Outdoor Gearzine "Outdoor Gearzine"

A must-see for those who don't want to compromise on food! How to choose a cooker/cochel for mountain climbing

Yasushi Hisatomi

Choosing a cooker/cochel will get burned if you choose with an incredible feeling.

Recently, even on low mountains, I feel like more and more people are cooking for themselves in the mountains. Compared to previous books, I've seen more mountain food-related books in bookstores, and it seems like the original online manga has just started recently. Of course, I think this is also the reason why cooking in the mountains has become easier thanks to the evolution of tools and ingredients. However, it's also a great idea that once you realize the "happiness that you can't buy with money" of the warm meals you eat in the mountains, more than just how delicious it is. Now, this time I would like to introduce cookers (the German term "kochel" has long been a common term in Japan), one of the essential items when cooking in such mountains.

Its roots are used in metal cooking utensils used by the military in various countries, and has long been popular as a rice bowl in Japan, so in recent years, cookers have been optimized for a variety of uses and purposes such as mountain climbing and camping. As a result, you can now choose from a wide variety of models, including materials, shapes, sizes, and designs. On the other hand, it is also true that the criteria for what to choose and how to choose are becoming more complicated. I mean, I used to think that when a very lightweight titanium cooker came out, there was a time when I was incredibly thinking that "titanium = light = good (expensive)." However, the titanium cooker I bought was not able to cook properly at all and burned in an instant. It was discovered quite a while ago that there were appropriate circumstances to demonstrate titanium's ability, and that he had to pay a high tuition fee. To avoid such regrets, I would like to organize the details here to help you choose a cooker that is really easy to use. Let's go!

Japan is a rare country with such a wide variety of models. His strong commitment to food is impressive.

[Related Article] We've thoroughly compared the popular cookers ↓↓

table of contents

What is the performance required of a great cooker?

If a cooker is simply a dish for food picking, then just the weight and size will be enough (in fact, bowls made of wood or resin can also be used in mountains). However, when you consider the assumption that it is cooked over a fire, as in this case, various factors are required, including the performance and usability of cooking utensils. Below is a rough summary.

I have not seen a perfect cooker in all of the above elements yet. The important thing is to know the differences in the various characteristics of gears and choose the best model from among them, depending on the situation you use frequently, your purpose, and preferences. Here we will explain five points to check when choosing the best cooker.

Checkpoint 1: Size

Cookers come in a variety of sizes, from models that just require you to drink a cup of coffee to pots that make curry for large parties, so the first thing to do is to consider the size by comparing the items you actually cook with the number of people you eat. Another important consideration is whether the gas cartridge can be stored in the cooker for efficient packing (see also Check Point 4). To avoid making a mistake by choosing a size that is too small, we have summarized the table below to summarize how much capacity and size you need for each purpose. Naturally, if you add more ingredients to a cooker in addition to hot water, please be aware that the required volume will more than double. Anyway, start with this, roughly imagine the scene you will be using and use it as a reference when considering the size you need.

Uses Capacity estimate
1 cup of coffee Approximately 140ml of water
Cup ramen Approximately 330ml of water
Instant ramen Approximately 450ml of water (excluding the volume of noodles)
Alpha rice Approximately 160ml of water
1 cup of rice Approximately 200ml of water (excluding rice volume)
Small gas stove Diameter approx. 10cm / Height approx. 7cm (actual measurement)
Medium gas stove Diameter approx. 11cm / Height approx. 9cm (actual measurement)

Tips for choosing

Checkpoint 2: Type and shape

Even if you have a cooker of the same size, you can choose from three large shapes to suit your usability and preferences. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so let's start by comparing its features in the table below.

material Deep type Shallow type Square
image
merit
  • Gas cartridges can be stored inside
  • Vertical and easy to pack
  • Many models can use lids as plates and frying pans.
  • Easy to cook
  • Easy to eat
  • Easy to wash
  • Good thermal efficiency
  • There is a sense of stability (on the stove)
  • Available in sizes for large groups
  • Store and cook instant ramen without breaking
  • Easy to cook
  • Easy to eat
  • Easy to wash
  • Easy to pack
  • Easy to pour liquid
Disadvantages
  • It's difficult to cook
  • It's difficult to eat
  • It's difficult to wash
  • Low stability (on the stove)
  • There is no size for large groups
  • Many models cannot store gas cartridges inside
  • It's difficult to pack
  • Few variations
  • There is no large size, so it can be used at most two people

Tips for choosing

Checkpoint 3: Material

The materials commonly used in cookers are aluminum and stainless steel, and in recent years the number of titanium has gradually increased. Of these, stainless steel is too heavy and is not realistic for mountain climbing, so you usually choose either aluminum or titanium.

Naturally, these are different metals, so their characteristics are different, and for beginners, titanium is more expensive and it's easy to think that it's a good thing. Of course, I have gone through that path, but in the end, in reality, there are pros and cons, and I can never clearly determine whether to superiority or inferiority. However, if titanium is even a little too strong (except when it has a special coating), the bottom will burn and warp immediately , so even after you have paid a lot of money to get it, you will have to deal with this inconvenient ease of use. Do you need to be so particular about titanium? As usual, the table below summarizes the advantages and disadvantages, so please check it out again.

material aluminum titanium Stainless steel (reference)
image
merit
  • It's not easy to burn
  • Good thermal conductivity (easy to cook)
  • Thin and light
  • Hard and less likely to dent
  • It is resistant to rust
  • It is difficult for the handle to get hot because it is not easily transmitted
  • Less metal smell
  • It is resistant to rust
  • It's not easily damaged
  • It doesn't get cold easily
  • Cheap
Disadvantages
  • Prone to deformation and concave
  • Low durability and rust easily
  • Heavy (compared to titanium)
  • Low thermal conductivity
  • The heat is concentrated in places where the fire is hit and the burning is likely to occur only there.
  • expensive
  • heavy
  • Low thermal conductivity
  • Easy to burn
remarks
  • In recent years, models that have increased their weaknesses, corrosion resistance, durability, and hardness, by applying special processing to the surface of the aluminum, have become more common.
  • There are also models with a non-stick coating on the inside.
  • There are also models with a non-stick coating on the inside.
  • Like EPI's ATS processing , models that have increased their weakness, a heat conductivity, through the manufacturer's unique technology, have also been released.
  

