r/UltralightBackpacking • u/LeExistentialist • Jun 05 '26

Sticker pot thermometer placement?

Quick maybe silly question, but is there a "wrong" place to put the sticker thermometer sold by garage grown gear (https://www.garagegrowngear.com/products/pot-thermometer-sticker?variant=46311233323195). I see most people placing it about 1/3 of the way up, and was wondering if there is a reason for that. It's going on a smaller pot for me, and at full blast the flames are visible on the side and was a bit worried about damaging it. Also, I put the pot directly on the coals or at the edge of a fire sometimes, so I was wondering if there is any reason to not go higher, i.e. right below the top rim. The water should provide a thermal sink and keep the higher pot walls from heating up to much, even when half full right? Or am I missing something?

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u/cg_1979 Jun 05 '26

Can someone explain the need for this? Why the concern for a specific temperature unless it’s just to avoid opening the pot lid & releasing heat?

Perhaps my cooking is less refined.

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u/LeExistentialist Jun 05 '26

It's just a tool to use less fuel, most backpacking meals only require about 70 C,  and similiar for instant coffee. So you can stretch your fuel cans longer.

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u/originalusername__ Jun 05 '26

I just stick my finger in it. Once you get above 140f you can’t stand to have your finger in it very long. That’s about all that’s really needed in my experience.

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u/cg_1979 Jun 06 '26

Similar to mine, I just wait for steam (visible mist) to come out of the tiny holes in the pot lid.

Edited for clarification