UKC

I've tried plastic... but I'm pretty vehemently anti-plastic, these days, because of the taste and because I just hate the idea of pouring boiling water into it and consuming the result.

I've tried cheap, thin stainless. This seems ok. At least you can use the mug directly on the gas if you're alone, saving the need to carry pots.

I've tried insulated stainless. These don't suit me. They are completely impractical if you are on the move - the rest of the party has upped and gone before your tea is quaffable. And you lose the other benefits of stainless because you can't cook in them.

I've tried aluminium - these are abysmal. The thermal conductance is way too high. Your mouth may be used to hot tea - your lips are NOT! By the time the mug itself is approachable, your tea is icy. Also, apparently aluminium is terribly unhealthy - I do not know how true this claim is - I'm still alive.

I haven't tried other materials (more modern synthetic materials, alloys or titanium wotsits) or designs. Things that are important to me are: no plastic parts, robust enough to survive many knocks and a proper handle - none of those silly half-half handles that flap about annoyingly and none of those 'L' shaped ones - if you can't clip a karabiner to it, it can't be hung off the back of your pack in an emergency.

Suggestions?

In reply to Xharlie:

What sort of emergency constitutes the need to hang a mug off your rucksack like the ultimate punter?

In reply to Xharlie:

enamel?

In reply to ianstevens:
You're 20 minutes from the hut and the heavens have opened. (EDIT: This happens to me quite often, actually. Possibly because I tend to consider the last deserted patch of path before the hustle and bustle of an Alpine hut to be a bloody good place to stop and make tea - it's quiet, you know for sure how long you need to get to your refuge and you can enjoy the view in peace of mind and body.)

I agree though, hanging it on the outside is poor form.

In reply to jamie_bkc:

ACTUALLY... I have also tried enamel - we had those when I was a kid. They were ok... until the enamel got chipped and they started to rust - which inevitably did happen.

In reply to Xharlie:



My tongue was firmly in my cheek here as well In that case, surely a non-insulating aluminum mug is best, allowing your beverage to cool rapidly and you to down it like a youth on a Friday night, then run to the dry.

In reply to Xharlie:


I'd say its retro rather than poor form.

Plastic for me, as its light, inexpensive and has some insulating properties and I'm not going to lose any sleep if it gets wrecked.

In reply to ianstevens:


Being stuck down a hole... in the fog... in the middle of the night... with an OWL?

In reply to Xharlie:

Snow Peak 450 Ti mug

Doesn't get so hot on the rim that you can't drink it instantly. You can get a cheap Ti lid off eBay that fits it really well. I've made a cosy for mine out of reflectex material.

It's big enough for a proper mug of coffee or a pack of instant noodles, the cosy keeps it plenty warm, and the removable cosy means I can cook in it. It's my entire brew kit on lightweight trips, I use a meths stove

In reply to benp1:

I still favour the enamel mug (although it takes a bit of a hunt to find one in a large size). I like the fact that you can warm up a drink of red wine to drinkakable temp by holding it over a stove/candle on a long dark winter camp.

In reply to Xharlie:
Titanium for me, purely because it weighs so little. Mine fails a number of your other requirements though like handle design and heating of the drinking surface, doesn't bother me because I'm the least discerning tea drinker you'll ever meet!

I usually just make coffee in a jetboil and drink straight from that to be honest.

In reply to Xharlie:

If you're really worried about burning your lip you need something less conductive, less Ti or plastic, or you need to use something to protect your lips

There's a product called Hot Lips (I think?! NSFW if you're googling maybe?) if you want to be fancy

Most folks use the silicon wristband that you get for charity things, fits a mug perfectly. I used to use one but then had to keep taking it off to put my mug in an open fire or on a stove, then just stopped using it entirely

In reply to Xharlie:

I find so-called hiking mugs very disappointing. They make no effort to keep up at all.

In reply to Xharlie:


If you're thinking of Alzheimer's, the link between aluminium and Alzheimers has been debunked long ago; it's an associative link, not a causal link.

Melamine mug? 'Plastic', but a thermoset, not a thermoplastic. Doesn't have that polyolefin (PE, PP) taint. Actually PP (polypropylene) is pretty low taint.

In reply to ianstevens:

To be fair a lot of hikers in Norway have their mugs clipped outside. Though not an emergency it may prevent dehydration, as their rationale was that they were more likely to stop at a stream and hydrate.

In reply to Xharlie:

I've mucked about with a few options over the years trying a few types with varying degrees of success:
Aladdin thermal insulated mug in plastic which was too small a volume and kept stuff warm for far too long.
Titanium alpkit mug which has the handles you hate but I can brew direct into it and it's mega light. Does cool quickly whilst simultaneously burning my lips and fingers.
Travel mugs: metal ones too heavy, sippy coffee mug types (like the jobs that Costa comes in) which are plastic but are very light and decent volume. Not that sturdy though.
Back in my youth I had a folding plastic mug called foldamug which lived in the pocket of my combat jacket and meant I was front of the brew line at range weekends when they broke the Norwegian of tea out. Sadly it only has a tiny volume of 200ish ml so was less than ideal for camping but I loved it.
Then this year I found the solution. Now there is a pint version: http://basecampfood.com/products/wildo-fold-a-cup-big?utm_medium=cpc&ut...
It's really lightweight, holds a pint of tea nicely and nestles on top of my Brewkit stove perfectly. Downside is that it is plastic (sorry) and a bit flexible when full so you do have to be a wee bit careful.

In reply to Xharlie:
I'm very fond of my Keep Cup, I use it with a neoprene drinks can cover (designed to keep your Pepsi* cold, but also keeps your tea hot)
I find with the cover and the lid, I can leave my teabag brewing for a few minutes and it's still nice and hot when I put the milk in.

https://zale417.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/high-res-medium-keepcup_lime.jp...

*Other brands of cola are available.

In reply to Xharlie:

Alpkit titanium mug*


*Full disclosure: My most common backpacking injury is burning my tongue on hot chocolate. So what do I know!

In reply to Xharlie:






Man up or try an indoor sport involving Staffordshire Chinaware?

In reply to Xharlie:

only china will do....and matching saucer of course

In reply to Xharlie:

Titanium.
Expensive, but ticks all the boxes.

In reply to bouldery bits:



Would totally agree, my msr titan mug is awesome.

In reply to Xharlie:
What's the best hiking mug?

The one that'll carry your sleeping bag as well as the tent....

In reply to Xharlie:

A GSI Outdoors Cascadian mug. tough, lightweight, brightly coloured, doesn't burn yer gob, good size, minimal taint. not a silly price. widespread supplies. lasts for years.

Ok - you've said you're vehemently anti-plastic. Why single out a mug for this stipulation? Most foodstuffs are wrapped or carried in plastic. I don't think drinking from a plastic mug is going to shorten your lifespan so as you'd notice. Driving to your chosen wilderness might though