PART 1. Crackpot LIGHT COOKING GEAR

This post on crackpot light cooking gear is an introduction to my series of posts on alternative less obvious backpacking cookware that is cheap and functional.

Over the years I have used a range of unusual yet functional DIY light cooking gear for backpacking. It has generally been obtained from unconventional sources and can be selected to integrate with mainstream camping cookware. Invariably it will be either very cheap or free. Such pot/s can pack efficiently and safely in or around stoves and other ‘real’ or ‘fake’ cooking pots.

I also discuss the potential of making a backpacking stove out of some containers/bowls or even real cooking pots that might be just a bit too heavy to be ideal backpacking cooking pots.

Note: This post series is not complete, but I have laid out the extra post that I plan to add as a Covid project as my ski trips get cancelled. The link to each individual post is at the start of each section and will appear when the post is available.

Good junk will find a new owner who is on the search for it.

Mothy The Elder

Part 2. Light cooking pots. This post is about the light cooking gear made from cheap sets of stainless steel storage containers. They make practical large and ultralight cooking pots for backpacking. They are available from multiple online stores and the larger ones (~1.0-1.2 litre) can weigh as little as 69g (2.4oz) and are very suitable for shared dinner cooking for two or more people. “In fact, these pots are so light and compact you can have one for dinner and another for hot drinks and snow melting.”

Part 3. A DIY foil lid for backpacking cooking gear. Even makeshift light cooking pots need lids to be efficient and effective cooking vessels. This post is about making DIY foil lids that pack efficiently with multiple cooking pots. It discusses various DIY ultralight lay-flat lid handle options.

Part 4- Four nesting backpacking pots for 300g. These light large cooking pots are so light and nest so compactly that two pots can be carried for the weight and space of one normal pot. “These bowls are apparently from two different manufacturers. The close fit of these pots with each other could be as a result of intelligent design or it might just be a case of a design ‘knock-off’ gone awry. No matter what the explanation is they make the most weight/space-efficient pots I have ever seen.”

Part 5. Light supplementary Jetboil pots. [Link to be added]. The classic 1.5 L squat Jetboil pot has been a game-changer. My friends that use them would never dream of putting such a pot on anything other than the appropriate gas burner.

This post describes cheap supplementary ultralight nesting pot/s that can add to cooking flexibility for such cooking systems. For example, dinner can be prepared in the supplementary pot with water boil in the Jetboil pot. Hot drinks and soups for rehydration can be made while waiting for dinner. Lastly, the supplementary pots can be used on a fire or any other heat source.

Part 6. Light cooking pot lid/frying pan from the opportunity shop. This post describes cheap, versatile and light makeshift lids that can be found in opportunity shops or lurking in a cupboard or attic somewhere. They can be used as pot lids, strong covers to protect light backpacking pots. They also double as a frying pan for those who like shallow fried foods and pancakes and can integrate well with the above-mentioned alternative but very frail foil lids.

Part 7. Light solo cooking pot [Link to be added]. A cheap stainless steel coffee mug (700ml) that can become a light solo cooking pot.

Part 8. Backpacking treasures from opportunity shops. [Link to be added].

Part 9. Backpacking stoves from pots. [Link to be added].

Tim