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Mountain Safety
Research (MSR) Titan Cup Owner's Review
January 28, 2006
Thomas
Vickers
38 years old
Male
5 ft 11 in tall (1.8 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area |
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.
Manufacturer Information:
Manufacturer: Mountain Safety Research (MSR)
Website: http://www.msrcorp.com/
Weight:
MSRP: $29.95 US
Year of Manufacture: 2000 |
Information From Tester:
Cup height: 3.5 in (9 cm)
Cup diameter: 3 in (8 cm)
Cup weight: 1.80 oz (81 g)
Cup capacity: 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) |
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.
Locations and conditions of use:
California: 9,500 - 12,500 ft (2,900 - 3,800 m) altitude.
Temperatures from 26 to 50 F (-3 to 10 C).
Arkansas: 1,000 - 2,500 ft (300 - 750 m) altitude: Temperatures from 26
to 65 F(-3 to 18 C).
Colorado: 10,000 - 11,500 ft (3000 - 3500 m) altitude: Temperatures from
35 to 70 F (2 to 21 C).
Texas: Sea level to 250 ft (76 m) in altitude: Temperatures from 40
to 80 F (4 to 27 C). |
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
Read more reviews of MSR gear
Read more gear reviews by Thomas Vickers
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