How to Choose Camping Cookware

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Eggs and bacon just taste better in the backcountry. The lightweight, compact Sea to Summit Alpha 8 in. pan has an abrasion-resistant nonstick surface that makes it easy to deliver hot food outdoors.
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View the Sea to Summit Alpha Product LineView all Sea to Summit PansBest Use | Backpacking |
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Liquid Capacity (L) | Unavailable |
Dimensions | 1.7 x 8 inches |
Cookware Material | Aluminum |
Material(s) | Aluminum |
Nonstick Surface | Yes |
Includes | 8 in. pan |
Weight | 8.6 ounces |
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Not much heavier than a titanium pan in a similar size but superior heat distribution with this pan. Folds up small and easy to pack. Feels quite robust and rigid unlike some thinner aluminium and titanium pans.
I like to travel light but I like to eat well when backpacking and this pan is my favorite for achieving both of these. I bought the 10" and it is super lightweight, easy to figure out how to nest it in my pack with other items, and it works perfectly. I'm always concerned that a frying pan like this won't disperse the heat on a backpacking stove and hence burn things in the middle and undercook them around the edges but no such problem here - this pan cooks perfect pancakes, quesadillas, and other food that needs a bigger pan. Nothing beats the smell of sautéed onions, peppers and sausage and this pan is big enough to cook enough to share for all those that brought more boring meal options.
I bought this for skillet for back country cooking and it failed badly. The handle does not lock solidly into place, unbeknownst to me, and our dinner ended up in the fire when it folded as a tried to lift it off the grate. Nothing I tried would get the handle to stay in place. The design would have been much better if the handle folded from the inside of the pan to the outside with a stop instead of from the outside bottom upward with a horrible “locking” bracket system that’s ineffective. I’m going to see if I can return it, otherwise it’s hitting the garbage.
The straight sides make this very capacious for an 8" pan. The handle wiggles slightly when extended, so I'm careful not to overload it. Cleans up easily and heats evenly.
I already love this pan because it is portable, lightweight, and easy to clean. Turns out, it is excellent for making crepes too!! Drop about 1/4 cup of batter on medium heat, then swirl the batter around for a perfect round shape that takes less than 2 minutes to fry up both sides. I found another reason to love it more and I imagine the 10 inch pan is just as good! Crepe layered cake anyone?? Crepe yes!!
Added this to our backpacking gear to allow for variety in our meals. Pan is light weight and easily fit in the pack however noticed the edge bend in slightly after a few days. Easy cooking over Camp chef Stryker and cleaned up with just a wipe.
While designed mostly for camping, we've found the Alpha pots a great addition to our campervan kitchen. For us, space in the van is at a premium and weight can be an issue. Every little amount of weight can add up, and affect gas mileage and your pocketbook! The alpha pots are light compared to traditional home cookware. And they compact down and nest together nicely, allowing them to be stored easily in one of our galley drawers in minimal space - a huge bonus for us. We especially love the clever “never-lose-handles"!! And the fact you don't need to keep track of a detachable handle like most cook sets. That's a key feature we love. Cooking performance is great! And the nonstick frypan is excellent ! Minimizing the need for oil/butter. Overall - great quality, and design! Well Done!
I use this all the time to cook the fixings for fajita tacos and fry hash browns for breakfast... which, because it is so light weight is very impressive. Because the handle folds down and away I can store my x-kettle inside the pan and then they slide into my cook bag very well. Overall I would say this is a well thought out design and would recommend this product to the camper would likes to stay small and light but retain the creature comforts when cooking.
It’s okay but I’ve seen better. Initially I was excited to get this pan as it packs down very well. However, when I used it at my campsite over my stove it bubbles up on the bottom because it is thin aluminum so it creates a hump in the middle when it’s hot no matter what food is in it and everything runs to the outside. It takes shape again after it’s cooled down but I was generally unimpressed at its performance. $54.95 is a lot to pay for a mediocre pan.
I picked up the Alpha Frying Pan as well as several other Sea to Summit products for a recent camping / bicycling trip to the Poconos. I was impressed with the light weight and the non-stick coating on this pan. I had no trouble cooking up perfect omelettes and pancakes using it on my MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe stove. The other Alpha products were equally impressive and will be part of all of my camping and adventuring going forward.