MicroGripper by GSI Outdoors

When I’m using my alcohol stove, the flames often go up the side of my pot and heat my pot handles. And so when it comes time to remove my pot from the stove, especially if the stove is still burning, I stand a strong chance of burning my hand on the flames or my fingers on the pot handles. 

This lead me to search for a way to prevent or reduce the risk of burning myself when using my alcohol stove set. 

Handkerchiefs or bandannas tend to burn or even catch fire if I use them as hot pads with alcohol stoves. Metal pot grippers that fit into my kit are too short and take a little too long to get a firm grip on the pot, which presents the same burn risk from the flames.

I could just wait until the alcohol burns away and handles cool down. But this means my meals won’t be hot, especially at higher elevations where water cools much faster. 

Then I found this MicroGripper by GSI Outdoors. It looks promising. It’s made from silicone which has a great thermal stability, withstanding temperatures of up to 420 degrees F (220 C). It’s very light and fits into my cook set. These are all positive things. 

So, I bought one and took it out on a backpacking trip with my alcohol stove. 

Well, the short story is that it fell far short of my expectations. Here’s what happened:

It’s too small. I couldn’t get a good grip on my pot handles. Consequently, I spilled my hot water. 

The flames heated my pot handles, apparently beyond the 420 degrees. I had a good burn happening and my handles were taking the flames. When I gripped my handles, I almost instantly felt the heat and a lot of it, which didn’t allow me to pick up my pot. 

My stove is the Ultralight EverNew Titanium set that comes with a 500ml pot. So, what I have here is a very efficient stove, which burns very hot, and a small pot whose handles are closer to the flames than a larger pot. This combination of a small pot over a very hot, efficient stove is likely a significant contributor to how the MicroGripper did not meet the mark. 

If I had a less efficient stove setup, a larger pot, and handles that better fit the MicroGripper, I might have had a different experience. 

Also, this tool may be better used in other applications. For instance, using it as a pot lid remover. 

The results are that with the stove I’m using, the MicroGripper won’t be part of my kit. But your setup may be different and this gripper may work just fine for you. 

Good luck!