My backpacking cook set-up is tidy. Not perfect, but I wanted everything to pack inside my 650ml Toaks mug, and that’s done. Everything inside means stove, fuel, wind screen and lighter fits under the lid. I like the simple elegance; it saves space, with one less thing (the fuel bottle) floating about in the pack.

I enjoy the quiet minimalism for solo backpacks that the alcohol stove cook set affords. Meal planning is a bit more constrained, but no big deal. Morning coffee water takes longer to boil, but there are chores aplenty while that’s underway. To hear birds sing and brooks babble is immeasurable.

One would think fitting an 8 oz fuel bottle into a 650ml (22 oz) mug would be easy, but the mug is only 3-3/4” tall. I searched—and found no remedy. So instead, I squished a stout 8 oz bottled water container so it fits, giving up some volume. The squished container holds 6.5 oz.

I thought a Toaks 750ml mug, taller at 4-3/8”, would work, but that one fails too—about ¼” short to fit the 8 oz bottle. And since we’re ultra-weight conscious, it also adds an extra ounce.

My squish solution isn’t perfect. Ultimately it’s a quest for backcountry—especially backcountry photography. For more on my cookset, look at Light Backpacking Gear, and scroll down to Cooking System. And if you have an alternate solution you’d care to share, please let me know.

Gary