Vargo Bot Backpacking Cookware Evaluate

Backside Line

For those who suppose that the Vargo Bot seems to be like a thru-hiker invented it, you’d be proper. Brian Vargo realized that his cookpot and water bottle had been basically the identical and could possibly be mixed into one light-weight piece of substances. Voilà, the Vargo Bot.

We examined the Vargo Bot within the Rocky Mountains, with numerous cooking types, and in a managed lab setting. Whereas area of interest ultralighters will love its distinctive design, the Bot shouldn’t be the pot for foodies.

The screw-on lid is superb for cold-soaking and further meals or water storage and doubles as a succesful cookpot. The lid creates a watertight seal and helps protect the pot’s form when it’s stuffed in your pack. It does nonetheless, lack options that some think about essential, resembling drain holes and a pour spout.

Though it’s not the worst pot for cooking, the Bot favors weight financial savings over cooking efficiency. It weighs simply 5 ounces and its tall, slim design accommodates two 4-ounce gasoline canisters and simply slides into facet pockets.

Whereas culinary lovers may admire the complete function units of different backpacking cooksets, the Vargo Bot supplies a singular answer for ultralight backpackers.

How We Examined

We examined the Vargo Bot each in a managed lab setting (aka our kitchen) and on our backpacking trails within the Rocky Mountains. We examined its cooking efficiency and value with many various cooking types and evaluated its sturdiness, weight, and packability in opposition to comparable cooksets. Our perspective on this piece of substances is knowledgeable by a whole lot of nights cooking within the backcountry.

Cooking Efficiency

Though titanium isn’t recognized for its superior cooking efficiency, the Vargo Bot did surprisingly nicely throughout our testing, notably in boil time and warmth distribution.

Because of the thinness of the titanium, the Bot heats up extremely quick. It’s greatest to have some water in your pot earlier than you even flip the range on. A quick warmth switch means a quick boil time, nevertheless it additionally often lends itself to uneven warmth distribution and hotspots.

With the Vargo Bot, hotspots are mitigated by its comparatively slim footprint. Since a range’s flame can cowl extra floor space on the underside of the pot, it’s much less prone to be hotter within the center and cooler on the perimeters.

This flame distribution additionally helps stop burning meals, which might be notably annoying and generally devastating within the backcountry. Though the titanium lacks a non-stick coating, in the event you prepare dinner with care, it’s truly fairly straightforward to scrub.

As a result of this design is supposed to additionally carry out as a 1-liter water bottle, the Bot is taller than it’s huge. Some could discover it inconvenient and troublesome to warmth meals evenly with out fixed stirring. We extremely advocate pairing this pot with long-handled utensils.

Weight & Packability

The Vargo Bot 1L suits simply into the ultralight backpacker’s equipment with an general weight of solely 5 ounces – the third lightest prepare dinner set on our checklist. It additionally achieves a formidable capacity-to-weight ratio of 278mL per ounce. The distinctive weight financial savings come as no shock from a titanium pot.

The slim form doesn’t permit for an 8-ounce gasoline canister, nevertheless it does accommodate two 4-ounce canisters stacked on prime of one another with loads of further house for a small backpacking range and a lighter. 

With its sizable 1-liter capability, the Vargo Bot does occupy a good quantity of pack actual property – 108.4 cubic inches, to be actual. However its tall, slim physique permits it to simply slide right into a facet water bottle pocket, increasing its stowing choices and setting it aside from different 1-liter pots. Once more, this pot is designed to switch considered one of your water bottles or act as a cold-soak container whilst you’re logging miles.

Usability

The Vargo Bot has a minimal function set, particularly designed to be used a number of occasions a day. It deliberately lacks issues like drain holes, pour spouts, and strain launch valves. 

One of many solely designs within the cookware world is the silicone gasket screw-on lid. We couldn’t get a single drop of liquid to flee the Bot’s watertight seal. This stand-out function makes the Bot uniquely suited to cold-soaking, storing leftovers, or as an extra water bottle. 

Nevertheless, as a result of the lid seals so tightly, it may be troublesome to take away underneath sure situations, resembling freezing temperatures or rising altitude. Additionally, you’re in for a puzzle in the event you cross-thread the lid. Utilizing your titanium spoon or perhaps a bank card can assist. Vargo has a complete web page on learn how to unstock your Bot as a result of it’s gonna occur.

Personally, we don’t often use this pot as a water bottle (though it’s nice for lengthy carries). We principally use it to cold-soak and prepare dinner in a single container. In contrast to plastic cold-soaking containers, which require frequent cleansing or substitute, the Bot might be sanitized with warmth, offering further peace of thoughts. For those who use it on this approach, the Bot may be very multi-purpose and saves packing house.

This design does include a couple of sacrifices. As talked about earlier than, there is no such thing as a handy strategy to drain issues like pasta water, and it additionally lacks handy handles. Though Vargo does make a dealt with model of the Bot, this model is designed for max weight financial savings. We additionally observed slight cupping on the underside of the pot, which might trigger it to wobble on flat surfaces and a few stoves.

Sturdiness

Titanium has a naturally distinctive strength-to-weight ratio, however most backpacking titanium pots are very skinny, making them susceptible to warping and bending. Fortunately, the Bot’s sturdy screw-on lid helps the pot hold its form even after years of use. Additionally, the rim of the opening contains a sturdy, bolstered collar to spice up its sturdiness.

In typical ultralight streamlined designs, the Vargo Bot lacks movable elements which might be inclined to breaking. This explicit model lacks handles on each the pot and lid. Whereas these are helpful (get it?!) options, the minimal design probably will increase the general longevity of the pot.

One factor to keep watch over with the skinny titanium building is cupping on the underside of the pot. We’ve already observed some cupping with reasonable use, which might worsen over time.

Ought to You Purchase the Vargo Bot Cookpot?

The Vargo Bot 1L uniquely fits the ultralight backpacker who values simplicity and flexibility. Its modern screw-on lid makes it an ideal cold-soaking container or further water bottle. Multi-use objects resembling this are invaluable for minimalist backpackers as they liberate beneficial pack house. The titanium pot can also be extremely light-weight.

Though the Vargo Bot lacks handy options resembling foldable handles, drain holes, and pour spouts, the minimalist design will increase its sturdiness and packability. The pot simply slides right into a facet pocket with out the necessity for a stuff sack and is much less susceptible to warping than different titanium pots.

The essential backcountry prepare dinner, principally boiling water to rehydrate meals, shall be impressed with the Bot’s expanded cooking efficiency for a titanium pot. It’s straightforward to scrub and has comparatively good warmth dispersion and non-stick properties. Nevertheless, anybody cooking extra concerned meals for themselves or a number of individuals will really feel the constraints of this tall and slim pot.

What Different Backpacking Cookware Ought to You Think about?

The Vargo Bot is admittedly a distinct segment design, however don’t fear, we’ve included cooksets for each type of backpacker in our full information to backpacking cookware.

Evernew Pasta Pot 1L Evaluate: One other 1-liter titanium pot with a decent lid, however providing an alternate form and added options. The Pasta pot is shorter and wider than the Bot and comes with pot and lid handles, drain holes, and a pour spout.

Toaks Titanium 750mL Evaluate: This pot is as ultralight because it will get. It’s titanium and cooks equally to the bot however has a couple of further options and weighs about 4 ounces. 

Snow Peak Titanium Mini Solo Evaluate: The Mini Solo is a titanium set that includes a tall pot and a smaller cup with a mixed capability of 1450mL. It has a easy lid just like the Bot nevertheless it doesn’t screw on.