Kitchen Set-ups

[LaurieAnn]

I thought it might be interesting to talk about what we have in our kitchen setups. Mine is probably heavier than most but I use different variations geared to the trip. There are 3 of us but the weight is split between my husband and I.

The full-out kit will be listed first then I'll mention how I have it geared down for longer trips.

I have a small folding kitchen kit made of nylon. It contains a pepper grinder (GSI), salt/pepper shaker (GSI), folding MSR spatula, folding MSR scoop with measures, small nalgene of campsuds, small cloth, waterproof match container with matches, cheese grater (GSI), and a small bamboo spatula (handle is shaped like a knife).

I carry my MSR Dragonfly (in my opinion the best stove out there for people who like to cook or bake on the trail). I also take a small 375 ml bottle of white gas. Bryan carries another larger bottle on longer trips.

I use an MSR Duralite Gourmet cook set (non-stick - 2 pots and a pan). Inside the pot set I have the gripper, 3 GSI Lexan bowls, 3 sets of the small blue GSI Lexan cutlery, the pot grabber, two very small pieces of pack towel (I use these to protect the pots from abrading on one another and for hot pads if need be), a waterproof container of matches and a very tiny Nalgene of hand sanitizer. This is all in a padded pot bag that doubles as a pot cozy.

I carry a Nalgene for rehydrating and an Aquatherm from Granite Gear.

Bryan carries 3 lexan plates and in the winter we add a MSR heat exchanger to the mix so we can keep fuel consumption down.

Bryan carries the Outback Oven if we are taking the full size one but we don't take that on longer or difficult hikes however we might take the Ultralight model if we aren't relying on an alcohol stove.

Now if we really need to cut bulk and weight the MSR Dragonfly gets replaced with a WhiteBox alcohol stove and the fuel bottle(s) with a plastic bottle of alcohol. The Outback Ovens isn't taken and baking isn't included in the menu. The plates also stay at home and the cutlery is replaced with our sporks. I take the pan and the smaller pot out of the pot set and leave those behind - I only take the larger pot and the lid. I leave the nylon kit at home and put the folding scoop, campsuds, cloth and salt/pepper shaker in with the 2 litre pot. On this type of trip I use foods for lunches that only require rehydration with cool water, I don't bake and suppers are soups, pastas, stews, chilis and rice dishes. I still take the pot cozy and the Nalgene combo with the Aquatherm.

Anyway, I'm really happy with our setup for the different trips. I'd love to see how others do this differently. I'm not trying to change my setup or convince anyone else to do things my way... I merely am curious to see how we all do things differently.

[bigcranky]

We don't do much "real cooking" on the trail, usually just boiling water, or making a Liptons meal. This system works for us.

Solo 3-season: Snow Peak 700Ti mug with foil lid, Coleman F1 Ultralight canister stove, homemade cozy for the mug and a homemade bag cozy (both from Reflectix.) Long handled Ti spoon. Total weight around 8 ounces. A small canister adds 7 more ounces, but gives me enough fuel for 6+ days of 3-season solo cooking.

When my wife comes along, I add a Snow Peak 900 Ti with a cozy, and another spoon and bag cozy. We sometimes bring an MSR Mugmate coffee filter, since she loooooves her real coffee in the morning.

The SP mugs are used to boil water for freezer bag meals, then we make hot drinks into the mugs. If we make a Liptons, we use the 900, then either share a hot drink in the 700, or hold off on hot tea until before bed.

Solo winter: I bring the SP900 and a Snow Peak remote canister stove, which can be used with the canister upside down for liquid feed. (Not that I would recommend anyone else do this, you understand.) In NC we're not melting snow for water, so "winter" isn't such a big deal for the most part. The general menu doesn't change much, just the amount of food increases, and I tend to eat hot food for breakfast and lunch, too.

I have yet to talk my lovely wife into a real winter trip, so I don't know what we'll do then. Probably bring a 1.4 liter pot to make larger dinners.

