by Todd Walker
I’m a container junkie! I can’t get enough.
My most recent addition to my collection is the Ultimate Bottle Cooking Set GEN2 from The Pathfinder Store.
Cool, huh? But is it worth the price?
I bought this set to replace my old plastic GI canteen with nesting cup for my 72 Hour Kit. Plus, I wanted a water/cooking kit I could grab and throw in my hunting kit or day hike bag. Every thing I need to make fire, collect water, and cook is packed in the water bottle bag.
Here’s what came to my door within two days of placing my order:
- The Pathfinder 32oz Stainless Steel Bottle & Cup Set
- The Pathfinder Pack Stove & Grill Top
- The Pathfinder Fire Striker
- A Package of Pathfinder Micro Infernos
- A Bottle Hanger
- A Plastic Spork
- All Contained in a Coyote Tan Water Bottle Bag
The stainless steel bottle adds cooking options I didn’t have with my plastic GI canteen. Now I can cook or boil water within the bottle itself if needed. Couldn’t do that with the plastic canteen. This redundancy alone sold me on the kit.
I’ve got other stainless steel water bottles. As a matter of fact, I was lucky enough to win one (Klean Kanteen) from Camping Survival on Twitter a year ago! It was a smaller bottle without the wide mouth opening. Still, it has come in handy.
The thing about the Pathfinder bottle I like is the size and wide mouth. The only way for it to be better is to include a stainless lid. The plastic screw-on lid seals just fine. It nests in the cup perfectly.
Cons
I’ve done a couple of tests with the set. Right from the start, I noticed a couple of modifications I’d need to make. When removing the cup, which fits snugly in the bag, the metal handle bracket snags on the inside of the bag. This can be remedied with a little tape – or Pathfinder might consider making the bag’s diameter a few centimeters larger.
Sharp edges on the Pack Stove and Grill Top need to be smoothed with a file. Not a biggie. Just be careful using and storing the stove in the top of the bag. I haven’t been nicked using it. But it has that potential.
I’d prefer a metal spork in the kit. But the cost would go up. So the plastic one will do.
Pros
The complete kit is priced at $58.00. If all you want is the bottle and cup, it’ll set you back $32. Buying the items separately would run over $100. The kit is worth the price for me!
The bag has ample storage space for the kit contents and more stuff I’ve added (fat wood, paracord, and jute twine). I like the fact that it can be carried with a shoulder strap (not included) or buckled to a belt or molle straps on a bag. I plan on making a paracord strap like some of my rifle slings I’ve made.
The fire striker comes with an attached hacksaw blade which works well and showers plenty of sparks onto the Micro Infernos fire starters in the kit. I laid open one fire starter with my Mora knife to add extra surface area for the sparks. After a few scraps from the ferro rod, I had fire.
Another feature I really like is the Bottle Hanger. This item is designed to fit into the wide mouth opening of the bottle. It also fits other bottles like my Kleen Kanteen bottles. This allows you to lift bottles directly from a camp fire or stove. It can also be hooked into two holes in the cup for the same purpose.
The bottle hook on a cup of wild ginger tea.
The cup and bottle sit on my Emberlit stove with no problem. I prefer the Emberlit over the stove that came with the kit. But the kit stove works. It’s just not as effective.
Having knowledge and skills allows one to travel with less stuff. This kit is ideal for that purpose. With a good cutting tool and this kit, you could survive in a wilderness emergency. Remember, knowledge weighs nothing.
This cooking kit is very popular at The Pathfinder Store. As of this morning, it is currently unavailable. They sell out quickly. Check their site often if you want one.
Keep Doing the Stuff of Self-Reliance,
Todd
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