Below are some commonly asked questions and general information about titanium and it's applications.
What is titanium?
Titanium is a silvery-gray transition metal known for its high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. It's the ninth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and is widely used in aerospace, medical, and sporting equipment industries.
What characteristics make Titanium beneficial for use in outdoor gear?
Titanium is known for its strength, low density, and resistance to corrosion, even in harsh environments. All three factors are essential for durable, long lasting and convenient to use outdoor equipment.
Why is Titanium more expensive than other materials?
The main cost component is that Titanium only occurs naturally as an oxide, and has to be seperated from it's host ores (most commonly Rutile or Ilmenite) and refined further via the Kroll or Hunter process. This process is labour and energy intensive, so the price of raw titanium stock is thus comparibly higher than Aluminium or Steel.
I've seen much cheaper Titanium equipment on Amazon, why should I purchase yours?
We are commonly asked this question, and the answer is - because they are not the same product. "Titanium" equipment sold for very low prices on various marketplaces and elsewhere online will lack in two key areas:
- The items are not actually titanium. Often, they will be manufactured using low quality alloys combining a small amount of titanium with a larger amount of another element - most often aluminium. This creates a product that is both much weaker and more susceptible to corrosion, whilst also being extremely deceptive.
- Less material is used. In addition to being manufactured using poorer quality alloys, the walls on these items will also be extremely thin - making the item very weak and liable to bend, crease, dent or puncture. The handles are often stainless steel (heavy) or aluminium (weak). They are often have a lower quality of fit and finish - lids don't fit properly, handles rattle etc.
Our products are manufactured with the highest grade of Titanium that is reasonable for their relevant application. Our walls are thicker, and all of the components on any item are made from titanium - we do not cut corners, anywhere. Generally, it's best to compare our products to higher end equipment brands.
I'm not fussed about that, I just want a cheap Titanium mug.
Of course this is a fine position to take, though we would always encourage checking material datasheets from the manufacturer to ensure that you are receving the product you are being sold, and to ensure the product is safe to use. Often cheap imports are not manufactured to European standards and can become dangerous during use. If you are unsure on the safety of the equipment you are using, always consult the manufacturer.
I want to buy cookware, but doesn't Titanium have lower heat conductivity than Aluminium?
This is true, but is not really a factor when cooking on a small frying pan or similar other cookware.
Heat conductivity is only an issue when a large volume of material needs to be heated - as walls on our frying pans are thin, relative to a household frying pan, a camping stove is able to easily heat the pan to the required temperature.
Aluminium heats up very quickly due to it's high heat conductivity, but this is not what you actually want. An Aluminium pan can very quickly reach 300 degrees celcius when placed on a camping stove - way too hot to cook anything - even steak. Instead, a lower conductivity material will heat up more slowly, allowing you top better control the heat in the pan and prevent the burning of food.
In addition, Aluminium pans require a non-stick coating, which is known to introduce harmful chemicals into your food when overheated, which happens easily due to their high thermal conductivity.
Titanium is naturally non-stick, so just apply a spritz of cooking oil and you can begin cooking.
Isn't Stainless Steel stronger than Titanium?
Some alloy grades of Stainless Steel are stronger than Titanium, but in our relevant applications it is not - it is also much heavier, making it unsuitable for use in lightweight outdoor equipment. (4.5 vs 8 g/cm³)
Isn't Aluminium lighter than Titanium?
Aluminium is lighter than aluminium (2.7 vs 4.5gm³), but it's use often results in a heavier product for a given application - as Aluminium is much weaker, more material is needed to suit the product strength requirement. An example of this would be a single wall mug - Titanium walls may be just 0.3mm thick, whereas Aluminium walls may need to be 0.5-0.8mm thick to achieve the same strength, which results in a heavier product.
What is anodising?
Titanium anodizing is an electrochemical process that thickens the naturally occurring oxide layer on titanium's surface, enhancing its properties and adding color.
This process involves immersing titanium in an electrolyte (salt) solution and applying an electrical current, which causes oxidation and forms a thicker oxide layer. The thickness of this oxide layer determines the resulting color, offering a wide range of vibrant hues without using dyes or pigments.
How are items anodised?
The titanium part is cleaned and placed in an electrolyte solution.
A direct current from a power supply is applied, with the titanium item acting as the anode.
The electrical current causes oxidation, forming a layer of titanium dioxide on the surface. By adjusting the voltage, different thicknesses of the oxide layer are achieved, resulting in various colors.
The color is not a coating or dye but rather a result of light refracting through the oxide layer, meaning it does not introduce harmful chemicals. This is often the case when anodising other metals, such as Aluminium, whereby various caustic acids are required.
Why should I buy Titanium gear?
To summise, Titanium has various benefits when used for outdoor equipment, namely:
- Low weight, keeping you light on the trails.
- High strength, meaning your kit will survive for years to come.
- Biocompatible, non-toxic and anti-stick - keeping harmful chemicals out of your body.
- Cool colours via anodising, without harmful coatings.