Arata ACP-500/700 Fastest Review: It's So Light It's Unbelievable! This Revolutionary Aluminum Cooktop for Mountaineering Will Cook Rice Even Lighter than Titanium [Geargin Exclusive Collaboration Model Information Included]

Friday, January 30, 2026

arata , gear reviews , recommendations , kitchenware

Written by Yasushi Hisatomi

Until now, the general consensus when it comes to mountaineering cookers has been that titanium is the best material if lightness is the top priority, and aluminum is the best material if ease of cooking is more important than lightness. However, did you know that the latest cooker from the ever-rising, undisputed outdoor brand arata has finally released a cooker that makes you think that perhaps this "common sense" of mountaineering gear is about to be overturned? This is the new ultra-lightweight aluminum cooker, the arata "ACP-500/700 .

In fact, we had been getting hold of the final sample since the summer and putting it to the test, but unfortunately the release was postponed at the last minute. Since then, we've been anxiously waiting for when we'd be able to share this information with you all, and now it's finally been released. Outdoor Gearzine will be reviewing it in its entirety

*The reviewed product is a final sample, so the design may differ slightly from the actual product. However, there are no differences that would cause quality issues

table of contents

Main features of arata "ACP-500/700"
Main Specifications and ratings
Detailed review
summary
Product Details and Purchase
Outdoor Gearzine's first collaboration model will be released! [Limited to 23 pieces per model]

Main features of arata "ACP-500/700"

The arata ACP-500/700 is the company's first outdoor cookware, an ultra-lightweight aluminum cooktop with a dedicated lid and handle, boasting the world's lightest weight per volume for an outdoor pot. Its patent-pending unique structure allows for an aluminum body that's as thin as possible while maintaining maximum strength. The detachable press-formed titanium handle, which remains cool even when heated, is easy to hold, resulting in an innovative design that combines incredible lightness with practicality. The aluminum body, which has higher thermal conductivity than titanium, and the dedicated lid conserve fuel, achieving a lightness in this class while enabling delicate cooking, including rice cooking. The cooktop's size and capacity markings, designed to accommodate the stacking of OD cans, ensure ease of use, satisfying a wide range of users, from weight-conscious hikers to mountaineers seeking a well-cooked meal. This truly versatile cooktop will satisfy a wide range of tastes.

What I liked

Surprisingly light!
High fuel efficiency
Easy to cook, even for rice cooking
Comes standard with an easy-to-use titanium handle and dedicated lid
Detachable easy-to-grip handle
Easy-to-understand memory
High versatility for both lightweight styles and those who like to cook slowly

What I was interested in

It's not "sturdy" enough to withstand rough handling (the bottom is the most likely to dent)
Titanium handles are prone to discoloration when exposed to direct fire
The titanium handle is easy to grip, but the burrs on the edges are annoying, so we recommend removing them with a file

Main Specifications and ratings

item	arata ACP-500	arata ACP-700
Material	aluminum
weight	58g	68g
capacity	500ml	700ml
size	Φ9.8 × 8.8cm	Φ9.8 × 11.5cm
accessories	Aluminum lid, detachable titanium handle
Outdoor Gearzine Rating
Thermal efficiency	★★★★★
weight	★★★★★
Ease of cooking	★★★★☆
Durability	★★★☆☆
Storage and stacking performance	★★★★☆
Functionality	★★★★☆
Versatility	★★★★☆

Detailed review

Weight and durability: The world's lightest cooktop with a lid and handle

The arata ACP-500/700 (hereafter referred to as the ACP series) is an aluminum alloy cookware with a lid and handle. What is most surprising is its lightness. Everyone will be amazed at the feather-lightness they feel the moment they pick it up.

Seeing is believing, so we also measured the actual weight. The product we were testing at the time was the final sample, and the actual weight was slightly lighter than the official announcement, at 56.7 grams for 500ml and 64.6 grams for 700ml. Even just looking at the numbers, it's so light it's practically unfair!

