Having a container of some sort is one of the most essential items for any time spend in the woods…. but we can do better than that.
A good container should make itself useful in more than one capacity, make cooking a simple chore rather than a Rube Goldberg like exercise. It should be bomb proof and allow you to maximize the amount of water you can boil all while being as portable as possible. This 64 oz Bush Pot by Dave Canterbury has got to be our favorite of all time.
Constructed of food-grade 304 stainless steel, you don’t have to worry about what’s leaching into your food or water (unlike aluminum). The bail has lockable detents so it stays where you want it, and the batwing handles make holding it a breeze, even when full of hot liquid or food. There is a pour spout opposite the batwing handles that makes sharing a cinch, and a strainer lid if you brought something like pasta!
While this stove IS based off of the design Bushcraft legend Mors Kochanski has been using for decades (itself based on the coffee pot found in old nesting camp pot sets), those are all made of aluminum and are inherently not as safe or durable as this stainless steel model. With aluminum you MUST be careful not to keep it over the fire empty, or you’ll burn a hole right through it. You could sleep through the night with this pot on the coals and never have to think twice!
We’ve carried one for years now, and it never leaves the pack. We keep our other essential cook gear inside to save space, along with an alcohol stove, just in case there aren’t fires allowed, or everything is just too soggy. Pair this with the folding skillet and alcohol stove for the ultimate backwoods cooking kit!