I purchased an X-Bowl / X-Mug pair to save backpack packing space. I was initially impressed with the function of both... they are fairly rigid in use and compact down nicely... but both show damage from packing & carrying after the first week-long backpack trip using them (where our group communally packed dinnerware in a shared mesh bag). The collapsible silicone has relatively low resistant to damage from punctures and cuts. My bowl especially has cuts on the outer rim and damage on the folds exposed in the collapsed state. The cup has a hardened rim that helps reduce "rim damage" and when stored inside the bowl receives some protection from the bowl (but it too shows some damage). If you use these, I suggest packing them in a hard protective enclosure (nested in ... MoreI purchased an X-Bowl / X-Mug pair to save backpack packing space. I was initially impressed with the function of both... they are fairly rigid in use and compact down nicely... but both show damage from packing & carrying after the first week-long backpack trip using them (where our group communally packed dinnerware in a shared mesh bag). The collapsible silicone has relatively low resistant to damage from punctures and cuts. My bowl especially has cuts on the outer rim and damage on the folds exposed in the collapsed state. The cup has a hardened rim that helps reduce "rim damage" and when stored inside the bowl receives some protection from the bowl (but it too shows some damage). If you use these, I suggest packing them in a hard protective enclosure (nested in a pot?) to protect them from compression and abrasion against hard/sharp surfaces. Packed this way and used with care, I believe these would last many trips.... To the product designers, I suggest providing the bowl with the same hardened rim as the cups and to provide better packing guidance to the user (or to provide packing protection along with the product?). In my case... my cookware carries a nested burner with no good protective "open spot" to store and protect these... so I think they were a 1-trip item for me and I'll return to using my rigid bowl / mug on my future trips.

I bought this bowl specifically to combat freezing of a gas cannister at low temperatures. Especially problematic when melting snow during winter camping, the gas pressure release rapidly cools the cannister well below freezing. The propane/butane mix remains liquid at these temperatures reducing typical gas stove output to that of a standard bic lighter. How to keep the fuel liquid? Simple. Place your fuel cannister in the Sea to Summit X-Bowl with a small amount of water to cook or melt snow for prolonged times. The water will, eventually, freeze again and allow the cannister to freeze, but this technique greatly extends the time a fuel cannister can be used. Last weekend this added ~20minutes to my snow melting time at 15F ambient.

I like how the bowl is very collapsible and portable. However, beware that when having something hot (like a recently prepared soup or oatmeal) on trail, the bowl heats up too much to be handled. I love the design, but not the material so much, but one can't have both!Also like how it doubles up as a cutting board!