It's obvious just how light this is, compared to other "ultra-light cookers" currently on the market, and it's clearly a cut above the rest. It's just too light

item	arata ACP-500	arata ACP-700	EVERNEW Ti Mug pot 500	EVERNEW Ti Pasta pot 750	FREELIGHT Titanium Pot UL-600H
Material	aluminum	aluminum	titanium	titanium	titanium
capacity	500ml	700ml	500ml	750ml	600ml
weight	58g	68g	75g	95g	72g
size	Inner diameter 98 x depth 88mm	Inner diameter 98 x depth 115mm	Inner diameter 97 x depth 87mm	Inner diameter 93 x depth 111mm	Inner diameter 96 x depth 89mm

The secret lies in the innovative structure that makes ultra-thin aluminum alloy possible

Until now, the "lightest" cookers have almost always been made from titanium

Why is that? Until now, I had naively thought that it was simply because titanium can be made lighter than aluminum (with the same strength). But in fact, that was incorrect .

According to the manufacturer's website, the main reason for this is that in order to rivet or weld the cooktop handle with sufficient strength, aluminum alloy plates needed to be thicker than a certain thickness (they couldn't be thinner). With titanium, the plate thickness could be made thinner even with the same construction, so the titanium cooktop was lighter

In other words, when simply comparing titanium and aluminum alloys as substances and materials, titanium is not necessarily lighter or stronger than aluminum alloys . In other words, aluminum may indeed be inferior to titanium in terms of specific strength, but " if it is not particularly heavy as a material, then depending on how it is done, it should be possible to make aluminum lighter with the same strength ." With this in mind, arata took on the challenge of rethinking the structure of its cooker from scratch based on this hypothesis.

*By the way, just to be clear, the reason why we insist on using such a light aluminum cooker is that, as anyone who climbs mountains will know, "titanium has low thermal conductivity, so heat can only be applied to a small spot , which makes it very difficult to use for elaborate cooking such as cooking rice (although this is acceptable for simple heating such as boiling water)."

The result is a completely new structure: a unique, separate structure consisting of a beaded pot and a wire-fastened handle

Simply put, there are two beads (grooves) carved into the pot body, into which the titanium wire handle fits. This eliminates the need for riveting or welding to secure the handle, allowing the plate thickness to be made as thin as possible, and the beads are not just grooves for determining the position of the wire; they also serve to increase the strength of the ultra-thin aluminum pot body, killing two birds with one stone; in fact, it is a structure that has been thoroughly refined with even more intricate functionality

In other words, the world's lightest aluminum cooker with a dedicated lid and handle can actually (theoretically) be used with just the pot itself, omitting both components. The weight of each part is as shown in the photo below

When you strip everything down to just the pot itself, the weight can be reduced to just 35 grams (about 43 grams for 700ml), despite it being an aluminum cooktop. This means that durability is at its limit, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't seem so weak that it causes any inconvenience in normal use. Personally, I'm not willing to sacrifice that much convenience

I haven't had any particular issues with the durability of this ultra-thin and ultra-light cooker, but if I had to point out one thing, it would be that the bottom tends to get dented, especially since it comes into contact with hard objects like gravel and trivets. It's not a problem if you use it carefully, but if you're concerned about scratches, you should be careful

Usability: Lightweight but not at the expense of functionality and comfort

It's not just the lightness that's surprising. Every detail has been carefully thought out and ingeniously designed to make it easy to use as a cookware with a handle and lid

One of them is the handle. Generally, cooker handles are round and made from thick wire. There are various reasons for this, but one of the main reasons is that it does not require a mold and is therefore cheaper to manufacture

That's why the ACP series , even if it means using a mold. This shape is not only easier to grip, but it's also more weight-efficient (i.e., lighter).

When you actually hold it, it feels exactly like a mug. Compared to a wire handle with the same shape, it wobbles less and has a larger grip area. The shape also fits snugly on the ring finger as shown in the photo, providing excellent stability. Moreover, unlike the pot itself, this handle (and wire) is made of titanium, which has low thermal conductivity, meaning it can be held without getting hot easily even when heated

However, one thing that really bothered me about this press-molded handle was the slightly sharp burrs on the inside edge of the handle. This may have been resolved in the mass-produced model, but it bothered me, so I filed down the edges with a metal file (coarse sandpaper will do). This further improved the grip, making the handle nearly ideal and comfortable. If it bothers you, I recommend you give it a try

Next, there is a clear volume scale. What's more, this scale, which is actually a bead line, doubles as a scale, and represents 100ml, 300ml, and 500ml on the ACP-500, and 300ml, 500ml, and 700ml on the ACP-700. Here again, I am impressed by the meticulous design, down to the smallest detail

