It’s time for your big backpacking trip! There’s nothing more exciting than getting to explore the wilderness, whether you’re going on a hiking trip or going camping. Of course, the key to a successful trip out in the wild is preparation. There are so many things that you need for camping, such as hiking stoves and sleeping gear.
Today though, we are going to deep dive into cooking gear. If you’re going backpacking or camping, how are you supposed to cook? Thankfully, there’s a bunch of cooking gear designed specifically for camping and backpacking, meaning that you can slot it in your bag when you’re done and it won’t take up a lot of space. With all of that being said, here’s some information about luxury cooking right from your backpack to have an incredible trip!
Things to Look for When Buying Cooking Gear for Hiking and Backpacking
Before diving into the different gear that you should get, It’s first important to know some of the key characteristics that you should be looking for in your camping gear. This will help you to make the right decisions so you aren’t carrying around gear that isn’t going to be very useful to you.
First of all, make sure that the gear that you buy is lightweight. Since you’re putting the gear in your backpack, it’s not a good thing if it takes up a whole bunch of space. You want something compact that isn’t going to weigh you down as you’re working. As such, make sure that you are checking the weight specifications of the item in question before you buy anything. Even a few ounces can make a huge difference when it’s all going into your backpack and you’re lugging it up a massive hill. You may be able to save on more space too if you can get items that function as other items, like sporks or heatable coffee mugs - you get the picture!
Also, you don’t need to go for anything overly fancy. When it comes to cooking gear for backpacking, just make sure that it’s simple. Filling your backpack up with pointless and overly complicated gear is ultimately something that you will regret later on. You can even go back to basics and just bring fire starters and a log, though this is a luxury cooking list so we’re guessing you will want something more advanced!
Cooking Gear You MUST Have
So, what gear do you simply have to have in your backpack for the perfect cooking on your trip? Read on for more information!
Stove
How are you going to cook anything without a stove? Your camping stove will be your best friend when you’re camping. It will help you to boil up the water and warm up your food. For something portable and compact, look for a single or a dual burner camp stove. They’re a really good choice if you’re limited in capacity in your backpack.
There are a bunch of different stoves available, so make sure that you do your research. Gas stoves are pretty popular for camping, but they aren’t the only kind out there.
Drinks Containers
Staying hydrated is essential, especially if you are backpacking and walking long distances. Make sure that you have some drinks containers in your backpack. You can get titanium mugs that will retain heat so you can take your tea or coffee with you when you’re on the go. You don’t need anything particularly fancy.
In addition to this, it is also worth bringing a collapsible water container with you. You are going to need to have clean water with you in order to cook certain things like potatoes and rice, after all. Simply fill it up when you’re near a clean water source and put it in your backpack until you next need to use it.
Cooking Pots
Now you have your stove, you’re going to need something to put the food into to cook it. What do you need? Cooking pots! Thankfully, you can get all sorts of little cooking pots to use when you’re backpacking. Aluminum pots are generally a good choice since they’re lightweight, though they aren’t nearly as durable as titanium pots are. You can use these for other purposes too - you can eat out of them if you wish to save some space in your backpack. It also means that you have fewer dishes to wash, which is always a win in our books!
Folding Knife and Multi Functional Cutlery
This has a few purposes - a folding knife is important for cutting and preparing food. You can also use a folding knife for survival purposes when you’re camping. You can use it for things like cutting off pieces of band aids if you or someone else is injured. A folding knife is always a must have.
In addition to that, it’s also worth investing in some multifunctional cutlery for your bag. For instance, look for something like a spork - it’s a spoon and a fork all in one! It’s perfect for eating soup or sausages - take your pick! It’s better to have one tool that can act as another than to have many pieces that take up lots of space in your backpack.
Mini Water Filter
If you’re backpacking, you may find that it’s difficult to always have access to completely clean water. In fact, it’s especially challenging if you need to carry a bunch of water around with you. You can minimize this issue simply by investing in a mini water filter that will help you to clean out the water. Just make sure that you heat it up afterwards to remove any impurities, and you’re good to go.
The Food
There’s no use in having all of this cooking gear if you have nothing to cook, right? Well, you need to make sure that you are getting the right sort of items to cook when you are on your camping trip. For instance, look for dehydrated meals. They can be pretty tasty and you can even make them yourself at home if you want to! Other great things to bring include tinned foods, rice and pasta. Bring some small cereals with you too in camping sized packages to limit the space that you’re using in your backpack. You’ll want to bring some small seasonings too in order to make your food taste even better.
Fuel
If you are using a camping stove, there’s a good chance that you are going to need fuel in order to use it. Double check what kind of fuel your stove needs to use, but a few types include gasoline, butane, alcohol and propane. You can get small canisters of fuel to go with the burner you’re using, so it’s worth looking for those online before you buy your stove.
Camping Lighters
Make sure that you have a couple of camping lighters in your backpack. They can easily become misplaced so having spares is important! There are even options out there that are waterproof and windproof, ideal for bad weather conditions. This will be much more beneficial to you than lighters that aren’t always efficient in poor weather conditions.
Conclusion
So that’s everything that you need for cooking on your next backpacking trip! Of course, there’s a lot more than this if you have a little more space, but these are just some of the things that will nicely slot into your backpack. Have fun on your next adventure!
