I'm looking for replacement lid suggestions for my GSI pots and pan. The set came with plastic lids which I'm confident with melt when cooking over a fire.

I attended the Midwest Mountaineering Expo over the weekend and was planning on purchasing the MSR Flex 3 cookset, however they didn't have it in stock and wouldn't honor my 20% off coupon to have it shipped to the store. They did however have the GSI Bugaboo's in stock which were overall about $60 less expensive than the Flex 3 as I would have had to purchase the skillet separate also.

I purchased the GSI Bugaboo knowing the lids will be an issue. Any suggestions on a replacement lid that will fit the set and won't melt?

Sounds like you are in the Twin Cities area- so you could go to the Nordicware Outlet store on Hwy 7 in St. Louis Park and get light weight aluminum lids - or Walmart and get a simple lid of the right size.

If you're cooking over a fire I'd be worried about the Bugaboo - or any of the stove-oriented cook kits, including the Flex 3 - melting and warping very quickly. They're made of light aluminum and you'll have to be super careful. On a stove, I wouldn't worry too much about the new variant of the plastic lids that have the rubber seal, as that should protect the plastic well enough from heat transfer. I have the older lids that don't have the rubber seal, and it's more of an issue. But I don't think I'd want to put a Bugaboo pan over a fire.

"They're made of light aluminum and you'll have to be super careful."

Tell that to a generation brought up cooking over a fire with Open Country/Mirro/Stansport or a pile of lightweight aluminum cookware.

Far as melting the plastic lids, how large a fire are you cooking over? Why is the pot empty?
I don't like them but can and do work around them over a campfire and on a stove.

butthead

PS; Grandma L offered excellent advise, use lids that fit from something else. bh

Go to local thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army to look for a kid that fits they usually have tons of odd lids.

I've had this set for about 7 years. We melted the lid edges in year 1 so I called gsi directly. They mentioned an inferior process they used to use and replaced the lids free of charge. Haven't had any issues since and we cook right on the fire grate with flames constantly licking the lid.

butthead: "
Tell that to a generation brought up cooking over a fire with Open Country/Mirro/Stansport or a pile of lightweight aluminum cookware."

Fair enough. What about all the coatings on the bugaboo line though?

The Teflon coating will off gas (toxic), above 500 degrees. Anodized aluminium is not affected. Other coatings I'm not familiar with, ceramic silicon.
I'm no fan of coated cookware, but cannot understand cooking in a pot or pan at such temperature except for searing which is done above 500, usually with cast iron or aluminum.

A pot of boiling water will not get that hot, google up boiling water in a dixie cup.

For myself, I remove any plastic, silicone, rubber parts and handle coatings. Mostly to reduce weight and packing size. Yes a plastic lid can melt if set on the hot grate, pot contents burnt or boiled empty, or if you use too large a fire for cooking (flames up the side of the pot to the lid is just that).

butthead

BAKA: "I've had this set for about 7 years. We melted the lid edges in year 1 so I called gsi directly. They mentioned an inferior process they used to use and replaced the lids free of charge. Haven't had any issues since and we cook right on the fire grate with flames constantly licking the lid. "

Good to know. Maybe we'll give the current lids a chance. We were also considering adding aluminum foil to the base of the pots and pans to help disperse the heat more evenly and to protect the cookware.

Appreciate all the suggestions.

TominMpls: "

butthead: "
Tell that to a generation brought up cooking over a fire with Open Country/Mirro/Stansport or a pile of lightweight aluminum cookware."

Fair enough. What about all the coatings on the bugaboo line though?"

GSI isn't a cook over the fire friendly set. I bought the 10" fry pan and it says it's not intended for use over a fire. So once you do... No turning back. They do hold up, but be sorta careful. Also, difference in GSI vs old mirror's and such? Other plastic stuff in handles. Why msr quit the black lite is beyond me. Best kit I ever had.

We ended up giving the plastic lid a chance (we had tinfoil as backup). Cooked everything over the fire as usual, attempted to keep the flames as low as possible, and it surprisingly held up great with flames licking the lid and hot oil in the shallow pan for a fish fry.

I know it states this is not intended for cooking over an open fire but this kit looks like it will last many years over an open fire.

nctry: "

TominMpls: "

butthead: "
Tell that to a generation brought up cooking over a fire with Open Country/Mirro/Stansport or a pile of lightweight aluminum cookware."

Fair enough. What about all the coatings on the bugaboo line though?"

GSI isn't a cook over the fire friendly set. I bought the 10" fry pan and it says it's not intended for use over a fire. So once you do... No turning back. They do hold up, but be sorta careful. Also, difference in GSI vs old mirror's and such? Other plastic stuff in handles. Why msr quit the black lite is beyond me. Best kit I ever had."

I also bought the 10" GSI pan and use it exclusively over a fire. The trick is to use just enough fire for the job. In the BWCA I build a small fire box under the fire grate about 6" by 8".