AntiGravityGear Blue Cozy Cover
Long Term Report by André Corterier
DATE: 2005-AUG-26
Note: The blue cozy cover is designed to go with a pot and pot cozy by the same manufacturer and has been
primarily tested with these. These items were also tested with BackpackGearTest as parts
of
Mama's Kitchen cook set, where more information is available.
Item: AntiGravityGear Blue Cozy Cover
Year of manufacture: 2005
Manufacturer: AntiGravityGear
URL: http://www.antigravitygear.com/
MSRP: 9.95 USD for the 3 cup cozy cover
MSRP: 12.95 USD for the 2 quart cozy cover
Weight Comparisons - scale accurate to 5 g (0.2 oz)
3 cup cozy cover listed weight: 1.9 oz (54 g)
3 cup cozy cover measured weight: 1.9 oz (55 g)
Product Description:
The blue neoprene cozy cover is indeed, as the name implies, made of neoprene and quite blue.
Pictures can be seen at the
manufacturer's website. A more detailed description can
be found in my
Initial Report.
Long Term Experience:
You can find a description of my earlier experience with the blue cozy cover in my
Field Report.
This report deals only with additional findings made in the meantime.
Durability:
Although the cozy cover has often been stuffed into and dragged out of my pack, it shows no sign of wear. Of
course, sliding past fleece and silnylon isn't the most abusive treatment imaginable, but the fact that it holds up
well also extends to its stretch. The latter has been put to a somewhat harder test, as I continue to store my
Clikstand
with burner, a lighter, pot grabber, spice collection and a bandana on top of my pot. Also, the blunt end of my spork continues
to poke out a little against the seam above the zipper. None of this has produced the slightest problem and my things
continue not to go anywhere when packed this way.
I should probably mention that I now keep my cook gear stored this way (not just in my pack, but at home as well).
Thinking about it now as I write this, I
guess it would have made more sense to store the cook set inside the pot when everything is in storage, so
as to relieve stress on the cozy cover's stretch. However, I have gotten so used to packing it back together that
way, that it now always resides packed like that in my gear cupboard.
Smell:
The smell issue I have reported on in my
Field Report
remains unchanged, and not much of an issue. While the
cozy cover smells of denatured alcohol, once I am done cooking and have extinguished the burner, I can eat out of
my pot as it sits in the cozy cover, and not notice the smell. I also do not notice that I am holding a very hot pot in
my ungloved hand. I like that.
Convenience:
This is something I have mentioned in my
Field Report,
but cannot say enough good things about: Using the blue cozy cover has made the entire cooking thing more convenient.
When it is time to cook, I pull out my little blue package, which has become my kitchen away from home. If I need it
to cook with, it's in there. If it isn't in there, I don't need it for cooking. No more rummaging around the depths
of my pack for my spork while my food is cooling off. No more!
Pros/Cons:
Pro: My kitchen away from home. Always tidy. Helps keep food warm, too.
Con: Still smells of denatured alcohol.
Summary:
Another keeper!
Personal Biographical Information:
Name: André Corterier
Gender: M
Age: 33
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 80 kg (175 lb)
Email: andreDOTcorterierATfreenetDOTde
Home: Bonn, Germany
Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking in my late teens using Europe’s "InterRail"-System – weight hardly mattered, as we were on
trains a lot. I recently rediscovered backpacking and have started out slowly – single-day 15 mile (24 km) jaunts
by myself or even shorter hikes in the company of my little daughter. I am getting started on longer
hikes, as a lightweight packer and hammock-camper. I’ve begun upgrading my old gear and am now shooting for a
dry FSO weight (everything carried From the Skin Out except food, fuel and water)
of about 10 kg (22 lb) for three-season camping. Not quite there yet.
Read more reviews of AntiGravityGear gear
Read more gear reviews by Andre Corterier
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