Choose bowlers

Since the time when man learned to make pottery from metal, campers accompany him everywhere. In travels and in domestic use the iron cauldron is as much in demand now as it was thousands of years ago. However, if earlier you had to choose only the right volume, now the tourist just has a lot of shapes, sizes and, finally, materials from which modern camping kittens make.

What should be a hiking pot

To answer this question, you need to know how many people will cook in it, and also on what it will be cooked (on a fire or a gas burner). For cooking as a whole, one-half liter of the volume of dishes per person is enough. But for cooking tea it is good to have a larger volume - up to one liter per member of the group. From what has been said, it can be seen that, ideally, two bowlers are needed: one for tea and one for eating. This will not only significantly reduce the cooking time, but will also save fuel. And about the pleasure of drinking a hot tea immediately after taking the main course and say nothing. So, with the volume figured out, now determine the shape and material. Bowlers hiking with a special variety of forms do not differ: these are, as a rule, cylinders with a convex (semicircular) or flat bottom. There are also army (flat) kettles, but they are designed for one or two people and have some features, which should be told separately. Logically, for a fire, a cauldron with a convex bottom is preferable. It evenly warms food, and it is easier to wash it in field conditions. For a burner, of course, is better suited dishes with a flat bottom. The surface of the burner is not large, and such a bowler can be reliably placed on it, without fear of tipping its dinner every second by an inadvertent movement.

As for the materials, modern bowlers are made of aluminum and stainless steel alloys . The pot is a cast-iron camp, maybe you can find it on sale, but only the real "fan" of antiques will accept it. Supporters of both aluminum and stainless steel are numerous, and very often they are irreconcilable with each other. Some argue that the stainless steel easily crumbles, and it burns food, while others refer to the health damage that aluminum carries. In fact, experience shows that there is no particular difference between the two materials. Both of them have comparable thermal conductivity and have approximately the same rigidity and mass. You can distinguish only anodized aluminum, and then only because of its exorbitant and unreasonable price.

By the way, about the price

Reacting to the growing demand, manufacturers literally filled up the market with a variety of tourist equipment, for many samples of which they are asking for very solid money. And if such equipment is likely to justify its price to conquer Everest, then it is unlikely for a three-day trip to the Crimea. Especially it concerns utensils and, in particular, a kettle. After all, camping kits, in fact, are ordinary pots. At the same time, they are constantly fried on an open fire, drop, crumple ... In general, they get them on a hike. For what here to overpay? Well, if there is extra money and a desire to brag to friends, then, of course, such a purchase will be justified.

Army bowlers

Many use them as camping kettles. Of stainless steel army bowlers do not, they are all made of food aluminum. The advantage of such dishes is great versatility, ease and convenience when carrying. However, due to the high flat shape, cooking in them is associated with high fuel consumption (if using a burner). Well and the main thing - all of them seldom have more than one liter of volume and, hence, are suitable only for single or pair campaigns. However, experienced tourists say that four of them can also be eaten.