For my b-day a friend gave me a generic 1-cup Al cup/pot by Zelph, a Ti pot stand by the Zia Grill Guy, and Ti windscreen made by my friend. It's a really cool setup and it all fits inside the cup/mug along with my lighter and a couple of Esbit tabs and Trail Designs Gram Cracker stove (I already had the stove). So how do you guys/gals pack your SUL Al mugs/pots without them getting bent or worse crushed without using a caddy?

mug/pot
http://www.woodgaz-stove.com/foster-ridgeline-cans.php

pot stand
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=59489

I typically pack mine close to the top of my pack. Generally, with it filled up with various stove/kitchen items it doesn't bend or warp too much.

My Imusa mug with fuel, lighter, heat reflector, wind screen, and spoon go in the top of my pack on one side. Food gets packed around and next to it. Jacket goes on top, since if I'm stopping to cook, I'll want to put something on to stay warm. It might provide some extra padding as well. I've definitely flexed the aluminum pot, but not bent it. Yet (knock on wood).

I've started keeping my cat can stove on my person in order to keep it warm. I've discovered that a cold stove takes forever to blossom, whereas one at body temp goes right up, regardless of the temperature of the alcohol. I waste a lot less fuel waiting that way.

Jeff

I pack it with the lid - a closed cylinder makes it much stronger than an open tube. I secure the lid on with a rubber band.

Inside the pot I pack my cat can stove, and a small towel (takes up the available space, and stops things rattling around while I hike - a personal bugbear of mine).

I fill my backcountry 700 pot with my caldera cone, foil, ti-wing stand, esbit, and folding spork. I put a rubberband around the pot to keep the lid in place, then put it in a cuben stuff sack to keep the esbit residue off of everything. I usually just toss it in last on the top of the pack to keep it from getting bent.

I put my anodized 3 cup pot & lid in a stuffsack. Inside the pot is a cut-down Tupperware bowl and inside that a plastic drinking/measuring cup. Like Brian, I pack it on the very top to protect it.

My Caldera Cone Sidewinder, which was made to fit in the pot, lies on top of it in the stuffsack.

For decades I've carried my pot like this, without the CC stove, of course. Gotta have a bowl and cup. A long-handled Lexan spoon and tiny lockblade Gerber knife complete my "dinnerware".

Edited by Danepacker on 10/22/2012 16:06:24 MDT.