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One of the best parts of backpacking is arguably the end of the day when you’re done hiking, the ultralight tent or camping hammock is set up, and you’ve got nothing left to do but kick back, make dinner, and shove an unnatural amount of food down your gullet to replace all those calories you burned walking for miles with a heavy pack on your back. So when that time comes, you want the best camping cookware on hand, ready to rehydrate those backpacking meals.
What makes a camp cookware set the best? Well, that depends on you and your style of backpacking, who you’re with, and what you plan to eat. So we tested a handful of ultralight cookware options to see which were tops and which are best suited for all different types of backpackers.
The Best Camping Cookware for Ultralight Backpacking
GSI Glacier Minimalist
Designed for solo hikers who like to keep it simple, this camp cookware triples as a cook pot, bowl, and mug (though not all at once, obviously). This stainless camp cookware is just large enough to boil water for one (two if you’re OK taking turns), plus comes with a folding steel spork (which we tossed and swapped out for our favorite GSI long-handled spoon), a silicone pot gripper (since there are no handles), and a foam sleeve that you slide the pot in after cooking so you can eat or drink right out of the warm vessel.
The plastic and silicone lid is multi-functional: flip it upside down to keep heat in while boiling water or turn it right side up and it seals securely in place to function as a mug lid for sipping. You can still nestle a small fuel canister inside (not a large one) plus an ultralight backpacking stove if it’s small enough. Bonus: it’s budget-friendly at under $30. There’s also a slightly lighter (6.1oz) Halulite Minimalist made of anodized aluminum.
Weight: 8.5 oz
Pros
- All-in-one solution
- Easily readable measurements on the side of the pot
- Compact
Cons
- Heavy for a solo option
- Just for boiling water
MSR Titanium Kettle 900ml
If anyone knows how to make camp cookware for backpackers, it’s MSR. And this titanium option (there’s also a mug available) hits the sweet spot between ultralight and still feature-rich and functional, making it perhaps the Goldilocks of this camping cookware list. No, it’s not as light as more bare bones titanium options like Toaks (listed below), but a few details do make it easier to use without requiring extra tools like tiny pot grabbers or a camp towel.
The lid locks in place with just a little pressure and a silicone pinch grip makes it safe and easy to remove when hot. The ultralight cook pot is also big enough to stash a small or large fuel canister and your backpacking stove when you’re not using it to make dinner.
Weight: 5.4 oz/153g
Pros
- Folding handles for easy portability
- Silicone handle grips for heat protection
- Pour spout
- Locking lid
Cons
- Heavier than some UL camp cookware options
Sea To Summit Frontier Ultralight Pot 1.3L
This anodized aluminum cook pot is a functional workhorse, though not as ultralight as other options. That said, if you prefer functionality and features over cutting grams, this may be the pot for you. It’s plenty big enough to boil water for two or cook a pot of boxed mac ‘n’ cheese. It even has a removable and reposition-able handle so you can keep your hands farther from the flames but also lock it over the top of the lid for more compact storage (and to keep anything you store inside securely in place).
The lid doesn’t lock onto the pot while cooking, but it does have a silicone pinch grip (the underside of which doubles as a way to hang the lid from the side of the pot) plus a vent hole and strainer slats so you can hold it on while you drain the excess water from your pasta. Bonus: this camping cookware is non-stick, but totally PFAS-free (it utilizes a ceramic coating instead of Teflon). Meaning cleanup after dinner is a breeze.
Weight: 7.5 oz
Pros
- Non-stick and PFAS-free
- Can be used for boiling water or cooking food directly in the pot
- Can nestle other pots, cups, or fuel and a backpacking stove inside
- Equally functional for car camping
Cons
- Heavier than some of the other options
- Handle makes it tippy when empty
- Measurements aren’t easily readable from the inside of the pot
Toaks Titanium Pot 750ml
Perhaps the most ultralight of all the ultralight cookware are the options from Toaks. This titanium camping cookware is all the rage with ultralighters (we know because we are those ultralighters), and for good reason. The options are simple, no fuss, not fancy, and come with just what you need and nothing more (no silicone grips or coozies or anything like that). That includes fold-out handles, a pinch grip on the lid, and enough room to stash a small fuel canister and backpacking stove or a Toaks titanium mug.
But if you’d rather cut a few grams than have features like a locking lid with a strainer or silicone handle protectors, these are the options for you. Heck, you can even cook, eat and drink out of the same single vessel if you want. The lid doesn’t lock on, but we’ve never complained.
Weight: 3.6 oz
Pros
- Ultralight
- Compact
- Fairly easily readable measurements on the side
Cons
- No frills or extra features for increased functionality
- Straining is difficult
- For boiling water, not so much for cooking directly in
The Best Camping Cookware: Bottom Line
What actually is “The Best” camp cookware for you may vary, but these are all solid options that we’ve tested and tried and approve of for just about every type of backpacking trip. So pack up your ultralight pot, plenty of snacks, prepare your dehydrated meals, fuel up, and wander on.
Alisha is a freelance outdoor journalist and photographer based in Ogden, UT. She loves backpacking, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and snowboarding (even though she’s terrible at it). She’s also pretty sure she’s addicted to coffee. alishamcdarris.com