The pot does not have a spout (the manufacturer apparently carefully considered whether to include one), but it was perfectly usable and I was able to pour even small amounts of water smoothly (see video below). However, it is not ideal for drip coffee, so it cannot compare to professional tools

I was personally most curious about the idea of cooking raw rice, so I decided to try it out at a campsite at an altitude of 1,500 meters. I put in one cup of rice and water and put it on the fire

Soon the water started to boil, so I simmered it over low heat for a while (if you know you're going to be cooking rice, it's a good idea to seal the drain hole beforehand if possible). Just as I could smell a burning smell, I removed it from the heat, wrapped it in a towel and steamed it. In other words, I did exactly the same thing as I did with my previous aluminum cooker

After steaming for a while, I nervously opened the lid. Wow, the "crab holes" that are the sign of delicious rice have formed! There were also some slightly burnt areas, so it was cooked just as I had hoped. With a 700ml cooker, it looks like you can cook 2 cups of rice

By the way, after using it a few times, I noticed that part of the titanium handle had discolored. This is common with titanium products, as the oxide film on the surface is easily affected by heat, and it doesn't affect the strength, so it's not a problem, but if it bothers you, you should be careful

Storage capacity, stacking performance and compatibility

After lightness, durability, and ease of use, the last thing to consider when it comes to cooker performance is storage capacity

Both ACP series containers have an inner diameter of 98mm, which fits a canister snugly and perfectly with a basic gas burner. However, when stacking other small items like a stove or cutlery in addition to the canister, the height becomes a bit of an issue, especially with the 500ml container. The photo below shows a lighter and a Primus P-116 compact stove stacked in the canister. While it appears to fit, the height is slightly insufficient, causing the lid to float slightly (the photo shows it stored face up, but the situation is almost the same when stored face down). Personally, I don't think it's a problem if it floats a little if you pack it in a stuff sack or something, but for those who insist on a "synthetic fit," it may be a concern. In that case, I recommend simply purchasing the 700ml container. The 700ml container is light enough, and it's easy to use and store

The 700ml type can hold a 110 size OD can, a small gas stove, a lighter, small cutlery, and more, with some change still left over. Personally, this is the best

By the way, I tried storing various gas stoves I have in the 700ml capacity. Please use this as a reference to see if it will fit your stove. Personally, I was disappointed that the SOTO Windmaster didn't fit, even though it looked like it would just barely fit

In any case, I personally think it's fine if the lid floats a little as long as everything is neatly packed, so I store the pot, stove, cutlery, lighter, and foldable mug all together in a mesh stuff sack. By the way, ISUKA's "Mesh Cooker Bag S" fits both the 500ml and 700ml bottles nicely

*At the time of review, there was no dedicated mesh pouch available, but a dedicated pouch is now on sale at the arata online store .

summary

Dramatic evolution often comes in completely unexpected ways. The arata ACP-500/700 is truly a revolution in cookware, achieving a dramatic weight reduction never before achieved with aluminum cookware, achieved through a brilliant idea no one had ever thought of before. It's one of the lightest cookware in its class, while maintaining the minimum level of durability. It's also made of highly heat-efficient aluminum, and boasts practicality, including a handle and lid. It's difficult to find a more refined mountain cookware on the market today. It's sure to satisfy all outdoor enthusiasts, from weight-conscious hikers to those seeking comfort without compromising on weight. If you're looking to witness a new dawn in mountain cookware, starting in Japan, why not give it a try?

Product Details and Purchase

For more product details, please visit the official arata online store

Outdoor Gearzine's first collaboration model will be released! [Limited to 23 pieces per model]

This is the first time that Outdoor Gearzine has tried this

We will be releasing a limited edition of 23 collaboration models of this innovative aluminum cooker, the "arata ACP-500/700," with the Outdoor Gearzine logo engraved on the side!

Other than the logo, the product itself is identical

If you're interested in this commemorative, ultra-rare model, be sure to check it out as soon as possible. To purchase, please visit the " Product Details Page in the Outdoor Gearzine Store " below!

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Go to the "arata ACP-500" product page on the Outdoor Gearzine store

Go to the "arata ACP-700" product page on the Outdoor Gearzine store