MSR Titan Kettle Review

The 1400mL Titan Kettle from MSR is a large, ultralight backpacking kettle that is ideal for couples looking to shed weight. Lightweight enough to carry on even your longest hikes, this feature-packed kettle has everything you need for winter excursions or group backpacking trips.

Titan Kettle at a Glance

• Item: Titan Kettle, 1400ml
• Brand: Mountain Safety Research
• Weight: 5.4 oz
• Capacity: 1.4 L
• Packed Size: 5.4 x 5.1 in
• Materials: Titanium with Silicone coated handles
• Price: $69.95

Intended Use

This kettle is ideal for a weight-conscious duo who like to boil water together, or for those who will need the larger capacity to melt snow as a water source.

Circumstance of Review

I tested this product on a variety of short trips and carried it around in my daily-wear work backpack for approximately a month in order to test its durability. (I work at a ski resort.)

Melting Snow for Water

For the first test, I took it out on a snowshoe hike on the Virginia Canyon Trail in Idaho Springs, Colorado. With just over two feet of fresh powder on the ground, and more snow falling hard, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to melt some snow.

I stopped twice on my hike to melt snow to drink, and was pleasantly surprised at how efficient it was. It took about 10 liters of snow to create just under a liter of water, but the thin titanium on the bottom of the kettle allowed for a surprisingly quick heat transfer that had my thirst quenched in no time.

After my first test, I noticed some discoloration from the heat of my stove. This was not made worse in subsequent tests.

Boiling Water for Multiple Hikers

For my second test, I took it on a day hike up Quandary Peak, a 14er just outside Breckenridge, Colorado.  I planned to use it to make hot chocolate for the group at the summit, but high winds and low temperatures forced us to take our breaks below 12,ooo feet. This time I boiled my own water rather than melting snow and was able to make enough hot water for our trio in one go.

On both of these trips I was able to pack an eight-ounce fuel canister, my MSR PocketRocket 2, and a bandana inside of the kettle to reduce bulk in my pack.

Durability

I’ve since carried the Titan in my daily pack, which I take to work and ski with most days. I did this to test the durability of the kettle — which, given how thin the titanium is, has impressed me. After about a month of skiing with it in my pack, including one pretty gnarly crash, the kettle shows no signs of damage.

Because MSR advertises this product as a kettle, rather than a cook pot, I have not attempted to cook food directly in it.

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Features

Notable features of the MSR Titan Kettle include interior volume graduation marks, a spout for ease of pouring, foldable silicone-coated handles, and a silicone hook on the lid that attaches to the side of the kettle.

I especially appreciated the silicone hook on the lid. My previous experience with backcountry cooking has always involved a decent amount of trail spice (dirt) as I would always set the lid on the ground when I wasn’t using it. The silicone hook is an elegant solution to this problem.

MSR Titan Kettle Pros

• Lightweight: At only 5.4 ounces, this is an impressively lightweight kettle for its size.
• Large capacity: At 1.4 liters, this is one of the larger backpacking kettles out there.
• Suitable for multiple hikers: the larger capacity of this kettle makes it perfect for couples hiking together.
• Durable: After about a month in my pack the kettle has held up really well with no signs of damage.
• Ability to contain both your stove and fuel: This helps to mitigate the packability issues that the size of the kettle presents.
• Features: I really enjoy the ease of use that the spout, lid handle, and internal measurement marks provide.

MSR Titan Kettle Cons

• Large capacity comes at the tradeoff of packability: This takes up a lot of room in my pack, more than I would like to devote to my cook system.
• Price: $69.95 is on the higher end of the spectrum for lightweight backcountry cooking gear.
• The lid:  this is a minor inconvenience, but there is no way to keep the lid on the kettle while it is in your pack. It regularly falls off.

Overall Value

Overall I really enjoy this product for specific uses.

This is definitely a niche item. If you’re not intending to melt snow or boil water for multiple people, this probably isn’t the kettle for you.

If this is what you want out of your kettle, then I think this product will satisfactorily meet your needs. The price tag is a little high at $69.95, but is justifiable.  You’re paying for a high-quality, durable, lightweight item that I believe has the potential to last for thousands of backpacking miles.

Shop the MSR Titan Kettle

Comparable Items

• Sea to Summit Frontier Ultralight Pot (1.3L, 7.5 oz, $64.95)
• Toaks Titanium 1600ml Pot with Pan (1.6L, 8.2 oz, $54.95)

The MSR Titan Kettle was donated for purpose of review