Billycan

For the dolls or icons called Billycan, see billiken.

Modern billycan on a gas stove

A billycan, more commonly known simply as a billy or occasionally as a billy can (billy tin in Canada), is a lightweight cooking pot which is used on a campfire or a camping stove.

Usage and etymology of the term

A traditional billycan on a campfire

The term billy or billycan is particularly associated with Australian usage, but is also used in the UK and Ireland . Elsewhere, there is no special term for a pot designed for camping use.

It is commonly accepted that the term "billycan" is derived from the large cans used for transporting bouilli or bully beef on Australia-bound ships or during exploration of the outback, which after use were modified for boiling water over a fire.

Billy tea

In Australia, the billy has come to symbolise the spirit of exploration of the outback. To boil the billy most often means to make tea. "Billy Tea" is the name of a popular brand of tea long sold in Australian grocers and supermarkets. Billies feature in many of Henry Lawson's stories and poems. Banjo Paterson's most famous of many references to the billy is surely in the first verse and chorus of Waltzing Matilda: "And he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled..."

Modern billies

A billy with integrated heatsink, lifted using a billy-grip

In recent years, conscious of the important role played by billies in lightweight backpacking and mountaineering, much research and innovation has gone into improving their design and performance. Issues include:

• Weight. Billies are typically made from lightweight aluminium, or the more expensive titanium, and handles are often omitted.
• Durability. Light aluminium billies can be easily dented, so quality billies are often made from stronger alloys and anodised to harden the surface. Sometimes stainless steel is used instead.
• Thermal efficiency. In order to save fuel and speed-up cooking, some modern billies have heatsinks integrated into their bases, and it also possible to buy separate heatsinks which can be wrapped around the pot. These heatsinks trap much of the heat which would otherwise escape up around the sides of the pot.
• Packability. Billies are often sold in nesting sets, and the innermost billy can often be used to store the stove or other items. Handles are either omitted, removable, or hinged to allow nesting.
• Versatility Frying-pan-shaped billies can often be used as lids, and lids can often used as plates to eat from. Small pots can often be used as mugs for drinking from.
• Ease of use. Non-stick finishes are common, to make cooking and cleaning easier.
• Weatherproofing. Some manufacturers produce "integrated cooking systems" consisting of one or more pots and a stove, designed to work as a wind-resistant integrated unit. Trangia, and more recently Jetboil, are well-known examples of this.

General-purpose pot handles, often called billy-grips, can be bought separately. These have a hinged pliers-like construction and can be used to grip almost any pot which has a lipped rim. The term "spondonicle" has also been applied to these handles by some Australian users; it is widely understood that the term is derived from a Three Stooges comedy sketch where the term is used to refer to a mock surgical instrument.

See also

• Kelly kettle