WHEN a manufacturer asks me to test their gear for them, it rarely happens quickly.
You see, in my eyes as a professional outdoorsman who relies on his gear day-in-day-out, I want to know the kit I’m taking with me is something I can count on to do its job 100%.
A bushcraft specialist needs to keep their inventory down to a minimum which often means only having one of each essential item required. If that piece of equipment lets you down, it becomes the weak link in the chain. Therefore, if I’m testing something I want to recommend to others I really need to know it isn’t going to let my reputation down by failing someone.
So, I take my time with it. I put it through every conceivable test and push it to its limits.
You know when you walk through IKEA and see the armchair suffering repeated thumps from a machine that says it’s been sat on 50,000 times that month alone? Well, that’s me with a new tent, sleeping bag, stove or even a pair of socks!
A few months ago, Wild Camping International specced up a cooking pot for me. Something small, lightweight, versatile yet – at the same time – able to take a proper bashing. I also needed something that I can hang close to the embers too. I need that level of control over something that I either need to bring to the boil or keep hot in the background while I’m busy with something else.
Well, after almost 30 outings, I can confirm the Wild Camping International Titanium 750ml hanging cooking pot is absolutely fit for purpose.
It made my morning coffee, cooked my lunch, sorted out a well-needed afternoon cup of tea for two, and I even managed to knock up a foraged stew in it during one particularly tough outing.
Now, this isn’t ground-breaking. After all, I could do all this with most of the cooking equipment I’ve employed over the last thirty-odd years. However, not much of that kit has only added the weight of a couple of wet feathers to my backpack.
And it’s not just the ultra-light weight that appeals – this is made of titanium which, particularly if like me you spend much of your outdoor time travelling down some very wet rivers, is a massive bonus with its ability to not be affected by corrosion.
The other bonus with titanium, too, is the fact you can touch the fold-out handles within seconds of the boiling pot leaving the relentless heat of your campfire.
Add to that its ability to be able to take the rough and tumble that naturally comes with being constantly knocked about in my backpack, then you’ve got something here that could easily become a faithful outdoors companion for years.
This is a good bit of kit – one which has seen me discard my trusty old campfire coffee pot. And that, I assure you, is pretty high praise. I loved that old pot, but this is an upgrade.
PRODUCT: Wild Camping International titanium 750ml hanging cooking pot
PRICE: £25.97
PURCHASE: Here
