All-Clad is the best, but a little excessive for a camping kitchen. I would look into cast iron, easy to clean, indestructible, great heat transfer, perfect for Dutch ovens and the like.
Stainless can be annoying to clean in a camp kitchen environment. Especially when the cooks only cook when camping.

 

Good luck finding a nesting set Randy. I've looked for years and they are hard to find, except for the occassional Mirrow or Comet brand aluminum on eBay. Mostly the nesting SS sets are too small to be useful and the aluminum sets often have a couple of useless plastic cups and a way-too-small coffee pot associated with em, etc. In short, a good, 3 or 4 pot, nesting, no non-sense SS camp set is almost impossible to find.

What I carry is one medium-priced SS spaghetti boiler (Kmart, City Market, Target) and a nesting backpacker set inside it, and that's basically it for pots. Combined with 2 dutches (alumimum anodized, one 10 and one 12 inch, which nest together) and a griddle (also aluminum anodized) and I've been able to cook for any trip up to 12 or even 14. If the group is larger I can toss in another pot or griddle, but it isn't.

My best sources for camp kitchen stuff have been yard sales, Salvation Army, Goodwill and similar stores. Over the years you can put together a really lightweight, functional, practical set of tools.

Enjoy!

 

Also, has anyone ever had a square stockpot welded? I'd like maximum water-boiling capacity for big groups and boil-in-a-bag meals and would love to have it fit perfectly in the dry box.

No, but that's an absolutely great idea. Also consider a spigot on the bottom so you can take water out for tea, coffee, dishes, etc. without having to ladel it out or pour from the big pot.

You could put it on the stove or on the fire.

Maybe go a tad thicker gauge on the bottom for durability.

 

Is this what you are looking for?

Cabela's: Stock Pot Set

They are thin, but light weight.

 

I use a set of 3 nesting Partner Steel Dutch Ovens. They are square and made from anodized aluminum. They don't have legs, so you can set them directly on the stove. And the lids work as griddles. So, instead of bringing stock pots, DO's AND griddles, I can just bring the one piece of gear that works as all three. YMMV.

 

Harbor frieght has a smaller set of four pots for $35.00.
6-, 8-, 12- and 16-quart pots.
Stainless Steel 4 Piece Stock Pot Set

Probably not "Dream quality" but worth a look.

 

I bought these on sale a few days ago for $19.95. Great price but thin metal, cheesey rivets and lids. I'm sure they will last for many river trips if thats all you use them for but I would like something better quality for car camping as well. I think I'm going to bring them back, bite the bullet and start over.

 

.

 

... and one high quality 15-20 quart stainless steel pail that I can boil water in. .

Have you looked at these? 13 and 26 qt. available.

GSI Outdoors: Products

 

Good info thanks. The Harbor Frieght set looks more or less equivalent to the Cabela's set for less $$$. But I'm not sure I would ever need that many boiling (stock) pots on the same trip. I been able to get by nicely with one stock pot, two dutches and a griddle. The Partner nesting dutches sound interesting. I have a Partner griddle and love it. Have 3 Partner stoves too, but haven't bit on the square dutch idea yet.

 

The cheap S.S. set is worth having in the arsenal. I found one to be a perfect fit to slip my 5 lb. propane cylinder inside. Another slips over the end of my aluminum (approx.) 3 X 6 roll up table and keeps the legs from sliding out from the center. I also have a blue enamel stock pot that the 20 lb. fits inside.

I also would like to find a nice set of smaller S.S. pots but haven't found what I'm looking for yet. I like the MSR Stowaway pots but need one larger size (3qt.) that they could all nest in. Any ideas?

 

Another shout for Partner steel

Everyone in my group loves the Partner Steel square DO. It cooks evenly and never burns, the extra lid/griddle always comes in handy. Some folks liked it so much they bought one for use in their home kitchen. It is not steel but anodized aluminum.

 

.

 

Have you ever been to a resturant supply store? Prices are usually better than sporting goods stores.

 

Have you ever been to a resturant supply store? Prices are usually better than sporting goods stores.

I went with a aluminum stock pot that diameter fit inside mated with my Al Dutch oven. Or maybe my Dutch oven fit inside it. But I think that would have been a huge stock pot

 

I went with a aluminum stock pot that diameter fit inside mated with my Al Dutch oven. Or maybe my Dutch oven fit inside it. But I think that would have been a huge stock pot

Drunk already?

 

Just remebered that Cash-n-Carry has restaurant quality stockpots that aren't too expensive. Worth looking there.

 

It's happy hour on some river somewhere

 

Let me guess, iphone typing?

