It's easy to overlook quality when it comes to choosing your cookware.  It's a mistake many solo paddlers make.  Most believe a pot is a pot right?  Wrong.  Inexpensive cookware transfers heat poorly, resulting in unevenly cooked meals, poor life expectancy and your meal constantly sticking.  This can be eliminated by spending a few dollars more.  In the long run, you'll save more than you spend.  

Weight:  While the weight of your cook set isn't the end all be all, it should be fairly lightweight.  I know many trippers that swear by cast iron.  That's fine if you don't mind lugging the weight, but there's no need.  Lightweight aluminum does the job well

Non-Stick Coating: It's highly recommended to purchase non-stick cookware.  It'll save you a ton of grief and you meals won't be a mess. 

Durability:   Spend the money on a good cook set and it'll last through years of abuse. 

Pot Gripper vs. Handle: Pot grippers are the choice for tripping.  Many cook sets feature folding aluminum handles that are absolutely useless once you expose your cookware to any heat source.  They're also bulky and can catch on items.  Not what you want around an open flame.  Pot grippers allow you to move your cookware from the heat source quickly, and because they're not attached to the item, they won't get hot.  They're small and usually stow away neatly inside the cook set when traveling. 

Tin Cup:  Most trippers opt for a tin cup over plastic.  Aside from being virtually indestructible, they keep liquids hotter, longer.  In the case you lose your pots, you can use them to boil water over a fire.