When backpacking on my own (which I supose is akin to bushcrafting) I started carrying all the pans that came in the nesting set or with a trangia and the pots and kettle that came with it. But soon discovered that most of them got carried out and carried back unused.
I ended up with a large plastic insulated mug and a the smallest trangia pot plus a foil lid.
The cooking routine was to boil water in the pot and make a coffee in the plastic mug, then cook meal in pot while drinking the coffee.
After meal, wash out pot, boil more water for more coffee or drinking chocolate in mug. In spite of tryng to keep the weight down, I found the insulated mug meant I could potter about cooking the meal and the coffee stayed hot.
If two of us went, then we would take the trangia kettle and a second larger pot, which made life so much simpler.
And if I felt like the additional weight I would sometimes take the trangia kettle backpacking, as it was really useful if the weather was bad and you didn't feel like washing out your cooking pot, but in need of a brew up.
My minimalist kit today is an insulated mug plus a small billy (around the 1litre mark) with a tight fitting lid. I would then add a second 2 litre billy with a lid, and then a kettle, as circumstances allowed.
But its one of these things that you need to find out in practice. When I backpacked with dehydrated foods I only took the Trangia kettle as it boiled quicker than the pan did.
The one pot plus plastic mug worked fine, but needed discipline to wash out the pot and a lot of the time this was really irritating.
So if you can put up with the weight, I reckon that a two billy nesting set is probably a good starting point. Or if you are happy heating water and drinking out of the same thing a crusader mug and billy seems a reasonable starting point.
Graham
Graham
I ended up with a large plastic insulated mug and a the smallest trangia pot plus a foil lid.
The cooking routine was to boil water in the pot and make a coffee in the plastic mug, then cook meal in pot while drinking the coffee.
After meal, wash out pot, boil more water for more coffee or drinking chocolate in mug. In spite of tryng to keep the weight down, I found the insulated mug meant I could potter about cooking the meal and the coffee stayed hot.
If two of us went, then we would take the trangia kettle and a second larger pot, which made life so much simpler.
And if I felt like the additional weight I would sometimes take the trangia kettle backpacking, as it was really useful if the weather was bad and you didn't feel like washing out your cooking pot, but in need of a brew up.
My minimalist kit today is an insulated mug plus a small billy (around the 1litre mark) with a tight fitting lid. I would then add a second 2 litre billy with a lid, and then a kettle, as circumstances allowed.
But its one of these things that you need to find out in practice. When I backpacked with dehydrated foods I only took the Trangia kettle as it boiled quicker than the pan did.
The one pot plus plastic mug worked fine, but needed discipline to wash out the pot and a lot of the time this was really irritating.
So if you can put up with the weight, I reckon that a two billy nesting set is probably a good starting point. Or if you are happy heating water and drinking out of the same thing a crusader mug and billy seems a reasonable starting point.
Graham
Graham