 

I had the opportunity to take the partner nesting set down the gc and I was more than impressed. key element was doing the ol' oil and paper towel trick for baking....

 

Anyone used these that NRS has on their site? Specs say they are stainless and aluminum.


http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=74261&pdeptid=2121

 

try Magma Nestable

We have this set from Magma.

Works very well.
Cleans up well, easy to use.
Don't worry about burning food as can happen with cheap, thin stainless pots.
On big trips(lots of people and food), we take the whole set.
On small trips(2 of us), we use part of the set depending on the menu.
Looked for a couple years for a set on sale until I found a marine supply place going out of business, and paid just less than $75 for our set.

You might look at the Cuisinart stowaway set as well.
We have friends that use them on the river and they seem really nice.

 

Anyone used these that NRS has on their site? Specs say they are stainless and aluminum.

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=74261&pdeptid=2121

The diameter of the pans look small but probably good for a small group. Check retailmenot for a coupon at sierra trading post

 

Great topic Randaddy, and a possible follow on topic...

Definitely not trying to hijack your post, but what are your thoughts for a coffee pot or press? I'm thinking this is an essential "must have" for camping? .

I was researching stainless steel thermal coffee presses yesterday at work.


Bodum Columbia Stainless Steel Thermal Coffee Press
Bodum Columbia Coffee Press-Bodum French Press Coffee Makers from Whole Latte Love

8 or 12 cup? I think 12 cup would be better for larger groups


I was looking for something more functional, and doesn't have to be this aesthetically pleasing.

Thank you for all the great info buzzards!!

 

Best Coffee on the River

Great topic Randaddy, and a possible follow on topic...

Definitely not trying to hijack your post, but what are your thoughts for a coffee pot or press? I'm thinking this is an essential "must have" for camping? .

I was researching stainless steel thermal coffee presses yesterday at work.


Bodum Columbia Stainless Steel Thermal Coffee Press
Bodum Columbia Coffee Press-Bodum French Press Coffee Makers from Whole Latte Love

8 or 12 cup? I think 12 cup would be better for larger groups


I was looking for something more functional, and doesn't have to be this aesthetically pleasing.

Thank you for all the great info buzzards!!

While I am not the most experienced river rat, I do have a passion bordering on obsession with good coffee on the river (that and good bourbon at night are trip necessities). I don't think you can do any better that a Melita filter cone and filters (small for small groups and the #6 for big groups). Just boil water and filter into another container - either a cup, small pot, or we use the SS thermos from a "toasted" coffee maker. It keeps it warm and doens't make too much. I know some people are into the whole Cowboy-coffee thing, but I hate spitting out grounds all day.

Combine a Melita with a couple pounds of O'Horis coffee from Santa Fe (better than StarB's or any other brand to be blunt) and you won't have to call anyone twice (at least the coffee drinkers).

Ohori's Coffee

 

Been using the Bodum SS 8 cup coffee press for many years - lots of trips each year. Extremely pleased with the coffee coming out of this press. Except for scratches, the press is like new. Cost on these things is high. But, unless you loose it - they do not wear out. Looking around the web, a 12 cup is over a hundred dollars at discount sites. If I had it to do over, I would hold out for the 12 cup. The 8 cup works fine for a couple coffee drinkers but for 4 people at breakfast you have to make two presses for the size cups most of us use. This may not be a big deal cause you get fresh coffee. I have used the 8 cup Bodum for large groups and it will do the job if you keep a big pot of water hot and keep the press working. It is pretty easy to make a press run, but for groups larger than 4 river runners I would recommend the 12 cup. I would like to have the 12 cup Bodum just cannot justify spending that much money when my 8 cup Bodum is holding up and is making coffee as good today as it came out of the box. By the way, I have purchased several models of coffee presses made out of plastic. Waste of money if you really want good tasty coffee. Stay with the Bodum brand and stainless steel version.

 

I know you mentioned getting some square Partners so thought you might be interested in Cascade's sale today on dutchies as they have the new Woody's Combo oven which is square...

Cascade Outfitters Whitewater Rafting Equipment: Dutch Ovens

 

I found this set at Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday that I'm pretty excited about Stainless Steel Family Cook Set - Stainless Steel - Cookware - Camp and Hike.

I know Stansport can be hit-or miss but the quality seems very good and it only cost $65. It has 4.5 stars from 28 reviews on Amazon. The only problem I see is it comes with just one handle but a regular pot-gripper works fine with it.

 

I only use titanium cook wear so i can afford to bring along my cast iron Dutch oven.

You will want to use the detergent trick if cooking over a dirty flame