MSR Trail Mini Duo Review

The Duo is nothing more than a single tiny pot with just the right set of accessories for ultralight backpacking. This cookware set, plus a stove, spoon, and wide-mouth water bottle, completes a fast and light kitchen. In the context of lightweight backpacking, simple “just add water” meals are the easiest and lightest. While the Trail Mini Duo excels in packability, simplicity, and weight, it certainly suffers when cooking performance and overall versatility are considered. Our testing team was caught off guard during our boiling water tests when the silicone ring – an integrated heat grip – slipped to the bottom of the pot and caught fire on our stove. We can't help but warn users of this potential hazard, especially when considering the delicate landscapes one could be traveling through.

Performance Comparison

Cooking Performance

The Trail Mini Duo is not a cookware set that provides optimal cooking performance. This is a lightweight, minimalist design best selected for heating water for your morning brew or dehydrated backpacking meals. The tall, narrow shape is better optimized for packing than it is for cooking. It heats water and boils pasta just fine, but try to simmer rice or fry an egg in there, and you are asking for trouble. The issue is that the narrow bottom and tall sides simultaneously focus all the heat on the bottom of the pot and hinder any stirring or scraping of the bottom. The good news is that someone who might choose this sort of specialized equipment typically leans away from extensive cooking and towards simpler “just add water” meals. For these simpler meals, the Trail Mini is still a solid choice.

Features

This cook set includes a very basic set of features for backpacking food preparation. The set is built around a 1-liter pot (filled to the brim, it holds 1.5 L; effectively, the capacity is 1 L) with a thick, plastic lid. The lid features a cut-out for pliers to grip and a set of holes that are perfect for straining pasta water. A 600 ml Lexan plastic bowl nests around the bottom, so you don't have to eat right out of the pot. The pot can be moved, even when quite hot, with either the silicone ring around the pot rim or by using the ridiculously light pot gripping pliers. This silicone ring is removable for ultralight use or to mitigate any potential fire hazard. The whole kit conveniently slides into a mesh stuff sack. For more sophisticated camping, whether backpacking or car camping, you will want more features. However, the Trail Mini Duo has enough features to handle the basics.

Ease of Use

The Trail Mini Duo features a limited-use design that is just right for preparing food for two on an ultralight backpacking mission. When considering backpacking supplies, we immediately weigh every component to investigate how we can lighten our load. It is a testament to the ease of use of this MSR kit that we would leave little to nothing behind, even for the rowdiest of ultralight missions. While it is easy to use, this kit is far from versatile. If you want to prepare more than dehydrated meals or hot drinks, we recommend investigating other ultralight options.

Durability

The anodized aluminum design found in the Trail Mini Duo isn't necessarily the most durable construction. However, when you consider cooking performance and weight reduction, the durability compromise of aluminum might be worth it. The pot can only be dented with great force, and the anodizing will only scratch off after significant use – unless, of course, you use metal utensils, which will scratch off the coating immediately. We also recommend padding your fuel canister with a cloth before nesting it inside of the pot, which will help prolong the life of the internal coating. But for optimal durability, we recommend other cookware sets that feature a titanium construction, which is built to last without adding a ton of weight.

Packability

The Trail Mini Duo certainly excels when considering overall packability. The dimensions are perfect for serving a party of two during a fast and light backpacking trip, while the interior is sized to fit an eight-ounce fuel canister and a small, single-burner backpacking stove. In this configuration, your entire kitchen only requires the space of a one-liter pot and a few dehydrated meals. If all you need is a single pot for heating water, this could be a great option to consider.

Weight

The Trail Mini Duo is one of the lightest backpacking cookware sets we tested. The functional components included in this minimal kit help provide enough performance without adding a ton of weight or requiring a ton of extra space in your backpack. This set can be stripped down to just under a half-pound, though in its full configuration, it weighs around 0.7 pounds. This is definitely a consideration for those looking to shed weight in their pack, especially if you only need to heat water for drinks and freeze-dried meals.

Should You Buy the MSR Trail Mini Duo?

The MSR Trail Mini Duo is definitely a consideration for those who are after a superlight, compact pot and bowl for ultralight backpacking. There is not much else to the set other than a lid, a handle, and a sack. If you decide to go with this set, be sure you're okay with your cookware being limited to boiling water and preparing the simplest of meals. And once again, be mindful of the fire hazard that the silicone ring presents if not properly monitored.

What Other Camping Cookware Should You Consider?