Cooking Gear

Brunton Wind River RangeTM $435.88 Camp Chef Deluxe Reversible Seasoned Grill/Griddle with Carry Bag $37.36 Campfire Tripod $25.87 Camp Chef Single-Burner Carry Bag $28.01 Camp Chef 10'' Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet $15.43 Camp Chef 12'' Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet $22.37 GSI Sierra 11.5 Qt. Stock Pot - Blue $28.75 GSI Hard Anodized Extreme Wok Set $28.10 Brunton Wind River Cook SetTM $59.23 GSI Camp Gourmet Dutch Oven Case 12'' $19.95 Brunton Wind River Cook ToolsTM $31.72 GSI GLS 3 Piece Cutlery Set $5.07 Camp Chef Dutch Oven Trivet $6.79 GSI 9.5'' Colander/Steamer $8.45 GSI Enamelware Blue Platter/Plate $7.50 GSI 2.25 Qt. Stainless Steel Rim Saucepan - Blue $10.35 GSI Sierra 7.625'' Blue Mixing Bowl $4.65 GSI Sierra 10.375'' Dinner Plate $4.15 GSI 24 oz. Stainless Steel Rim Cup - Blue $4.73 Camp Chef Outdoor Cooking Guide $8.49 Brunton Wind River BasinTM $22.58 NORCROSS 24 PACK BLACK NORCHILL HOT / COLD COOLER BAG $44.25 NORCROSS 24 PACK BLUE NORCHILL HOT / COLD COOLER BAG $44.25 Rubbermaid® 168501 - Insulated Beverage Container/Water Cooler, Orange, 5-Gallon $78.31

Considerations When Purchasing Camping Cookware & Stoves

Strong, tough and versatile are the three key ingredients when choosing camping cookware. Two materials seem to stand the test of time better than home cookware are stainless steel and enamel camping cookware. The durable material of steel and enamel stand up to the rigors of outdoor cooking and will outlast any typical kitchen cookware. The worst thing that can happen is that you damage your kitchen cookware and have to eat cold food combinations the rest of your camping trip.

Non-stick coatings are also a big no-no when choosing cookware for camping purposes, as camping stoves do not cook the same as your kitchen range. Once burnt the coating and the pan are no longer usable and quite possibly adds toxins to any food cooked in them.

The Design Of Camping Cookware Is Essential

Tight fitting lids and the ability to nest inside each other are important factors when selecting camping cookware. Lids help reduce cooking time and nesting saves on packing space. Our advice is to look for good quality stainless steel or enamel camping cookware that includes lids in the set and also can nest. This may seem to be a tall order to fill, but you’d be surprised how creative manufacturers of cookware for camping already are!

Materials Of Camping Cookware

Stainless Steel and Titanium - Both these materials are strong and durable plus they tend to clean-up easily. The disadvantages to both of these materials is that heat does not distribute evenly over the pan, plus they tend to heat rapidly causing food to burn or cook to quickly and unevenly.

Cast Iron Camping Cookware - Cast Iron heats evenly and slower than other materials, allowing for food to cook thoroughly. The disadvantages of cast iron are of course its weight, but if you are family camping in one spot – then weight is not that big of deal. When well maintained, cast iron camping cookware can last a lifetime!

Enamel Camping Cookware - Enamel cookware provides an inherently nonstick surface, great for outdoor cooking. Because enamel does not react with food, it is considered a very safe cooking material. Enamel camping cookware, plates and bowls that have an inner aluminum core need to be handled with more care than traditionally manufactured enamel cookware as to not dent, chip or crack the enamel surface. Exposing the aluminum core will damage the cookware beyond safe use – see Aluminum Cookware For Camping.

Aluminum Cookware For Camping - Aluminum should be your last choice as it heats quickly, unevenly and it’s hard to clean. Aluminum is the most lightweight choice, but you give up durability for weight. Many agencies (both government and independent) have cautioned against using aluminum for cooking purposes as it is more reactive to food and can possibly be linked to several health issues.

Considerations When Buying A Camping Stove

1 – Performance or boil time. Typically camping stoves are rated on boil time, or the time it takes to boil a quart of water using the proper fuel at the highest stove level. The boil time can range from two and a half minutes for a camping stove to ten minutes. You must also take into account the outside temperature as cooler temps can and will reduce the camping stove’s performance. If you have a large family or cooking for a group, you may want to purchase a higher performing stove as large quantities of food cooked on say a 10 minute stove may not heat large portions of food to acceptable levels.

2 – Efficiency of a camping stove measures how long it can run at full heat on a gas or fuel cartridge. The best barometer for a camping stove is about ten minutes for every ounce of fuel. You will want to estimate about four ounces of fuel per day per person.

The Differences Between Cartridge Stoves and Liquid Gas Camping Stoves

Cartridge Camping Stoves are best suited for backpacking and small family cooking (2-3 persons) as they are lightweight and less bulky than liquid gas stoves. They are relatively low maintenance and a very reliable cooking stove. Most cartridge camping stoves are connected to the fuel canister through a tube to a single burner, while some burners attach directly on top of the canister. Although very dependable, cartridge stoves don’t work well in cold weather as the fuel typically used does not ignite. So the use of liquid gas camping stoves are preferable for cold weather camping. You can overcome this by purchasing a heat exchanger or carrying the gas canister inside your coat.

The fuel cartridges contain pressurized fuel and come in a variety of convenient sizes. They are very handy as they are manufactured to be discarded after use, yet in this day we prefer the canisters that can be recycled! The canisters contain either butane, propane or a mixture of both.

Liquid Camping Stoves are stoves that are fueled by a refillable tank and typically use kerosene, white gas, automobile gas or alcohol. A big plus in our book is the fact that liquid camping stoves are more environmentally acceptable as the fuel tanks are reused and recycled, plus the fuel burns hotter or more efficiently than cartridge fuel stoves. Typically larger, heavier and bulkier, liquid camping stoves tend to be more difficult to operate but allow for several pots of food to be cooked at the same time at higher temps– a great advantage for large family cooking!

One must consider the type of fuel and its availability too. Alcohol is very safe, stable and clean burning, yet as it burns with a cool flame so the effectiveness for cooking is diminished. Automobile gas and kerosene although they can be used it is highly NOT recommended, but it may be your only options when camping outside the US – expect lots of smoke and fumes and use in a well ventilated area. White gas is the most recommended fuel for camping stoves, as it burns at high temps in virtually any weather and altitude. Another plus, it’s widely available in the US.

Taking Care Of Your Camping Stove

One last note, before you go camping with either camping stove type; take your stove out to clean and do the basic maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer and by all means fire it up before you take to the wild outdoors. Getting to your camp site only to find your stove not working… well let’s just say it puts a damper on the whole vacation!