Sierra cup

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A Sierra cup, Sierra Club cup,^[1] or Appalachian Mountain cup, is a multipurpose utensil designed for camping, hiking, and backpacking. Though they are designed for use as a cup and were originally designed for collecting water from streams, their handles and wide tops allow them to also be used as a ladle, bowl, or cookware. Named after the American environmental organization Sierra Club, Sierra cups were historically considered the "Swiss Army knife of camping", being the primary food utensil of campers and an icon of camping food for most of the 20th century.^[2]

Sierra cups are typically small containers, holding about 10 fluid ounces. Sierra cups are wider at the top than bottom, allowing for stacking. Some variants have straight handles or handles that can fold away or be removed to save storage space. They typically have a fixed wire handle that is formed into a hook for attaching the cup to a belt.

While metal Sierra cups may be used for cooking food or purifying water, they were not designed for this use and do it poorly, as the broad rim increases the time necessary to boil water. Additionally, metal Sierra cups can become very hot very easily, which can burn the user when attempting to eat from it; burning one's lips on a Sierra cup while attempting to eat or drink was considered "standard practice" when they were in frequent use.^[2]