We haven’t been in the canoe or the kayaks much recently so I have had time to experiment with a new purchase.
I have been looking at these collapsable type pans for a couple of years. Good camping kitchen gear has to be lightweight and packable (in my mind) and should endure the abuse of camp stoves. I had purchased a wonderful set of Stanley cookware for my camper in the states that worked well for the two days I was able to use it last year. The problem with the Stanley set is that is is not very lightweight and takes up a good deal of room. I really wanted something for backpacking and taking on our canoe trips that was a bit smaller.
I have to admit the Sea to Summit XPOT 1.4L was an impulsive purchase last week when I visited the new Bever outdoor store in Hoofddorp. I normally would not buy something like this for € 49. For a camping pot it seemed like a crazy amount of money. I hoped it lived up to all the positive reviews.
First, I needed to determine if it would work on my backpacking stove. I judged the base to some of the stoves at the store but my Coleman Fyrepower has a larger cooking base and sometimes doesn’t work well with some cookware. I determined that the base of the pan on this 1.4 liter model would work well with my stove.
When I got it home and started reading all the precautions and care instructions, I was then a bit worried that my purchase was made in haste.
Warnings- use and care instructions. Started me to worry about my purchase.
I followed the instructions and cleaned the pan in warm water before use. Yes, I made a purchase of the Sea to Summit folding bowl on the same day. It was an expensive trip to Hoofddorp.
Wash by hand.
I set up my stove in the back garden and started using my XPOT for making macaroni noodles.
Coleman Fyrepower stove and Sea To Summit 1.4L Pan (oh, no… the bowl is still in the pan).
Fits well on the camp stove – Warning that lid must not be secured while cooking, and water must be no less than what fills the metal part of the pan.
It took about four minutes for the pan to boil water. I feel that the pan has a great heat distribution as the boiling water was even throughout the bottom of the pan.
The see through lid made it easy to determine when the noodles were done. The silicone lid handle was cool and easy to lift without getting steam burns.
Noodles are ready. Per instructions stove gas is turned off and we wait for 30 seconds.
Folding handles and strainer in the lid made this pot easy to drain the water off.
This pan cleaned up easy. Did not appear to get scratched on the surface bottom by the camp stove and was simple to use. The fact that it folds down flat makes it easy to carry on my backpacking trips or in the canoe.
PROS:
- Lightweight
- Folds flat
- See through lid with strainer holes
- Works well with backpacking stove
CONS:
- Expensive
- Can’t be used over a campfire
- Extra care is needed to make sure it retains the integrity of the silicone
Would I recommend this purchase – Yes!
Sea to Summit sucked me into this purchase not with their price mark but with the packability of this product.
The bright orange color matches my kayak. Ok… maybe, the marketing team didn’t know that I have an orange kayak.
© The Cedar Journal, 2019, all rights reserved.
The Cedar Journal 
I love my Xpot ( and my Xpan). You should post this review on trailspace.com! Every review earns you a chance to win great prizes.
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Hey, thanks portagepup.
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I use mine all the time and have it with me now. when I bought mine there was a special on and inside it came with a bowl which I use every morning for porridge and a cup which I use for hot chocolate each morning too.
I also have a folding windbreaker too which helps when out in the open
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Nice concept…would be a big con for me if I couldn’t enjoy it directly on the campfire. Thanks for the review!
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For here in NL it is fine as there aren’t campfires but I keep thinking of my MN camping and know that this might not work for me there.
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Your purchase reminded me of the old saying, ‘you get what you pay for’. Your pot is not cheap, but it has some outstanding features, which you don’t get with cheaper models.
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You are correct with that statement! I think that is why it took me such a long time looking at it in the stores and reading reviews. I have a silicone teakettle that is made by another company, functional, cheaper, but I can tell the design is not as good as the Sea to Summit tea kettle.
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