Reviews > Cook Gear > Utensils > MSR Titan Cup > Owner Review by Thomas Vickers

Mountain Safety Research (MSR) Titan Cup Owner's Review

January 28, 2006

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible.

Description:
My MSR Titan Cup is one of my most valued and used pieces of hiking gear.  After years of using an aluminum  cup that I could never seem to find a spot for in my pack, I broke down and purchased the MSR Titan Cup.  I was amazed at how light this titanium cup was when it finally arrived.  I was also pleased by the folding handles that this cup has. This meant that I could get the pesky cup handles out of the way and store it better in my pack.  There is no easier way to describe it than to say that it is a titanium cup with folding handles.

Use:
After six years, this cup is in great shape.  I have used it to drink hot and cold beverages out of, brushing my teeth with, and even to clean my eating spoon.  On several occasions I have even used my alcohol stove to heat water directly in the cup without using my cooking pot.  It is easy to clean and the titanium does not scratch.  I really enjoy the fact that the handles fold away and this allows me to carry the cup in the water bottle holder of my Dana Designs Wet Rib.  This means that the cup is easily accessible and up until recently, I stored my camera inside the cup for protection from falls and drops. 

The capacity of the cup is also great.  It makes a huge cup of coffee or tea and when I make hot cider I usually have to use two packages of cider mix to get a nice, strong drink.  One issue that I have with the MSR Titan Cup is that the titanium it is made of conducts heat very well.  On many occasions I have filled the cup with boiling water for coffee or tea and then tried to pick it up without using the handles.  This has led to dropped drinks, burns on my fingers, and a general bad attitude at times.   This best way to handle this problem is to use a bandanna or shirt to pick up the cup.  When it is full of hot liquid, I find this to be much safer than using the handles.  One small slip has caused a knuckle or finger to hit a hot cup and this leads to one more round of burns and a dropped cup.  So while I will use the handles with cold drinks, the chance of a heat related mishap is too great for me to recommend them when enjoying a hot drink.  

There is one slight modification  that I have made to my MSR Titan Cup and it involves measuring marks.  I tend to use the cup as a measuring cup on the trail, usually as I prepare meals and such.  Since the cup is not marked in any way, I made marks on the inside of the cup with a permanent marker.  I indicated the fluid level at  2 fl oz (59 ml), 2.66 fl oz (79 ml), 4 fl oz (118 ml), and 8 fl oz (237 ml).  This allows me to accurately measure and add water to my backpacking meals.

Final thoughts:
I have used this cup for going on six years now and it shows no sign of giving out.   It is versatile and it has proven itself to be durable as well.  I do think that MSR could enlarge the handles a bit so that they are easier to use while the cup holds hot drinks.  Also, adding in permanent measuring marks to the cup body would make it easier to use as a measuring cup, but other than those two things, this is a great trail cup.  I know many people prefer lexan cups because of their weight, but one thing that the MSR TItan Cup has over nonmetal cups is that it can be used directly on a stove if necessary. 

Likes:
Size (small enough to carry all the time)
Weight
Versatility

Dislikes:
Folding handles are too small
No measuring marks

Reviews > Cook Gear > Utensils > MSR Titan Cup > Owner Review by Thomas Vickers