I want to buy two carbon steel fry pans to handle cooking for parties of 4 to 6 persons on remote area camping/fishing trips. Sizes will probably be 11" and 12 1/2" diameter. I'd prefer the lightest pans I can get away with, for we must carry these and other essential gear upward of a mile at a time. Also, I intend to detach the handles, even if they are permanently affixed from the factory, so that the pans will better fit into our packs. Can you offer some advice as to what to buy?
I'm considering Matfer, Paderno, Vollrath, and deBuyer (not Camp Chef) so I'll accomplish making the handle detachable either by grinding off the rivets and replacing with ss bolts and wingnuts, or drilling out the welds and replacing with bolts and wingnuts.
Intended cooking use for these pans is on a heavy Forest Service cast iron grate over a wood fire. Foods will be fried potatoes, fresh veggies, peppers, onions, breaded fried fish, eggs, bacon, warming tortillas, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
What do you suggest as far as weight goes, considering I want to go with lighter weight, everything else being equal? Its not backpacking, so ultralight is not paramount, but I'll take a lighter pan in my pack any day.
The way I see it, I have three choices in general:
Heavy, 3mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighing 6 pounds (I see this as too heavy)
Medium, 2 mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighng about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds
Light, 1 to 1.5 mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighing maybe 2.5 to 3 pounds
I don't much like the cheap-*** GCI/Coleman offering that are less than 1mm thick...that is what I'm replacing.
Thanks very much,
R
EDIT: I've recently been tempted by a Calphalon One Infused Anodized (not a non-stick) 12" pan at TJ Maxx for $35, do you think I should consider that? It weighs 4 pounds...
I'm considering Matfer, Paderno, Vollrath, and deBuyer (not Camp Chef) so I'll accomplish making the handle detachable either by grinding off the rivets and replacing with ss bolts and wingnuts, or drilling out the welds and replacing with bolts and wingnuts.
Intended cooking use for these pans is on a heavy Forest Service cast iron grate over a wood fire. Foods will be fried potatoes, fresh veggies, peppers, onions, breaded fried fish, eggs, bacon, warming tortillas, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
What do you suggest as far as weight goes, considering I want to go with lighter weight, everything else being equal? Its not backpacking, so ultralight is not paramount, but I'll take a lighter pan in my pack any day.
The way I see it, I have three choices in general:
Heavy, 3mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighing 6 pounds (I see this as too heavy)
Medium, 2 mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighng about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds
Light, 1 to 1.5 mm thick pans, 12 1/2" weighing maybe 2.5 to 3 pounds
I don't much like the cheap-*** GCI/Coleman offering that are less than 1mm thick...that is what I'm replacing.
Thanks very much,
R
EDIT: I've recently been tempted by a Calphalon One Infused Anodized (not a non-stick) 12" pan at TJ Maxx for $35, do you think I should consider that? It weighs 4 pounds...