[brian039]

MRS Pocket Rocket with a 3-cup aluminum pot, freezer bags(has to be name-brand or they will melt), a plastic spoon, and an insulated pouch I bought from Anti-gravity gear for freezer-bag cooking.

You put your Knorr's(better than Lipton in my opinion) into the freezer bag and boil your water on the stove. When you reach boiling, you pour the water into the freezer bag then place the freezer bag into the insulated pouch. The pouch traps heat which allows you to simmer your food. Then I just eat right out of the freezer bag.

I love this method of cooking because 1) it saves fuel because the pouch does the simmering instead of the stove and 2) there is no cleanup except licking the spoon clean when you're done.

[garlic08]

There are two ends to every line, and I'm way off at the other end. My kitchen setup consists of a cup and a spoon, and my friend doesn't even carry that. The most complicated meal prep I have is pouring muesli and powdered milk into a cup and adding water, or cutting cheese onto a tortilla with the edge of my spoon. My friend might have to open a ziploc to gain access to his food, or pour honey onto a cracker.

[royalusa]

We're on the same "end of the line" as Garlic (see #4 above). With just 700 miles or so left on our thru-hike last year, we ditched, the pot, alcohol cat-can stove, fuel and fuel bottle and went cookless. Our kitchen setup is just one spoon. We loved it - much less bulk, much less weight and easier meal preparation when going cookless. We ate our oatmeal breakfast and our dinners (mashed potatoes or stuffing typically) out of ziploc baggies. We don't plan on going back to the cooking style.

[Seeker]

i hope this link does it... i can never seem to get pictures to work right.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=33396&c=member&imageuser=6230

when i solo, or go with just my daughter (who doesn't eat much) i can get by with an MSR Titan Kettle (or walmart grease pot), an alcohol stove (though i waver between the Ion, shown, and the cat stove, which i like because i can leave out the mesh pot stand--less complicated), a lighter, spoon, cup, and windscreen. i also carry a small bottle of campsuds and cut a small scrubber sponge to fit the bottom of the cup. the whole thing weighs about 13oz, 3oz of which is campsuds (full). my daughter carries a small blue cereal bowl that weighs a couple ounces, and a spoon. sometimes i add a koolaid container with lid (couple ounces), which makes cleanup easier (just add water, sand, and some suds, shake well, viola', it's done!)

my spice rack is limited to salt. i carry no additional utentils aside from a sheath knife. i'm just not a fancy cook, and can go for a couple weeks on 'the same stuff'... oatmeal and cocoa for breakfast, landjaeger, bagels, and cheesesticks for lunch, and lipton sides w/jerky, or Hawkvittles dehydrated meals, for dinner...

however, my daughter insists on S'mores, no matter what... canoeing or backpacking...

[Feral Bill]

Usually I cook, if mostly simple foods. I have a SVEA stove with fuel bottle, 1l aluminum pot to cook, 2l to boil water for cleanup, hot drinks etc. plus a spoon and cup. For more than one person I take 2l and 3l pots plus a spoon and cup per person. Pot lids serve as bowls. Sometimes I go cookless, with a small knife as my kitchen.

[mister krabs]

skidsteer kitchen with a starlyte stove and an IMUSA 4 inch frying pan.

[Skidsteer]

I have posted my kitchen a few times on White Blaze but it's been a while.

I mostly use freezer bag or boil and dump cooking* and I like my coffee* in the morning so I designed a specific system to do the job for the lightest weight possible.

The components: http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/7/7/9/more_ttl_photos_and_vids_005_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36473&c=516)

Zip-Loc container kit (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd238/acsskidsteer/Coffee%20Maker%20for%20Trail/Slushfund033.jpg)(actually a generic store brand for the bottom Part)
Heineken pot (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36474&c=516)
Turbo Tea-Lyte stove (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36472&c=516)
Budweiser aluminum bottle stand (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=23037&catid=favorites)
Pyramid windscreen (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36470&catid=favorites)

It all packs up in a 4.05 ounce package http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/6/7/7/9/more_ttl_photos_and_vids_003_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=36471&c=favorites) The stove/pot/windscreen combo is effecient enough to do all my cooking on 1 ounce of alcohol per day even in very cold temps without depriving myself.

