The Sea To Summit X-Pot takes the shape and functionality of Sea To Summit’s X-Mug and X-Bowl, folding down accordion style to a width of 1.5 inches. The X-Pot is comprised of a anodized aluminum base that offers proper heat distribution and fast boiling times. The X-Pot body is made of a BPA free, food grade and heat resistant silicone which is over molded to the aluminum base. The rim of the pot also has with a stainless steel ring within the silicone to give the pot a more rigid structure.
The lid is also constructed with a BPA free translucent plastic that comes with a small pinch handle. It has a number of holes to double as a strainer. The X-Pot body has two silicone handles to help assist when you strain or when you need to remove it from the heat. When you are finished with the pot, the two handles lock onto the lid to hold the two items together. We tested the 2.8L X-Pot, currently the only one available. The 2.8 Liter X-Pot is designed to accommodate two people and will fit Two X-Mugs and X-Bowls within the collapsed pot.
The X-Pot quickly proved to be a room saver as we were packing our gear for a White Rim trip. The pot fit perfectly on its side and was out of the way on the non drive side of a full frame bag. We stored an X-bowl as well as a spork inside and the contents held together through a couple of rough days of riding on ridged fat bikes. Bonus…no clinging noise from an aluminum pot moving around. The X-Pot could also have easily fit in our saddle bags if we had to.
Once arrived at camp the pot was easy to access from the frame bag and the set up was extremely easy. It includes measuring lines on the inside of the silicone portion of the pot. This made for easy measuring of water for our freeze dried meals. While the water did not boil as fast as a jet boil (nor did we expect it to), we were only waiting a few minutes for a few cups to boil. We never noticed the silicone handles reaching a temperature where we couldn’t touch them, or that they were burning. The steam exiting the sides of the lid was very hot though we missed the warning on the lid.
One of the highlights we noticed was the flexible rim. Pinching the rim of the pot gave a slightly more accurate and confident pour, which proved to be important – especially when dealing with boiling hot water. Once the water was removed we were surprised how quickly the aluminum base and silicone cooled down. Within a minute we were able to touch the base, pack up the pot and stow it away, a nice feature when you are in a time crunch or dealing with inclement weather.
In the mornings, we mixed some oatmeal and Expedition Espresso Trail Butter in the pot for breakfast. The pot is designed to taper out towards the top, so we smashed down the pot to reach the lower two cups of the pot easier. Cleaning it was not too difficult, however some food particles would get stuck in the bends of the silicone from time to time. When we got home a thorough clean was in order. While we noticed the X-Bowl held a lingering food scent, the X-Pot did not. Proper cleaning of your pot after meals should prevent any developing smell in the silicone.
The 2.8 liter pot is rather large. It can certainly cook a hefty dish of veggies and meat, and is perfect for pasta with the strainer lid. If you are looking to just boil water, the smaller 1.4 liter version would suit a couple on the trail just fine. While the X-Pot is perfect for camp stoves, the wider the stove the more risk there is to damage the silicone. We used the MSR Pocket Rocket, a stove that creates a very small flame in circumference. Sea to Summit does not recommend using the stove on a conventional stove as the flames tend to be wider than your average camp stove.
The X-Pot is simply designed to save space and reduce awkward packing, an inherent benefit for bikepackers. You do sacrifices a little weight, but for the overall functionality, it is worth it. A bending rim, and retractable sides make for a better overall user experience, not to mention a fun piece of gear to play with. Sea To Summit created a very bikepacker friendly piece of gear, whether they knew it or not.
Key Words
BPA Free: The body is made out of a food grade, BPA free silicone. The lid is also translucent and BPA Free. Accordion: The silicone sides fold down like an accordion making storage and eating simple and easy. Aluminum: The bottom of the pot is made out of an anodized aluminum that disperses the heat properly, boiling water quickly. It also helps cool the surface down much quicker. Compact: Handles connect to the lid, helping the pot store nicely. It holds 2 X-Mugs and 2 X-Bowls in the 2.8L pot, carrying your kitchen wear in a 14 x 8 x 1.5 cylinder. Availability: The 2.8 liter version is available now. The smaller 1.4 liter, larger 4 liter and X-Pot Kettle will be available this July.
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