How much crockery should I take for driving and hiking? How to assemble a set of dishes for easy walking and family rest? How to replace crystal wine glasses if you want to drink outdoors? In which pot won’t the porridge burn and the coffee won’t run away? We answer these and other questions and tell you how not to miss the choice and make an individual set for different trips, for example for tenting at the Oregon Coast Camping.

 

 

What Utensils to Take on Camping and Hiking

 

The set of dishes depends on how you plan to get to your vacation spot. We figure out how the approaches differ and how to assemble a set for a trip by car and on foot.

  • For camping and road travel. It is not necessary to carry dishes in a backpack on your shoulders, so you can not count the weight and volume of the load, but take a walk and take everything that will make the cooking process comfortable and the meals pleasant. For example, cutting boards, graters, grill paddles, wine glasses. The main thing is that all this fits in the car and there is room for passengers.

We advise you to refuse crystal glasses during your trip. They are fragile, so they must be carefully packed and transported carefully. Better to take a closer look at tourist glasses. They are not so elegant, but durable and reliable. 

  • For hiking. You will have to carry all the load during the hike, so the weight and packing volume of each item in the backpack are important. We recommend that you collect the necessary minimum and use only universal things. For example, do not take a French press, but brew coffee in a cup, boil or heat water in a saucepan, not in a kettle, or even take ready-made tourist food with you, which you just need to warm up or fill with water.

 

Here’s what else to consider when choosing cookware:

  • Number of participants. The more people in the company, the more volume is needed for cooking. The main pot is selected at the rate of 500 ml of volume for each eater. It is advisable that this pan can be used to pack most of the other utensils or burner, gas and cutlery.
  • Travel menu. A titanium, steel or aluminum pot with thin walls is suitable for boiling water. But for the preparation of complex, by the standards of tourism, dishes – milk porridges, stews, omelets – it is better to use dishes with a non-stick coating, the walls of which are heated evenly. Also, the number of dishes used depends on the menu. For the preparation of sublimates, one pot or mug is enough. Complex dishes will require additional mixing and cooking containers.
  • Tableware weight. The lighter the dishes, the lighter the backpack. With the right set of dishes, you can save energy, go further and see more.
  • The versatility of cookware. For light travelers and solo tourists, it is optimal to take two mugs of different sizes instead of a separate pot or pot. In one – to boil water, in the other – to dilute sublimates.
  • Durability of cookware. Durable and reliable cookware will not only not let you down on a hike, but also save money in the long term.

 

Buy a Ready-made Set or Create Your Own

 

A ready-made set of kitchen utensils. This is the optimal solution for camping enthusiasts and connoisseurs of functional equipment. In addition to pots, large sets of dishes can include bowls, mugs, cutlery and even sponges for washing dishes. These kits are perfect for beginners in tourism who have not yet acquired equipment, as well as for family hikes and camping trips.

The advantage of ready-made sets of tourist utensils is their compactness in the package. Collecting several cups and mugs separately in a backpack is still flour. To avoid this, manufacturers use rather ingenious solutions. For example, MSR thermo mugs are similar in cross-section to a triangle; they fit compactly into a round saucepan or bowl. And some sets of dishes are assembled like a nesting doll.

 

Make the kit yourself. The advantage of this approach is the ability to assemble the optimal set and not pay for things that are not needed and will lie idle in the closet. It is not necessary to buy items from the same brand, you can combine pots from different companies to find dishes that are ideal in size, volume or even color. The main thing is to make sure that all the bowlers fold compactly, can replace each other if necessary, are of high quality and do not let you down on the route.

Before assembling the set, you need to think carefully and evaluate the travel conditions in order to clearly understand how and in what situations to use any piece of utensils from the set.

 

What Materials are Used for Making Tourist Dishes

Aluminum Travel Cookware

Dignity. Lightweight, cheap, conducts heat very well, due to which its walls quickly warm up, reducing fuel consumption. Aluminum dissipates heat relatively well over the surface of the cookware, which reduces the risk of food scorching and simplifies the cooking process.

Flaws. It is relatively easy to scratch and wrinkle. Aluminum can react with food acids, which leads to the formation of an oxide film on the walls of the dishes. Because of this feature, anodized aluminum cookware is most commonly used in tourism.

Aluminum cookware is often coated with a non-stick layer. Food in these pans burns less and pots are easier to clean. But you need to treat them carefully: do not scratch with metal spoons, forks or spatulas.

Stainless Steel Touring Cookware

Dignity. Steel travel cookware is significantly stronger and more durable than aluminum. It is not afraid of scratches and is very unpretentious in maintenance – the bottom of a steel saucepan or pot can be simply wiped off with sand and rinsed with water.

Flaws. Tourist utensils made of steel are heavier and more expensive than aluminum. In addition, its thermal conductivity is noticeably lower, which leads to slightly higher fuel consumption. Also, heating occurs more locally, which can lead to burning of food.

Titanium Travel Tableware

Dignity. The most durable travel tableware with the lowest weight. It is chosen by hikers, climbers, as well as all outdoor enthusiasts who want to reduce the weight of their equipment. Titanium is corrosion resistant and resistant to scratches and deformation. Thanks to the very thin walls, titanium cookware heats up very quickly, reducing fuel consumption when boiling water.

 

Flaws. Titanium tourist dishes are more expensive than all other types. The thermal conductivity of titanium is lower than that of steel and aluminum, and therefore the risk of food burning is very high. This makes it very difficult to cook complex dishes in a titanium pot.

Plastic / Silicone Travel Cookware

Dignity. Lightweight, usually cheap, easy to clean, folding models are very compact. Plastic and silicone allow manufacturers to experiment with the shape and color of their dishes. Plastic is also used to make sealed food containers, flasks and bottles, and cutlery.

Flaws. Pure plastic utensils cannot be used for cooking on the burner. Also, plastic can absorb food odors and keep them for a long time. The walls of such dishes are relatively poorly washed from fat.