Stansport Stainless Steel Mess Kit Copper Bottom (360)

This mess kit is pretty amazing for $20. I've owned a lot of mess kits over time (Swedish mess kits, USGI kits, East German kits, and various Coleman kits) and most have been cast aluminum, which gets the job done but has the tendency to stain badly and after extended use, gets harder and harder to clean.This kit though is made of stainless steel with a light copper plating on the bottom of each piece of kit. I don't know what gauge stainless steel it is made from but it feels VERY sturdy and is also EXTREMELY lightweight, The Copper plating on the bottom of the pans has been done excellently. For $20 you almost expect it to be cheaply done. This kit however looks like the pieces were assembled with a great attention to detail. The spot welds that old the handles on the pan are very well done as well.It looks as if they were pressed then welded then brushed up. The screws on the pan lid are tight and sturdy, and the handles on the pot are slotted so it doesn't spill when you pick it up but when your done the handle easily folds down and away. Very well made and thought out design. Again, this is a $20 kit I would have gladly paid more for in a store based solely on its build quality.On a camp stove all the items heat up evenly. The copper allows for more even heat distribution which allows for faster cooking and more evenly cooked foods. Cleanup is also SUPER easy as the pans simply wipe clean. Also, depending on the gas flame or open flame, you can get a bit of soot buildup. This is normal. This post cleans easier in that aspect too. After 3-4 uses it's still holding up fine. The plating is as well. I think this kit is DEFINITELY worth the money. Plus it comes with a small carry bag which I totally didn't expect but is very useful and a nice touch. I might buy a few more of these just to have/give as gifts to my camping pals.

This is a sturdy and compact set for an individual. I used it on a 4-day stay in the Mt. Hood (Oregon) wilderness last month. I cooked a 10 ounce steak in the frying pan, using olive oil and turning it frequently, and setting the plate on top as a cover to hold the heat in. I used an MSR pocket rocket with a 110 gram canister for fuel. The steak was great and the pan cleaned up easily. The added benefit is the locking handle. I can stash items like the pocket rocket, meds--anything that requires some protection--in this little steel storage unit and it won't spill open. I wish I had a larger pot and lid that locked as securely.

Truly a 1-person kit, I liked the stainless steel better than the aluminum kits, and it wasn't noticeably heavier. I definitely like this kit better than the cheapo coleman aluminum kit, which is basically just pie-plates.A cup would have been nice (like with the aluminum kits), I usually used it for measuring and whatnot. I stole the cup from a coleman kit, fits fine. I did like that compared to the aluminum kits, the pans had bigger bottoms, and straighter sides, that made cooking things like bacon easier.The copper bottoms are for looks only, the pans obviously don't spread heat evenly. That's up to you.Because the handle flips instead of spins, it kind of falls below the plane of the pan, so it works, but it's not ideal. Everybody kind of expects the pan handle to be towards the top of the pan. But you don't have that weird wingnut tab hanging off, either. The plastic handle on the pot lid is easily replaced with a wingnut or something that won't melt so you can put coals on the lid and use it as a dutch oven. I made cornbread in it no problems. The handle on the pot will not stay upright on its own. Not ideal if you want to set the pot onto a grill, because you can't keep the handle out of the heat, but the handle does lock so that you can pour the pot holding it by the handle.Overall, a nice little kit.

This mess kit is perfect for anyone going it alone backpacking or for kids that are scouting. I bought this for myself and my survival kit, it is stainless steel which is much better than the cheaper aluminum. This kit also has a copper bottom which insures even heating of the food your cooking.I will be feild testing this unit for maximum results and posting about it later. But i can say this looks to be the best quality kit and there are no warnings about the materials like a few have (the california "cancer" warning sticker that comes in a few items). If your going out alone or even with another person get this kit as a starter kit, if your looking for a kit that can feed more than two i recommend the GSI kits, they have ones that can accomidate 6 people but still have enough room to fit in a pack.

I've been paring down my camp cookware and decided to purchase this to use instead of an old skillet that was oversized. If you don't want aluminum, this stainless steel set is a great alternative that packs easily and will last a long time. I considered buying the similar Coleman stainless set, but opted for this one because I did not need the extra plastic plates. When it's not practical to haul larger and heavier cast iron or carbon steel cookware along, this is a superb alternative for minimalistic needs. Cooked some chili in the saucepot and a frittata in the skillet to break it in and was impressed.