Tips for choosing

Checkpoint 4: Storageability

Cookers are hollow inside and can't even compress, and are one of the gears that are very troublesome to pack. Therefore, in order to store it as compactly as possible, it is common to use a matryoshka to store containers of subtle sizes.Even if one small cooker for one person is enough now, it's very smart to be able to buy more when there are more parties with two or three people, which is very easy to buy.

For this reason, the first thing to check is whether the brand or model you have chosen will have a set of different sizes that can be stacked in the future. If possible, the best way to do this is to choose the size you need from among models that can be expanded and then align them. Of course, it's also a good idea to buy a model with a large and small set from the beginning (the photo on the left is a Montbell Alpine Cooker 18+20 bread set ). In that sense, it is efficient to unify the deep, shallow, and square types (I know in my head that this is, but considering the various situations, the reality is that it is not that easy...).

Also, the first gear that comes to mind when filling the cavity inside a cooker is a gas cartridge, but one of the the GSI Pinnacle Duarist (pictured right), it is possible to store a variety of gears together, such as tableware, mugs, stoves, lighters, and ingredients, as well as gaps and waste.

 

From a storage standpoint, SEA TO SUMMIT's new X-POT product, which has been offering foldable silicon tableware up to now, is quite shocking. This amazing "cooker" combines incredible storage capacity and convenience as a cooking utensil, as its bottom is made of aluminum and the sides are foldable. The heat is limited because the heat is required to adjust the heat so that the heat does not extend to the sides, but we will be looking forward to seeing how it will evolve from now on.

 

Checkpoint 5: Other functions and ease of use

Handle (handle)

It is difficult to use if the cooker protrudes in the way of packing, and if it bends quickly, it is extremely difficult to cook. This handle is a product of each manufacturer's ingenuity and ingenuity to combine two opposing functions: convenience and storage. Personally, I have checked the following three points:

It's hard to find handles that fit perfectly in everything, but personally I think that the stable ease of grip and folding like the MSR QUICK SOLO SYSTEM is pretty close to ideal. However, one weakness is that it is complicated to build and is scary when it breaks.

coating

As mentioned in the Materials section, various processing technologies (see below) have now been adopted to compensate for their weaknesses, whether it is aluminum or titanium, and the overall quality is steadily improving. When choosing a cooker, it is extremely important to check models that are not just aluminum or titanium, but also to properly incorporate these technologies.

Uses Capacity estimate
Anodized
hard anodized processing

Anodizing is one of the surface treatment techniques to improve the weaknesses of aluminum . This processing makes it harder and more durable, and improves corrosion resistance and wear resistance. Among these, a processing method that further increases hardness and durability is called " hard anodized processing (hard anodized processing) ."
Non-stick
Teflon coating
Ceramic coating

Both are non-stick treatments applied to the inner surface of the cooker. Of these, non-stick processing is a general term, and it is not known what kind of processing is applied from this, but in general, it is mostly coated with fluororesin ( Teflon is one of the product names for fluororesin).
On the other hand, ceramic coatings are almost the same as fluororesin in terms of preventing sticking, but ceramic coatings are more heat resistant and durable, and are also being easy to use with confidence, as they do not generate harmful gases at 260 degrees or higher .

In any case, the anti-stick coating is easy to melt or peel off, so be careful not to handle it carefully and quickly ruin it.
ATS processing Technology applied to EPI titanium cuckers . This technology was originally used to coat the bottom of the vessel, and by spraying aluminum on the bottom of the pot, it overcomes the low thermal conductivity, which is a weakness of titanium, and the fine unevenness of the pot bottom can also increase stability on the surface of the pot.
Anti-slip bottom spiral processing Deep cookers are inevitably tall and have poor stability, so the bottom of the container is processed to improve this. It is common to create fine grooves on the bottom to prevent slipping on top of the stove.

Summary: What are your recommendations after all?

I've also written a lot of details, but I'm sure you'll be asked what recommendations are in the end, so here are some recommendations that the editorial department will choose with the above in mind. Depending on the conditions and preferences, you can quite think of a different choice, but we will report on this in detail in a comparison test at a later date, so please look forward to it. First, here is a surefire model that everyone can choose.

Solo ~ for two people hiking For large parties
Ultra-lightweight titanium cage made of ceramic coating that is easy to cook at the very least. Simple ease of use and no-lean stacking, with a functional beauty that remains safe even after decades
Evernew Titanium Cooker Deep Type W Ceramic
(Size Variations and Set Types are available)		 Evernew Aluminum Cochel L
(Same lineup also includes a lighter titanium version)

Among the many outdoor gear, Cooker is a field where each person's sense and preferences are clearly shown. That's why there's no definitive brand or model, and I don't think it's strange that the best choices for each of them are divided into more than the other gear. That's why I'm not the only one who thinks that pursuing a "ideal kitchen for yourself" in the mountains is one way to enjoy the outdoors, and that it emits an indescribable, attractive fragrance. If you're thinking this, I recommend taking a look at Kochel Swamp!

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