and too much stuff for most backpackers.
  • GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist – The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist is another worthy contender that I am evaluating at the moment
Gear Testing the Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Pot on the Appalachian trail
The Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium during testing on the Appalachian Trail

Backpacking Cookware Comparison Table

BrandMaterialWeightCapacity
Snow Peak Trek 900 Titanium Cook Set Pot and SkilletTitanium6.2 oz900 ml
Snow Peak Titanium Single Wall Cup 600Titanium2.8 oz600 ml
TOAKS Light Titanium 550ml Pot (Ultralight Version)Titanium2.6 oz550 ml
Sea to Summit X-Set 21Silicone / Stainless Steel14 oz1.4 L
TOAKS Ultralight Titanium Cook SystemTitanium3.9 oz550 ml
MSR Alpine Stainless Steel 2 Pot SetStainless Steel26 oz1.5L, 2L
Evernew Titanium Ultralight Deep PotTitanium3.3 oz600ml
MSR Titan 2 Camping Pot SetTitanium9.6 oz1 L, 1.5L
MSR Titan Ultra-Lightweight Camping KettleTitanium4.5 oz850 ml
Stanley Adventure Camp Cook SetStainless Steel14.4 oz710 ml
Lixada Camping Titanium Cookware SetTiatanium7.1 oz420 ml, 750 ml
Source: Manufacturers


Material

The main materials that are used for hiking pots and cooksets are :

  • Titanium
  • Stainless Steel
  • Anodized Aluminum
  • Cast Iron

Titanium – And Why It’s Best For Backpacking Cookware

For backpacking cookware, you will need items that can both conduct heat well and retain heat well. But at the same time, it also has to be very lightweight, if not ultralight. 

That’s where titanium comes in. It has both of these properties and is actually half the weight of stainless steel. But that’s not all…

It’s also very sturdy, durable, and corrosion-resistant. Moreover, it doesn’t leave a metallic taste in your mouth.

But there is a downside, titanium is so good at capturing heat that it can often cause food to burn to the pot as it creates hotspots.

Overall, Titanium pots are best for backpacking.

Stainless Steel Backpacking Pots

Stainless Steel has several advantages and disadvantages as hiking cookware.

Stainless Steel pots are heavy compared to the other materials but it is much more durable and has the advantage of being easier to clean. A stainless steel pot is the best material to use when cooking on an open fire and therefore the best camping cookware.

Anodized Aluminum Backpacking Pots

Anodized Aluminum is super lightweight and makes a great material for camping cookware. It also produces an even heat which prevents hotspots that are prone to pots made from titanium. When a non stock ceramic coating is added to aluminum pots they make awesome backpacking cookware sets.

Silicone

This is a new and interesting material that has recently made its way into backpacking cookware. Primarily it is used by Sea to Summit on the X-Pot and all their other ‘X’ products. Essentially the base of the pot is made with material such as Stainless steel and the sides are made with silicone and made in a way to be compressible and stackable. A brilliant idea that works very well, although they are quite a bit heavier than titanium

Cast Iron

Cast Iron is great for car camping but way too heavy and not worth the effort for any backcountry hiking trip. Stay away and go with something lighter.


Weight and size

Most of us like to keep the weight to a minimum when we are out on a backpacking trip. Ultralight solo hikers can keep the weight of their cooking pots below 3 ounces / 85 grams by taking a titanium pot under 700ml. This size is enough to boil water for freeze-dried meals and make coffee and oats in the morning. These pots are usually not as durable as some of the titanium or anodized aluminum pots they weigh a bit more.

Couples and groups will need bigger pots or even multiple pots to satisfy the cooking demands. Sometimes it is sufficient to take one large pot to make a large meal. At other times multiple pots are better. Some of the multi-pot cookware sets in this review can are good because you can leave one pot at home on some trips and take both on others giving you better versatility.

As a general rule look to take about 500ml – 700ml per person. Therefore, between 1L and 1.4L is sufficient for a couple.

Gear Testing the Titanium Pot from Evernew on a Backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon
Lightweight Titanium Pot and Skillet being tested in the Grand Canyon

Easy to Stow Away And Carry

When you’re backpacking or hiking you want to be able to stow all your gear in as few bags as possible. This means that items have to be packed as compactly as possible to make room for all the items you want to take.

To that end, I recommend cookware with folding handles and cookware items that nest within one another.

And when you set out, you can store your uncooked food within the cookware to save even more space. I prefer to use an aftermarket stuff sack as I’m not a huge fan of the supplied mesh sacks that come with most pots.


Pot Lids

All the backpacking pots in this list come with a pot lid. They come in various shapes, styles, and materials.

The main feature of the lid is that it covers the pot to reduce the amount of fuel needed to boil water or cook food. But the humble lid can in some cases double as a skillet or as a bowl to eat from. While good in theory, few manufacturers can pull off the double duty as a lid and skillet. In most cases, if you want a skillet to cook bacon or flip pancakes then look at specially designed skillets.

A handy feature on some lids is straining holes to allow you to remove liquid from the pot when cooking things such as pasta that needs draining. This feature is worthwhile and works well.

A lightweight alternative is to get rid of the pot lid altogether and make a lid with lightweight aluminum foil. I’ve used this method on many occasions when ultralight thru-hiking. If weight matters almost as much as a warm meal then this method is worth a try.

Using aluminum foil as a lightweight lid when backpacking
Using aluminum foil as a lightweight lid is a good option if weight saving is important

Price

As a general rule, you get what you pay for but there are many things to take into consideration. Titanium is expensive so anything on this list made with titanium will be expensive. Anodized Aluminum is a better budget option and only a little heavier and less durable than titanium. If you are directed by price and looking for an affordable pot for backpacking then some of the budget options listed in this review are worth considering.


Conclusion

Here are the Best Backpacking Pots and Cookware Sets for Backpacking:

Another one of the Best Backpacking Gear Reviews from BikeHikeSafari.

Gear Testing a 2 person backpacking cookware set while bicycle touring
The Best Cookware for 2 people is usually larger and bulkier but when bicycle touring there is a little extra room.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Items Of Cookware Do You Actually Need?

It depends on how many of you are backpacking together, and what you intend to cook. 
On one hand, the more cookware you have, the more you can cook. But on the other hand, the more cookware you have, the heavier your backpack is going to be.
So there’s no straight answer to this, and you are free to pack cookware at your own discretion. The minimalists amongst you could well be happy enough with just one item.

What is the best cookware for backpacking?

The best cookware for backpacking is the Snow Peak Trek, Toaks, Evernew, and MSR Titan. These are reputable brands that have been tried and tested and have proved to live up to their name. Read the complete review to find which one is best for you.

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Best Backpacking Cookware and Titanium Pots
Best Backpacking Cookware

BikeHikeSafari Gear Review Process

The author, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small independent adventurer and outdoor gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.

BikeHikeSafari is not part of a large blog network and is proudly independent. All reviews on this site are independent and honest gear reviews of outdoor products by the author.

The author, Brad McCartney is a very experienced triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read more). He was a manager of an outdoor retail store and is very experienced in what is important when using and testing gear for reviews like this.

BikeHikeSafari will never receive any money for reviews and they do not accept sponsored reviews on this website. All the comments about the gear reviews are from the author based on his years of experience. Hope this independent review was helpful for you.

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Photo of author
About the Author:
Brad is an Australian who has completed the hiking Triple Crown after he hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and Appalachian Trail. He has hiked on every continent (except Antarctica) and has cycled from Alaska to Ecuador. He is an expert on outdoor gear currently living in Chile.

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