The Black Titanium Pot

New pot or black pot? Which should you grab for your next adventure? First, remember that a black titanium pot is not something you buy. It is something you earn. A black titanium pot, “Blackie,” has been in many campfires and is an object with a personality. However, a brand new pot carries with it the promise and power of beginnings.

“New pot” is sure sexy looking. With its beautiful, immaculate grey robe it looks strong and flawless. Thick walls, like a fortress. A knight in shiny armor really; impeccable cleanliness, flow, and looks. Blackie can’t compete. Blackie is not only ugly, it is sooty, bumpy, uneven, it has lost its perfect symmetry a long time ago. Blackie is not even completely black; it is made of a mix of yucky colors: grey, brown, rust. Worse even: Blackie is dirty. Anyone touching it would get dirty fingers. In fact, Blackie can contaminate the rest of your outdoor gear if it is not properly stored in a bag. Are Blackie's walls as strong as those of New pot?

New pot brings all the potential in the world. And by “potential” don’t read “unrealized”, read “promise,” because there is no doubt New pot will have your back. It is titanium after all, unbreakable according to popular belief, right? And yet, let’s face it: New pot has everything to prove. That’s where Blackie “shines.” Blackie has had your back before. Dirt, trail bumps, tears, sweat, blood, day, night, rain, snow, hellishly hot campfires, it has seen it all. If Blackie had a human face it would look like the wrinkled 65-years old adventurer who has crossed solo half the deserts and jungles of the planet. Wrinkled and old maybe, but still as tough as nails.

Blackie is your past. New pot is your future, but Blackie is truly yours, it is part of your adventurer’s DNA now. The question is: how many years before retiring Blackie? It all depends of the use. But theoretically, Blackie may have decades of adventures in it. Is the bail handle still strong enough to suspend Blackie over a campfire? If not, you could customize a new one, it is not that difficult. Are there any holes in its black metal? Is the inside of the pot badly scratched? Have you broken or lost one of the butterfly handles? Simple to replace if it is the case. Before any wilderness trip you want to make a thorough assessment of all your gear. Are you tired of seeing Blackie’s chimney cleaner’s face? Of course, you could decide to shelf Blackie and keep him as an artifact of your most precious memories. Nothing lasts forever and the succession has arrived with New pot.

We don’t know what pot you will decide to carry for your next wilderness trip. But as for us, we always ask Blackie first: “Are you ready for one more my friend”?