Gear Review - MSR Duralite Gourmet Cook Set

July 13th, 2007 Wade

MSR hooked us up with some sweet gear to test this time. We tested the MSR Duralite Gourmet Cook Set this weekend and it was solid. Retailing at $89.95 and weighing in at 1 lb and 10 oz. it was within an acceptable price range for a quality cook set while staying in a decent weight category. I wouldn’t call it ultralight; but definitely light enough for 2-3 day backpacking trips, car camping, paddling, etc.

From MSR - “The DuraLite Gourmet Cookset builds on our popular DuraLite Classic Cookset, adding a 7.25-inch (18.5 cm) fry pan to the mix. This is the perfect set for preparing multicourse meals on the trail, with enough cookware for 3–4 people. Includes 1.5- and 2-liter pots, a 7.25-inch (18.5 cm) fry pan, a lid that fits all three pieces, a PanHandler™ and two MSR Packtowl®.”

I was impressed with the number of pots you get with the set. You can easily mix and match what you want to take on each trip. We didn’t use the skillet for this trip, but that was the beauty, we didn’t have to take it to make the set fit together. The MSR Dragonfly stove nestled inside the set easily along with a PanHandler™ , MSR Packtowl®, and the MSR Standard Fuel Pump. The pots cleaned up easily because of the anodized aluminum material they are constructed of. Heat dispersion was not a problem and when used in combination with the MSR Dragonfly stove it heated quickly. I’m not a big fan of coatings on pots and pans for health reasons, but MSR says that their Duralite line has a long-lasting coat and is resistant to scratching. Only time will tell with that, but so far-so good. The bottom of the pot has grooves to help grip the stove surface. The top didn’t get excruciatingly hot while cooking and has a pop up handle for snagging it to take a quick look at the contents. The pack towels were a nice addition but weren’t used on this trip. The MSR Duralite Gourmet Cook Set is another winner from MSR. So far we haven’t been disappointed with any of their line up.

Entry Filed under: Gear, General