When it comes to enjoying the great outdoors, nothing beats the simple pleasure of a warm cup of tea, hot cocoa, or coffee around the campfire. But to make this experience is truly enjoyable, you need the right gear. The MSR Pika Teapot is a lightweight, compact designed for campers and backpackers who refuse to compromise on quality or convenience. This is our family’s go-to camping kettle for quick and warm drinks. 

Below you will find a full product review where I dive into the features that make the MSR Pika Teapot a must-have for your next camping or backpacking trip, explore its practical benefits, and share tips on how to make the most of this trusty teapot in the wild. So grab your favorite mug and let’s get brewing!

**NOTE: This blog post was first published on March 2019 and updated on September 2024.** 

About MSR Gear

In 1969, Larry Penberthy created Mountain Safety Research, also known as MSR Gear, in hopes to create better quality and longer lasting climbing gear. His passion has grown and so has his dreams. Larry believed that the key to unlocking greater adventures was better, safer, and more reliable equipment. I highly believe in this dream as well. As adventurists in the outdoors we want to make sure our gear is always functioning right and reliable. The MSR team till this day works very hard on continuing to create innovative, durable, and quality gear. I know I can put my trust on every piece of equipment that I use from MSR Gear.

The Pika™ 1 L Teapot

The MSR Pika Teapot is an ultralight and compact teapot with a spout that’s precise for pouring water and other liquids for coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and water-based meals. It only weights about 5.2 ounces and made out of a hard-anodized aluminum design. The drip spout eliminates any spills while pouring while also making it easy to direct the hot water exactly where you want it to go.

The teapot also comes with a lid that stays on when pouring but is easy to lift off when needed. It is best to use the Pika Teapot with the PocketRocket® 2 Stove with case or PocketRocket® Deluxe Stove which fits perfectly inside the teapot for easy storage. We also use the MugMate for our pour over coffees. You can also add instant coffee, disposable pour over coffees, and tea ingredients inside of it to make the most of your space. 

How to Use the MSR Pika Teapot on Your Adventures

This convenient camping teapot has many uses. Here are some ways that we use it during our camping trips with our family. 

• Hot drinks like coffee, tea, and hot cocoa.
• Dehydrated meals for camping, hiking, and backpacking.
• For instant oatmeals for breakfast. 
• Box mashed potatoes.
• Ramen noodles  and other instant type noodles and pastas.

Why My Family Loves the Pika Teapot 

One of the main reasons why I love my ultralight aluminum teapot is because it only weighs 5.2 ounces. With a precise pour design I can ensure that the hot water won’t spill or burn my hand. As a mom I always seem to be doging little hands from getting burnt so avoiding spills with hot boiling water around my kids gives me more peace of mind. With their targeted stream of water and no-drip spout I am able to have full control of where the water will be poured. 

One thing that worried me was the lid. I was nervous that after obtaining my Pika Teapot, the lid would fall off while pouring the water. Not at all! The lid stays on securely when pouring with the little grooves that it has to hold it in place. It is also easy to take off when you are finished.

Also, the wide opening facilitates cleaning and makes it perfect to store things in like a small camping stove, instant coffees, hot cocoa packets, a lighter, and other small things. I’ve even put packets of instant oatmeal in it before for early morning hikes. 

MSR Gear and Their Sustainability Efforts

Because MSR Gear takes such pride in their products and strive for durable and high quality gear you can rest assured that all of their gear will last you for years to come. If you ever run in to any issues with your gear, the team at the Seattle Repair Shop will repair your item helping prevent them from going into our landfills. They also have a warranty for their products as well to help put more ease to your worries.

Another amazing thing that MSR is doing is recycling your IsoPro Fuel Canisters and helping spread the word on how you can recycle your gear, fuel canisters, and even packaging. They take extra initiative on how they package their products so they can reach you safely and also be recyclable. The usually use cardboard boxes which can be easily recycled or thrown in your compost to biodegrade. However with the Pika Teapot, they decided to take it up a notch and ditch the packaging all together and only use a label on the product. You can read more about their sustainability efforts here and how you can recycle your gear and fuel canisters.

Other Products you Must Have When Using The Pika Teapot 

When using the Pika Teapot I highly recommend having a few products with you. First off I would recommend using a portable stove such as the PocketRocket® Deluxe Stove or the PocketRocket® 2 Stove and a fuel canister that fits the stove. I also recommend having a lighter, your drink or food, filtered water, and a spoon depending on what you will be making or if you need to stir anything. If you are planning to collect water from a stream, I recommend having a filter for your water such as the TrailShot™ Pocket-Sized Water Filter. You can also use the MugMate to make your own pour over coffees on the go.

Rating the Pika Teapot

I would rate this product a 10 out of 10. It is lightweight, boils the water quickly, has a lid that stays on, is practical, and has an easy to pour spout preventing it from spilling on little hands. Overall, I am very impressed with the quality. (Original Review March 2019) 

UPDATE: September 2024

We have used this for many years and it is still going strong. Absolutely love our camping teapot! 

Recap of the Pika Teapot

Overall the Pika Teapot by MSR Gear is an amazing product to add to your outdoorsy morning routine. Having this lightweight teapot to warm up water for our coffees and oatmeal. It also makes an excellent addition to your camping and backpacking gear to use for other hot drinks and eating dehydrated meals. 

We’ve been using the Pika Teapot for over 5 years now and it is still holding strong. It is durable and part of our camping essentials.