For two person cooking I would carry a PMS Stove and a 1 liter pot (http://www.bplite.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=214). http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd238/acsskidsteer/PMS%20Stove/th_mOREpmsPICS027.jpg (http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd238/acsskidsteer/PMS%20Stove/?action=view&current=mOREpmsPICS027.jpg)


I merely am curious to see how we all do things differently.

I agree. It is very interesting what people come up with to fill specific needs.

*I have some videos on Youtube that demonstrate how I use the system for freezer bag cooking and making coffee. (http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?pi=0&ps=20&sf=viewcount&sa=0&sq=&dm=1)

[KrazyL]

Sad to say that i've been a "boil and go" person since I started hiking. 3 years of MH and other freeze dried foods makes you think though. So after watching a friend whip up some OUTSTANDING pasta on a hike I'm trying to revamp my cooking gear.

Current: Jet boil PCS, Ti folding Spork, REI Ti coffee cup, a dual salt/pepper shaker, and another dual shaker with garlic powder and Cajun seasoning.

on order/coming soon: Snowpeak giga, Ti pot/frying pan lid combo, extra long lexan spoon.

I also found some very nice meals that I will be using on some hikes with my S/O that involve letting the meal rehydrate during the day in a Zip-lock twist container or a nalgene bottle then warming in a skillet at night. For this i plan on looking into a MSR (i think) Wok set.

[Wise Old Owl]

Never had good success with a salt/pepper shaker on the trail. Even with rice inside the salt becomes a moist mess inside the pack.

[Philip]

So far my longest hike has been one week (new to hiking), but I think I have my kit dialed in to what makes me happy out there (save weight in other areas). I like to cook, so I carry what I would expect is more than most solo hikers do. Here's the list:

MSR Simmerlite
MSR 30oz Fuel Bottle
12.5 x 6.5 Pack Grill
Pinnacle 2 Liter Pot/Frypan Set (and homemade cozy)
Pinnacle Pot Set Cover (Doubles as sink)
Pot Handle
Snow Peak Titanium Fork/Spoon and/or Travel Chopstix
Victorinox Swiss Army Huntsman Lite Pocket Knife
Jetboil Folding Spatula
GSI Mini Cheese Grater
Coglan's 8.5 x 11 Flexible Cutting Mat
Liberty Mountain Classic Bandana
Olicamp Space Saver Cup 16oz
1-Cup Coffee Maker (and homemade cozy)
Butane Lighter (with a few backup windproof matches)
Dish Sponge (1/2 sized)
Individual Pack Condiments/Spices
4oz Plastic Bottle of Olive Oil
Tinfoil
Dr Bonner's Peppermint Soap

And in related equipment, I also carry:

(2) 1-liter Wide Mouth Nalgene Bottles (with homemade insulated covers)
LightCap 200 Solar Water Bottle Lantern Cap
MSR Cloudliner 2.5 Liter Drinking System (with homemade insulated cover)
Platy Water Tank - 4 Liter
Katadyn Vario Water Microfilter
2oz Plastic Bottle of Clorox

My first night out I usually bring something frozen rolled up in my sleeping pad to cook over a fire on the grill for dinner. Otherwise I still eat good, often carrying items like eggs, Parkay, cheese, etc. So far I've never gotten sick from eating things normally refrigerated even days into my hike. I just give it the smell test and proceed.

To me, food just plain tastes better cooked and enjoyed outdoors, so this is one area of my gear I don't skimp on. I really enjoy cooking as a big part of my outdoor experience. Happy hiking!

[sarbar]

For this i plan on looking into a MSR (i think) Wok set.

You need to look at the GSI Wok set, good choice, slick as can be with a great lid.

[sarbar]

Never had good success with a salt/pepper shaker on the trail. Even with rice inside the salt becomes a moist mess inside the pack.
While heavy (to me) the GSI mini pepper mill works well. The using whole peppercorns helps keep out moisture nicely. Well designed also.

