Hands up, who can resist the dull, silvery grey patina of titanium? The slightly confusing feeling you get when you pick it up and can’t really comprehend why something that feels like it’s not there, can cost so much. It certainly casts some magical spell on most of us, sure it’s light but aluminium’s lighter, okay so it doesn’t corrode, well neither does stainless and Ti does mark quite easily. Perhaps it’s the thermal conductive properties? Nope, can’t be that as both aluminium and cast iron are far better … so, maybe it’s just the fact that it’s expensive and due to that we attach a greater value to it than maybe we should? Who knows and if we’re honest, who cares? Titanium will always have a special place in our hearts when it comes to cookware, frames and pinning bones back together.
 |
| It’s so so shiny. |
If you’ve managed to read the above paragraph and not dismiss me as a raving loon or bikepacking heretic, then maybe and it’s only a maybe, you might be interested in a Zebra.
Zebra pots are a firm favourite with bushcrafters, survivalists and Ray Mears. They’re 99% stainless steel (they’d be 100% if it weren’t for the plastic clips), come in a range of sizes, are extremely well made and are very reasonably priced. The pots are sized by their physical size rather than capacity, the one here is a 10cm (actual dimensions are 10cm diameter x 11cm high) and it’s the smallest in the range, next up is 12cm, then 14cm and so on.
 |
| Pot, lid and ‘other’ bit. |
Each pot features an integrated stainless ‘tray’ that depending on your point of view is either a fantastic multi-purpose addition or soon to be discarded extra weight. My personal opinion is that it’s worth taking along, it could be used as a plate or a cup, maybe a chopping board or if left in place will turn your pot into a 2 tier affair … it would also make a cracking ash tray.
There’s no side handles on the pots but there is a clever bail handle. Attached to each handle pivot is a plastic clip, when the handle is down the clips do nothing. Raise the handle and the clips engage, locking the lid into position helping to prevent clumsy people from getting burnt or spilling their tea. If you’re going to be cooking over an open fire or wood stove then I’d suggest removing the clips first, it only takes a couple of seconds but will prevent molten white plastic from running down the side of your pot!
 |
| Plastic … in case of fire remove clip. |
I’ve measured the usable capacity of the 10cm pot to be around 800ml and the capacity of the ‘plate’ is 150ml. The all in weight is a slightly portly 380g which will reduce to just over 300g if you leave the plate at home … the reality is that for many of us this will probably be the deciding factor in whether we’d buy one or not. A Ti pot of similar dimensions will (should) weigh about 200g less BUT and it’s a big but the Zebra costs roughly a quarter of its Ti rival and will last just as long or maybe even longer.
Zebra pots are available all over the internet and prices start from about £10 for one this size.
http://teddytourteas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/zebra-billy.html