Blast Reviews a Bunch of Bushcraft Cooksets

[Blast]

It took me almost 50 years to realize there's no perfect bushcraft cookset that will do everything. In the video below I cover a bunch of the most common mess kits and explain their strengths and weaknesses.

https://youtu.be/xzM6XxM4qX8?t=547

-Blast

[sheddi]

That's great Blast!

I seem to accumulate cooksets in much the same way you have. I don't think I have quite as many as you've featured here but I also think mine are mostly different to yours.

I'll see if I can put up a post with some of mine (it might take a little while to collect them together and photograph / film).

[boskone]

Have you tried carbon steel?

I've been using a 10" skillet for a while now on my stove, and rather liked it.  It's about a pound lighter than my 10" Lodge cast iron skillet, and has a nice long handle.  Also heats up faster.

Still on the heavy side for backpacking, though, but less so than cast iron.

[Blast]

Have you tried carbon steel?

I've been using a 10" skillet for a while now on my stove, and rather liked it.  It's about a pound lighter than my 10" Lodge cast iron skillet, and has a nice long handle.  Also heats up faster.

Still on the heavy side for backpacking, though, but less so than cast iron.

I haven't tried carbon steel stuff but I'm interested, especially if it's lighter than cast iron. Can you suggest some brands?

Not shown by Blast: 16 cast iron pans, pots, gridles, pie irons, and Dutch ovens. LOL! Yeah, over a campfire, nothing beats cast iron cookware...but damn it's heavy, especially down here in Texas when I'm already carrying up to ten pounds of water.
-Blast

[boskone]

Have you tried carbon steel?

I've been using a 10" skillet for a while now on my stove, and rather liked it.  It's about a pound lighter than my 10" Lodge cast iron skillet, and has a nice long handle.  Also heats up faster.

Still on the heavy side for backpacking, though, but less so than cast iron.

I haven't tried carbon steel stuff but I'm interested, especially if it's lighter than cast iron. Can you suggest some brands?

The 10" pan I have is Lodge.  It's 3.5 lbs, compared to 5.25 for the 10" cast iron.

IMO:
* It's lighter than either my cast iron or stainless cookware
* It's heat distribution isn't quite as good, but close
* It keeps cast iron's repairable seasoning
* It's more durable than lighter-weight cookware

Being a skillet, of course, it's still not great for boiling water.  But we wouldn't have pots if skillets were good for everything, I suppose.

Not shown by Blast: 16 cast iron pans, pots, gridles, pie irons, and Dutch ovens. LOL! Yeah, over a campfire, nothing beats cast iron cookware...but damn it's heavy, especially down here in Texas when I'm already carrying up to ten pounds of water.
-Blast

I have 3 skillets, a 'combo cooker' (skillet+pot that can act as a dutch oven; I should have just bought the dutch oven), a comal, and a griddle.  The comal's what gets the most use anymore, mostly for pizza in the oven.

(Heat the comal with the oven, then pull it out and quickly make a pizza, then stick it back in the oven; easier than mucking about with a peel but still gets a nicely crisped crust bottom.)

I'm only an hour or so north of you, so I definitely get the issues with water weight.  I mowed todayyesterday, and on finishing sucked down probably a half-gallon of water (I'm guessing my large cups are 32oz, but dunno; larger than 20oz, anyway).

[Ever (Zombiepreparation)]

You always give us such interesting and useful information, @Blast. Thanks!