Still looking for that perfect stocking stuffer for the outdoors lover in your life? We’ve got two today, from Vargo, who certainly knows the outdoors. This brand has emerged lately to my awareness, and I love its take on standard backpacking and camping gear, which focuses on making things lighter, more useful, and sleeker.
The Titanium BOT is my new favorite cooking and eating pot in the outdoors. If you’re a minimalist backpacker, you simply must have this, and even if you’re not, like me, you’ll be thrilled to consolidate three of your most used items: your water bottle, your bowl, and your cooking pot.
I backpacked with the BOT in the fall, using it as my water bottle en route to camp (it fits in my backpack’s water bottle sleeve much like a wide-mouth bottle), then used the BOT to cook my soup over my backpacking single burner stove. Then, I ate my meal right out of the BOT. Easy-breezy! The next day, after a washing with just water and wilderness wash, the BOT once again became my water bottle, with no lingering soup taste.
It’s a one-liter capacity (34 ounces) and features measurements etched into the side, which helps with cooking. The screw-top lid doesn’t leak, and the pot works with all pot lifters I tried. It’s water tight with a heat-resistant O ring, and as mentioned, is ultralight titanium. The complete weight is just over five ounces.
My only complaint is that the BOT gets really hot to the touch, since it’s titanium and not insulated (which keeps the weight down), but you can add an insulation sleeve, which I recommend if weight isn’t the most important factor to you. The sleeve is sold separately on the Vargo site. Pick up the BOT fo $99 on Vargo.
The funnel flask is my new favorite accessory, and it definitely belongs in the stocking of any whiskey aficionado. This titanium flask is extremely lightweight (under four ounces) and pretty, but its best feature is the patented integrated silicone funnel that folds down when not in use and flips up when you need it. Simply flip it up for easy filling, then fold it down to sip comfortably. The flask holds eight ounces of your drink of choice while imparting no taste, odor, or chemicals. I think the funnel feature is so unique, and so obvious to add, I can’t believe now that it’s been missing in my life this whole time! Pick it up for $74 on the Vargo site, or check your favorite online retailer for deals.