[J5man]

I have been going more cookless but when I cook I use the combination of Skidsteer and Brian039. I use a MSR pocket rocket with the smaller canister and a 2 cup pot. I do freezer bag cooking but use a the quart container as a cozy (i wrap a cut up beer cozy around it). After the meal sits in the container for about 15 minutes, I unsrcew the lid and drap the baggie over the edges and eat the meal out of the baggie. No mess. I store the Pocket Rocket, spoon, lighter, reynolds wrap windscreen, and insulator in the quart container, and the gas canister inside the pot. I store the pot on top of the quart container, slip it in a storage bag and I am set to go.

[Hikes in Rain]

For hiking, mine's pretty dead simple. The pot from my ancient Boy Scout cook kit. Holds around 3 cups, and it's scarred from many, many wood fires. Supercat alcohol stove, which replaces my Whisperlite. Recycled 8 (?) oz. soda bottle for fuel. Long handled Lexan spoon, replacing the equally ancient Boy Scout steel one. Haven't actually used that yet. Cozy for freezer bag cooking, and haven't used it, either. New gear for a postponed hike. Lexan pepper grinder, small four-blade SAK (the Camper model??), 1-liter Platypus supplemented with a really old nylon covered Campmor 2+ gallon (?) bladder for to save walks to the spring or allow for dry campsites. Oh yeah, my 70's era Sierra cup; haven't traded it in on a lighter model. Yeah, my stuff's old. I've seen younger stuff hanging on the walls of Mountain Crossings!

Car camping? Oh man, more than half the load is cooking gear! Cast iron Dutch oven, my grandmothers HUGE stamped steel skillet that's a lot older than I am, double burner white gas Coleman stove, 30 year old stacked cook kit, cast iron griddle, and on and on!

Match that with the two-room tent, the queen sized folding bed with inflatable mattress, sheets and blankets, and such. Safari style. I keep kidding my wife that we need to invest in a couple of .450 Nitro double rifles (think elephant guns). Not to shoot, heavens, that's like $15 or $20 a shot and there's nothing on this continent that need that big a gun. They're for sitting around the fire, cleaning them while sipping gin and tonics. Atmosphere.

[KrazyL]

You need to look at the GSI Wok set, good choice, slick as can be with a great lid.


That is the one I was thinking of. not MSR. thanks!



While heavy (to me) the GSI mini pepper mill works well. The using whole peppercorns helps keep out moisture nicely. Well designed also.

I keep both shakers in a ziplock baggy with a desiccant pack inside. even after a 3 day two night hike in some POURING down rain and high heat/humidity the next day it never caked up on me. fingers crossed.

[sarbar]

KrazyL, I didn't even think about you living in GA. No wonder the salt and pepper clumps up. Yeah, you all have humidity like crazy down there!

[KrazyL]

it's not so bad. I've lived here all my life and i'm used to it for the most part. though once I get beyond the TN or NC/SC I feel like i can breath easier because the air isn't as thick.... it's weird. but again, I get used to it.

[Ana72]

Your kitchen set - up is one of a kind. I never knew any other set - up like this before. Those stuffs and features added to your kitchen space make it very unique and if others would have even a single moment to gaze at it to get knowledge about your kitchen set - up, they would really develop an idea to resemble it. And I think you could add more satisfaction if you consider the employing kitchen countertop (http://www.kitchen-counter-tops.net/).

[Grampie]

Most thru-hikers carry far less than you do. my kitchen is comprised of:
1 ltr. titanimum pot
ss spoon
beer can stove
lighter
wind screen
It all fits into the pot.

[white_russian]

When it is cold out I use a MSR Windpro with a windscreen and a 1.3L Evernew titanium pot. The stove, fuel canister and windscreen all fit perfectly inside the pot.

When it is warm I use a Snow Peak Lite Max with a .9L Evernew titanium pot. Once again everything fits nicely inside the pot.

If I am doing alcohol which is less frequent these days I use the large pot of the Snow Peak 3 piece titanium cook set and an Etowah stove. The stove fits nicely inside the pot.

I guess I am a freak for things nesting.