Nathan M. from United States, CO Public Profile

Trangia makes solid, simple camp cookware. There's nothing overly sexy about it--it's not titanium or collapsible silicone. It is a simple, well-built kettle that suits Trangia's cook system, of course, but works fine with pretty much any other method as well. You get the sense with Trangia of a company that has made good quality reliable stuff for many years and has enough sense not to flirt with passing fashion.

I seem to collect camp bowls and mugs--not sure why. Decided to try one of these since it was pretty inexpensive. It's a fine bowl with a little handle if the bottom's too warm--though the handle also keeps it from setting down into some pots. It's small enough to serve as a mug too, though stuff sloshes out pretty easily given the shallowness of the item. The pictures clearly show it stacking well, which is nice, though I only own one at this point. It does only weigh a bit over an ounce which is nice--I can bring it on most any trip without a thought. It's even less than my titanium bowl (though smaller too). Bottom line: it's a mug/bowl that's lightweight and doesn't weigh much.

On a recent trip to Scotland I bought a pair of Buffalo's excellent pile mitts. They are very warm, but lack any kind of grippy material and, while water-resistant, are not waterproof. I couldn't find an over mitt I liked from the usual companies--OR, Black Diamond, etc. The Tuff Bags fit the bill--they fit nicely over my Buffalo mitts, have a good grippy palm, seem tough while still pretty light, well-made, and waterproof. My only issue is not a failing of the mitts, but the result of combining two separate products. Unlike an overmitt and inner-liner system like from OR, there is no connection between the outer and inner--so the inner mitt slips around inside and can make gripping things a little harder. Not a big deal as mitts are not high dexterity to begin with. I'll mostly use mine for keeping hands warm and dry while hiking so it shouldn't be an issues. By the same token, the Tuff Bags allow a lot of flexibility since there isn't that connection. I can wear anything underneath--Buffalo mitts, Dachsteins, lighter gloves, etc. They are clearly sized large to fit over an inner mitt. If wearing with thin liners, think about downsizing. Thrilled that Campsaver carried this uncommon British brand. Now if they'd only sell Buffalo as well.