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AntiGravityGear Blue Cozy Cover(s)
Long Term Report - August 19, 2005
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: August 19, 2005
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: AntiGravityGear (AGG)
Model: Neoprene Cozy Cover
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL: http://www.antigravitygear.com
Listed weight (2-Quart): 2.6 oz (74 g)
Listed weight (3-Cup): 1.9 oz (54 g)
Measured weight (2-Quart): 2.6 oz (74 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Measured weight (3-Cup): 1.9 oz (54 g)
Color: Blue
MSRP (2-Quart): $12.95 US
MSRP (3-Cup): $9.95 US
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- Protect your AntiGravityGear cozy and add to the performance! This zippered cozy cover is made of neoprene and protects your cozy from wear and abraision. The seams are glued AND stitched for durability. The lid zippers off to allow you to remove and insert the pot after cooking. Custom fit for the 2-Quart and 3-Cup AntiGravityGear pots. There is enough room on top of the pot to store the lifter handle, camp towel and other kitchen gear. Weight of the 2-Quart Cover is 2.6 ounces and the 3-Cup cover is 1.9 ounces. This is a must-have item!
Description [return to top]
The Neoprene Cozy Covers are made to fit the cozies for the pots included with the AntiGravityGear Mama’s Kitchen Cook Set. They have zip-off lids to allow placing the pot/cozy combinations into the covers, and enough room on top of the cozy to fit the AGG pot lifter and a few other cook-time items. Both covers are made of thin neoprene with blue fabric bonded on the outside and light grey fabric bonded on the inside. Both use black coil zippers, and have a short length of black webbing connecting the lid to the body. The ‘antigravitygear’ logo is screened in black on the front of each cover.
For a more detailed description please see my Initial Report.
Field Testing [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly. Almost all of these outings included a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures ranging from lows of 25 to 30 ºF (-4 to -1 ºC) to highs of 95 to 100 ºF (35 to 38 ºC). Elevations ranged from sea level to approximately 1,000’ (305 m).
I have continued using the Cozy Covers since the Field Report, and can report no changes in my opinions. The covers are light, handy, durable, and – in colder weather – may just add that extra bit of insulation to keep soups warm until they are gone. I will continue using them, especially the smaller one, on all of my future trips.
Things I was looking for:
- Ease of use. How easy is it to get the cozy in and out of the cover? Does the zipper engage/disengage easily?
- Fit. Does the cover fit the cozy well? How much additional gear fits above the pot/cozy (I see myself keeping the Clikstand on top and the Trangia in the pot)?
- Durability. Are there any special wear points? Does it stand up to being tossed – or worse, stuffed – into a pack with other gear? Do I need to worry about putting it down on abrasive surfaces?
- Cleanability. Are there special instructions? Are they easy to follow? Does it hold much dirt in the first place?
My findings:
- Ease of use. The cozy slides fairly easily in and out of the cover when the pot is in the cozy and both items are dry, but an empty cozy is a bit limp to put in a very flexible cover. The zippers work very smoothly and, since they do not separate, they do not need to be realigned every time they are used.
- Fit. The covers fit smoothly without much extra room on the sides, and leave room for pot lifters, lighters, matches etc. under the lid.
- Durability. I still have yet to notice any wear on either cover.
- Cleanability. Well, they did get dirty, but they came clean with a little soap and water.
Things I like [return to top]
- Light.
- Well made.
- Makes it easier to keep my kitchen together, even (especially) without a stuff sack.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- The process of putting the cozy into the cover is just clumsy enough that it’s not something I want to do when I have some hot food in the pot. However, with care, the pot can be slipped into the cozy while already in the cover without too much risk of spillage.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5. I spent 17 years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology – when I got out, I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load in my ALICE pack. Advancing age, arthritic knees and a car accident have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and hammocks, make some of my own gear, and take a closer look at my ‘toys’ with an eye for multi-use and light weight. I now have a sub-30 lb (14 kg) 3-season load, and should be able to reduce it to 20 lb (9 kg) – before food, fuel and water – without much more effort.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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