Tester Information:

Name:     Josh Dunning
Age:        27
Gender:   Male
Height:    5’10” (1.7m)
Weight:   180 lb (81 kg)
Email:     jdunning@cadd-tech.com
Locale:   Northern Connecticut
Date:      9/01/03

Background:

I've been spending as much time outdoors as possible for as long as I can remember. I tend to gravitate towards all manner of outdoor recreation with hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking, and mountain biking topping off the list. I've been camping all my life, summer vacation, as a kid, was a weeks worth of car camping at the beach.  Friends of my parents used to take us hiking in the mountains with an occasional overnight trip. Since then I've been hooked. I'll hike or camp in any weather, in any season. That can range from 10 below zero F (-23C) in the snow to 100 F (38C) plus heat. That's the beauty of living in New England. I try to hike at least twice a week, more if I can make time for it.

Item Information:
        

Company:	AntiGravityGear
Item:	Mama's Kitchen Cookset
Total Weight:	14.4 oz (408 g) claimed (14 oz. actual 408 g)
MSRP:	$49.95 USD
Model Year:	2003
Kit Contents:	2 Quart pot w/ lid - 5.9 oz. (167g) 2 Quart pot cozy - 1.4 oz. (39.69g)   3 Cup pot w/ lid - 3.8 oz. (108g) 3 Cup pot cozy - 1.0 oz. (28.35g) Clamp Handle for the pots - 1.4 oz. (39.69g) A "Tin Man" alcohol stove - .4 oz. (11.34g) Windscreen - .8 oz. (22.68g)

Cookset Field Review:
 
The past few weeks have been fun testing the Mama's Kitchen Cookset. Playing with fire is my idea of a good time. All parts are wearing in great, no noticeable signs of wear really. On that note, let's talk about each piece separately, and the things I've noticed over the past few weeks.
 
The pots have seen a fair amount of use so far, and look like they just came off the shelf. Using the pots placed directly on the stove or supported above has left no burn or heat marks. Inside has held up well also. Typically I use a Lexan spoon and fork for meal preparation and eating, since I eat right out of the pot. The inside surfaces are still new and smooth to the touch, making clean-up quick and simple. The non-stick surface has remained intact. The accompanying lids show no wear either, but some initial concerns were proven to be true. The larger lid is difficult for me to use. As I mentioned in my initial report, the grab loop is attached off-center, making removal difficult. I've noticed that both the lid and the handle get hot while boiling water or cooking, making removal a tricky maneuver. Secondly, the handle lies flat while not in use, absorbing as much heat as possible. The easiest way I've found to remove the larger lid is simply to insert the handle of my spoon and lift and drag the lid off the pot. If I'm careful, I can do it without burning myself. The smaller lid is less of a problem since the handle is centered, and remains slightly lifted off the lid. It still gets warm, but with a quick removal, no harm is done.
 
The pot grabber started to show some weakness as well. At first use, the tight hinge seemed like a great idea, after all, I wouldn't misplace the handle while cooking if left clamped to the pot. Unfortunately, doing so allowed the handle to heat up along with the pot and whatever was inside, making it too hot to grab. Perhaps a little less friction and the hinge would be a perfect balance.
 
The cozies haven't seen much use, only because I eat quickly before my food gets cold. As far as letting the cozy finish cooking my meals.... Well, I'm not that much of a gourmet, so that'll take some practice. Hopefully we'll get some practice in for the final report. I do like the small details built into the cozy. The notch in the side is a perfect example. I initially thought it was there to help flare the top of the cylinder for inserting the pot, but actually, it's there for the pot grabber handle to allow you to slide the pot all the way in allowing it to rest firmly on the bottom, a good idea when balancing boiling liquids. The covers also make good use of the foil tab handles. Easy to grab and use.
 
The stove itself has broken in nicely as well. I'm still trying to perfect a fuel delivery system to get more exact measurements, but I've been able to average enough fuel to boil water and cook (mostly noodles of various types) in good time. For my field report I'll include more formal "lab" testing regarding burn times, fuel amounts, and boil times. I've noticed that using the stove with the pot placed directly on top yields the best heat transfer, however the stove must be up and running at full bore for it not to be snuffed out. Using the three tent stakes in the ground allowed me to get the pot over the flame right away, but the added distance made a slight difference. As I said, I'll have numbers to back that up for my field report.
 
So, my goals for the field report are to continue using the kit and watch how well it wears. Also, to expand my cooking skills to try a few new things. I'll be doing some testing in a "controlled environment" to get some hard numbers regarding boil times, burn times, and fuel amounts. I'd also like to find a safe method for carrying and distributing exact amounts of fuel.

Josh Dunning
jdunning@cadd-tech.com