Sea to Summit Camping Cook Pots
Sea to Summit has hit a home run with at least two of their Camp Kitchen line of cooking pots. The Frontier UltraLight Pot 1.3L size, and the Detour Collapsible Pouring Pot 1.8L size. I gave these pots a good workout, cooking several meals or dishes while camping, where they performed very well. But my enthusiasm for them is bolstered by the fact that I continue to use them at home, especially the Frontier UltraLight Pot. That little kettle has become my favorite all around cooking pot, both when out in the field and at home on the stovetop.
First, the Detour Collapsible Pouring Pot. The clever feature of this pot is that it collapses to less than half its full size, thanks to a rubber center gasket that folds in on itself when the pot is not in use. It works like those collapsible plastic travel cups you probably saw when you were a kid. This is fantastic for camping storage, and Sea to Summit has wisely made full use of this technology by producing more full cooking and dining sets that are collapsible. I plan on changing out most of my camping kitchen gear to these sets. Just thinking of the space I’ll save when packing makes me smile.
But the Detour Pot has more to recommend it than just its compactness. The handle is another big benefit. The handle can be used as a regular pot handle, and then once you’ve finished cooking and are ready to store the pot, the handle can be reversed, locked into place and will securely hold the pot lid in place. They call it a Dual Click-Safe handle. Darn clever. I had no worries about carrying a full pot of soup with the handle locked in place.
The metal portions of the pot are stainless steel, which means that it’s durable and easy to clean. The rubber collapsible gasket is BPA-free and food safe. Honestly, I had my doubts about this pot. The collapsible rubber side in the center of the pot had me wondering how it would take the heat of a camp stove, but cooking was as straightforward as with any other pot, and cleaning up was just as easy. But what I really like is the compact stowaway benefit.
Next, the Frontier UltraLight Pot. This has become my favorite in-home pot. Sure, it performed quite nicely while camping, but I found it to be so serviceable and convenient that I continue to use it in my home kitchen. The 1.3L size is perfect for one person, but Sea to Summit also makes a 2L and 3L size with the exact same features. The 3L pot is on my personal Christmas wish list.
This is a light-weight anodized aluminum alloy pot with a ceramic non-stick coating that makes for easy clean-up. The Dual Click-Safe handle functions the same as in the Detour Pot, and secures the lid when you’re not using it. I store some small items in the pot itself when camping, and the lid stays tight because of the handle. The inside of the pot has measurements so you can be precise when adding water or broth to a dish, but frankly I never paid any attention to those. 1.3L is a small pot and I had no need for internal measurements. But if I get the 3L pot those might come in handy.
What really sold me on this light-weight little pot, however, are the strainer holes in the lid. Man, that is a great feature. If I’m cooking pasta, boiling eggs, or any other liquid dish where the liquid needs to be drained after cooking, this feature is well appreciated.
My only complaint is that the top, silicone lid handle could be just a bit larger on both pots. My fat fingers could have used another half inch of handle to grab onto.
Overall, these Sea to Summit cook pots are impressive, and are a welcome addition to my camping kitchen kit (and my home kitchen). Good job, Sea to Summit.
