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TheRambler 
Group: Members
Posts: 763
Joined: Mar. 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 8:50 am |
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Howdy folks, i just did a review of the Power Pot for the Trailspace Review Corps. I figured a bunch of you may be interested in this so wanted to post the link. If you think the review was helpful please register on Trailspace , vote yes, and feel free to join the discussion.
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/other/the-power-pot/#review26804
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| Post Number: 2
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Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10508
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 12:19 pm |
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Can't cook in it?
Less efficient than a regular pot?
If weight weren't an issue, this thing would be cool. The more I find out about this thing, the more I don't want one.
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If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
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| Post Number: 3
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TheRambler
Group: Members
Posts: 763
Joined: Mar. 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 12:40 pm |
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It does have its pros and cons like anything.
I find the "can't cook in it" thing to be very minor for me. I typically only boil/heat water for coffee or tea, and for dehydrated/freeze dried meals and use FBC method. You can also do pasta. So that covers the extent of most of my meals. If i need to do something else, the bowl/lid can be cooked in and is a pretty decent size.
It is a little less efficient. This is somewhat made up for by that you can generate power at the same time. You also don't have to use a camp stove. If you have a fire you can set the power pot on the edge of the fire/coals and have power until your fire burns out. This is the method i found best for long duration charging while in camp. I know a lot of people don't have camp fires though.
It is a useful item, but indeed it is not meant to be one of those items that everyone has. It fills a certain niche in the market though. And compared to the Biolite camp stove, this product is a home run.
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| Post Number: 4
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hike500
Gilbert, Arizona
Group: Members
Posts: 490
Joined: Oct. 2003
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 1:10 pm |
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I'll pass on it. Titan Kettle and simple stove for me, fool proof.
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"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
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| Post Number: 5
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GoBlueHiker
Obsessive Island Hopper...
Group: Members
Posts: 14069
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 1:53 pm |
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The thing I could never reconcile about these "power pots" (this one, Biolite, et al) is that it takes hours to charge a battery, and most backpackers only use their stoves for minutes. It'd take far more extra fuel to run your stove all evening than you'd carry with a couple spare batteries. (The Biolite got around this by using wood fuel, but then you have to be chained to the stove for hours stoking it... fine for a few minutes but seems ungainly for hours and hours.)
I guess if there's anything about this stove I missed that addresses that, it could be interesting. Fill me in if there is. Otherwise, I'll continue to pass.
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Wealth needs more. Happiness needs less. Simplify.
www.RainForestTreks.com
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| Post Number: 6
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TheRambler
Group: Members
Posts: 763
Joined: Mar. 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 3:21 pm |
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Well the powerpot for one is a much better design than the Biolite, but that is a different topic. In short, the biolite does not have a good continuous output, and can be finicky, unlike the powerpot that continually and reliably outputs power.
You can somewhat get around the fuel issue by using a wood stove, or using a camp fire. You are correct though that if you want to use a backpacking stove as the sole fuel source you would need a lot of fuel. Also, the water does not need to be boiling, not even really hot either. I was able to keep the charge going for 35m on 1/2 ounce of alcohol using a simmer ring. I also was able to use 2 tea light candles which allowed me to charge for about 45m.
So there are some ways to make it work for you without having to use a lot of fuel.
One way you can use this is to have a small battery pack that you charge every time you make a meal etc. Then charge devices off the battery pack.
The best way i found for long duration charging was to set it on the edge of a camp fire. I also had good success when melting snow for water since this is a time consuming process as well.
a lot of newer batteries do just fine with charging incrementally as long as they are not completely dead. A few mins here and there instead of 1 long duration wont harm most batteries, aka keeping a device topped off.
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| Post Number: 7
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Franco
Group: Members
Posts: 2706
Joined: Feb. 2005
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Posted on: Jan. 19 2013, 3:22 pm |
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I have both the BioLite and the PowerPot.
As I mentioned before they are not really all that useful for the typical hiker and even most campers but could work well for the stove in a tent brigade for whom feeding the stove for hours is a pastime during the long winter nights, coincidentally the time when solar panels don't work very well...
For most casual hikers or section hikers a largish power bank (USB in and out) would work better.
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| Post Number: 8
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toesnorth
Group: Members
Posts: 2500
Joined: Jan. 2007
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Posted on: Jan. 20 2013, 12:44 am |
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Ah, I thought maybe you were reviewing powerful pot.
If you get around to that, I'll check back in. It IS legal in this state now, you know. 
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"Failure is never as frightening as regret."
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| Post Number: 9
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Montanalonewolf
Group: Members
Posts: 4802
Joined: Mar. 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 20 2013, 8:24 am |
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The only things I carry that use batteries are my headlamp and handheld ham radio and the batteries last days and even weeks with conservative use, so I don't need to charge anyway.
Plus a heavy pot I can't even cook in? No thanks.
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Ignorance is curable with education. Stupidity is refusing to be educated.
Those who don't read have no advantage over those who can't.
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| Post Number: 10
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zipposdad
Group: Members
Posts: 293
Joined: Feb. 2009
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Posted on: Jan. 22 2013, 10:15 am |
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The folks over at Camping Survival would love this. Its heavy and would keep their batteries charged when in hiding after TSHTF.
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Teach your babies to camp 
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| Post Number: 11
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| Post Number: 12
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TigerFan
Group: Members
Posts: 2003
Joined: May 2010
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Posted on: Jan. 22 2013, 2:20 pm |
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18+ oz for just the pot part?? That's almost a pound more than what my pot weighs... that's a LOT of batteries.
"The Power Pot will give you power when you need, where you need it, guaranteed."
But only if you have fuel... there's that pesky "law of conservation of energy"...
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Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
