MSR Path Mini Solo Backpacking Cookset Overview

Backside Line

After placing the MSR Path Mini Solo by its paces on miles of path and plenty of nights within the backcountry cooking completely different meals, it earned a spot as one among our all-time favourite cooksets. Its steadiness of weight, cooking efficiency, sensible options, and sturdiness make it a great selection for any backpacker. 

The hard-anodized aluminum is extremely scratch- and heat-resistant and has higher cooking efficiency than its titanium counterparts. It takes a minute to warmth up, however it does so extra evenly, so you may really feel assured about not burning your meals. It’s not very non-stick and generally is a bit cussed to scrub, however that’s par for the course for a lot of backpacking pots.

We love the additional options included with the Path Mini Solo, just like the plastic measuring cup, lid with drain holes, pot lifter, and extra insulated pot grip. Every function contributes to the general versatility and ease of use of this prepare dinner set.MSR packs a ton of worth into this very reasonably priced package, but when optimum price financial savings is what you’re after, check out our full checklist of our favourite backpacking cooksets.

How We Examined

We evaluated this cookset’s metrics with thorough, quantitative checks – from boil time to non-stickiness to warmth distribution. Along with the “sciency stuff”, we convey you outcomes based mostly on real-life backpacking from the excessive peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the arid atmosphere of the excessive desert.

Cooking Efficiency

The thick aluminum pot offers the MSR Path Mini Solo barely higher cooking efficiency than titanium pots. One consideration is that this pot heats up extra slowly than others we examined. This isn’t essential for those who solely must boil water, and it’ll burn just a little extra gasoline. Nonetheless, this may also be a profit; the pot disperses warmth extra evenly, making it much less liable to creating sizzling spots and burning meals.

Our ‘egg take a look at’ of scrambling an egg in every pot with a pat of butter reveals so much in regards to the pot’s efficiency. The egg left behind within the pot was distributed evenly, with no localized areas of burning. Egg yolk readily caught to the underside and was a bit cussed and tough to scrub. Fairly normal for backcountry pots and simply solved with…extra butter. A part of the ultralight, calorie-dense meal plan!

The anodized aluminum pales compared to the non-stick properties of ceramic or teflon, so it’s greatest to prepare dinner soupy meals or hold an in depth eye in your meal so you may carry the pot off the direct flames.

Weight & Packability

MSR superbly balances cooking efficiency with weight and packability with the Path Mini Solo. The package has a complete weight of seven.4 ounces or a minimal weight of 5.5 ounces for simply the pot and stuff sack. The 750 mL pot has a capacity-to-weight ratio of about 184 mL per ounce, which is common amongst the cookware we examined. 

The broader pot diameter makes for glorious packability for longer journeys. It simply accommodates a 4-ounce gasoline canister with room for MSR’s PocketRocket 2 range, a lighter, and the included pot lifter. The pot neatly nests into the plastic cup. Altogether packed into the included mesh stuff sack with a drawstring enclosure, the package takes up a really affordable 80 cubic inches. When packed full, the parts match snugly along with minimal rattle.

Usability

The MSR Path Mini Solo is likely one of the most extremely featured ultralight cooksets in our information to the most effective backpacking cooksets. It comes normal with a ton of options, together with a lid with drain holes and a pour spout, pot lifter, insulated pot grip, polypropylene bowl/measuring cup, and a stuff sack. 

The separate aluminum pot lifter stays cool and supplies a agency grip whereas cooking, whereas the insulated rubber sleeve ensures the pot is user-friendly for ingesting and consuming. 

The plastic pot lid contains a rubber deal with and loads of sizable drain holes for straining. We significantly like having a see-through lid to watch our cooking progress. The lid additionally contains a bigger pour spout, which additionally doubles because the entry for the pot lifter, so the 2 aren’t appropriate collectively, which doesn’t actually make sense. The pot itself solely features a 0.5L marking, however the polypropylene cup is sufficiently marked with metric and imperial graduations. The entire plastic parts are hot- and cold-safe.

Though a few of the options are barely redundant, just like the pot lifter and pot grip, they make for terribly versatile ease-of-use.

Sturdiness

The pot itself, comprised of hard-anodized aluminum to extend warmth and scratch resistance, is exceptionally sturdy. Though aluminum is extra vulnerable to the weather than different metals, the thickness alone will increase its longevity and makes it much less liable to warping. Not like some skinny titanium pots, we weren’t capable of flex the Path Mini Solo with our naked arms.

Though we haven’t had any failures to talk of but, the parts probably to interrupt are the polypropylene lid and cup and the aluminum pot lifter. The cup is comprised of a skinny, versatile plastic that will be straightforward to crack beneath average strain. 

The lid is barely extra strong, however it’s nonetheless plastic, which is inherently weak to cracking. The aluminum pot lifter is held along with a single pin and will doubtlessly fail if subjected to extreme abuse, however you’d actually must biff it on the path and at that time you’ve in all probability frightened about different damaged path instruments, like your bones.

The stuff sack is comprised of a easy mesh, a cloth generally utilized in different prepare dinner units. Nonetheless, we admire the bolstered backside to extend its abrasion resistance.

Ought to You Purchase the MSR Path Mini Solo?

The MSR Path Mini Solo is a wonderful selection for a variety of backpacking expertise and kinds. From the seasoned ultralight thru-hiker to the novice backpacker, its ease of use is each sensible and welcoming.

The aluminum pot, with its sluggish and even warmth distribution, supplies a barely enhanced cooking efficiency for the ultralighter who likes to prepare dinner a meal barely extra refined than boiling water. Sensible options like a measuring cup, drain holes, and an insulated pot grip additional improve its vary of use so that you just’re by no means left improvising. 

MSR impressively packs all of those options into an ultralight weight simply over 7 ounces. As well as, they thoughtfully designed every element to subsequent collectively whereas leaving loads of additional area for gasoline, a range, and different cooking necessities. 

Other than the delicate plastic cup, the Path Mini Solo doesn’t undergo many downfalls, making it one of many highest high quality and greatest valued prepare dinner units out there.

Received a backpacking buddy? This additionally comes within the Duo for a bigger capability.

What Different Backpacking Cookware Ought to You Contemplate?

If the MSR Path Mini Solo doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, try our full information to backpacking cookware for all kinds of choices.

Toaks Titanium 750mL Overview: The Toaks 750mL is as easy and ultralight because it will get with a weight of simply over 4 ounces. It’s the identical dimension because the Path Mini Solo and even has just a few drain holes on the titanium lid.

SOTO Thermostack Combo Overview: For people who like cooking in aluminum, the Thermostack Combo is a wonderful, uniquely featured choice. As a substitute of a separate measuring cup, it features a pot cozy and double-wall insulated mug – good for winter tenting.

Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Overview: This set is absolutely titanium with a separate measuring cup just like the Path Mini Solo, however you may prepare dinner on it as effectively.

GSI Open air Halulite Boiler Overview: The Halulite Boiler is one other hard-anodized aluminum pot with a extra minimal function set however a bigger cooking capability and unparalleled sturdiness.