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Archive for camping gear

The 10 Essentials: Your Lifeline in the Backcountry

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 February 17, 2025
Ten Essentials for Camping in the Backcountry Illustration

Introduction

Venturing into the backcountry is an exhilarating experience, but it comes with its own set of risks. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or a novice explorer, carrying the 10 Essentials can make a critical difference in your safety and survival. Let’s delve into why each item is indispensable and how it contributes to your well-being in the wild.

1. Navigation

Map and Compass Illustration

Map, Compass, and GPS

  • Why It’s Essential: The wilderness is vast and disorienting. Navigation tools help you find your way and avoid getting lost.
  • Pro Tip: Always carry a physical map and compass as a backup to your GPS device.

2. Sun Protection

Sun with Umbrella Illustration

Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Hat

  • Why It’s Essential: Exposure to the sun can cause sunburn, snow blindness, and long-term skin damage.
  • Pro Tip: Choose broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 and reapply regularly.

3. Insulation

Camping Jacket and Gear Illustration

Extra Clothing

  • Why It’s Essential: Weather conditions can change rapidly. Extra layers can keep you warm if temperatures drop unexpectedly.
  • Pro Tip: Pack a lightweight, insulated jacket and thermal layers even if the forecast is favorable.

4. Illumination

Flashlights Illustration

Headlamp or Flashlight

  • Why It’s Essential: Darkness can fall quickly in the backcountry. Proper lighting helps navigate and set up camp safely.
  • Pro Tip: Carry spare batteries or a backup light source to ensure continuous illumination.

5. First Aid Supplies

Suitcase of First-Aid Supplies Illustration

First Aid Kit

  • Why It’s Essential: Injuries can happen at any time. A well-stocked first aid kit allows you to treat minor wounds and stabilize more serious injuries until help arrives.
  • Pro Tip: Customize your kit to include items specific to your health needs and the environment you’re exploring.

6. Fire

Camping Fire Starters Illustration

Matches, Lighter, and Fire Starters

  • Why It’s Essential: Fire is crucial for warmth, cooking, and emergency signaling.
  • Pro Tip: Store matches and a lighter in a waterproof container to ensure they remain functional.

7. Repair Kit and Tools

Camping Tools Illustration

Multi-tool, Duct Tape

  • Why It’s Essential: Equipment can fail. A repair kit allows you to fix gear and handle unexpected issues.
  • Pro Tip: Include a multi-tool with a knife, pliers, and screwdriver to address a variety of needs.

8. Nutrition

Camping Food Illustration

Extra Food

  • Why It’s Essential: Having additional food can sustain you during unexpected delays.
  • Pro Tip: Choose high-energy, non-perishable snacks like nuts, dried fruit, and energy bars.

9. Hydration

Camping Essentials Illustration

Extra Water and Water Treatment

  • Why It’s Essential: Dehydration can impair your physical and mental capabilities. Extra water ensures you stay hydrated.
  • Pro Tip: Carry a water filtration system or purification tablets to treat natural water sources.

10. Emergency Shelter

Camping Tent Illustration

Tarp, Bivy Sack, or Space Blanket

  • Why It’s Essential: In case you’re caught in unexpected weather or need to spend a night out, emergency shelter provides vital protection.
  • Pro Tip: Choose lightweight, compact options that are easy to carry but effective in providing shelter.

Conclusion

Carrying the 10 Essentials is more than just a checklist—it’s a commitment to safety and preparedness. Each item plays a pivotal role in ensuring you’re equipped to handle the challenges of the backcountry. Before you head out on your next adventure, double-check your pack to ensure you have these critical items. Stay safe and enjoy the beauty of the wild!

How to Choose the Best Tent to Buy This Season

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 June 6, 2014
Tent Buying Tips

The right tent can enhance your camping experience and make it more enjoyable for all. Before you make a decision, consider how you will be using your tent and what you want your shelter to provide. These four considerations will help you narrow down your option so you can make a practical decision.

1. Seasonal use

Do you only camp in the summer, or are you a four-season camper? If summer is your preferred season, you can select a tent designed to protect you from rain, heat, and insects. On the other hand, four-season tents are available if you like to camp throughout the entire year. These will offer additional protection against the cold and snow when needed.

2. Size

Consider the average number of people occupying the tent on each trip. If you mostly go on family camping trips, select a tent big enough for everyone to sleep comfortably in. Remember to account for any gear you may want to store in the tent.

3. Weight

If you load your vehicle with camping gear and drive to the campsite, weight isn’t much of an issue. If you’re a backpacking camper and take your gear with you, opt for a lightweight option that will be easy to carry.

4. Special features

There are a variety of special features some tents offer that you may wish to consider. For example, some tents have reflective strips for better visibility at night. Others have fabric zippers to prevent noise when it’s windy. Consider the various features available and decide what’s most convenient for you.

Buying a tent can be a big investment, so make sure your decision best reflects your needs. With the right tent, you can feel more comfortable on your trip and enjoy the experience more fully.

10 Tips for a Successful Camp-Out

Posted by My Camp Kitchen //
 February 14, 2014
Couple Camping
  1. Personal gear. Pack your gear in a soft duffel bag or backpack. Take what you need—and no more! Stow gear in your tent and keep it tidy. Check the weather before leaving, and be sure to bring the proper clothing.
  2. Stay level and safe. Choose a level spot for pitching your tent. Make sure there are no signs of little streams running through your tent site from previous rainstorms. Check overhead to confirm there are no dead trees or large branches that can fall on your site.
  3. Cooking gear. The biggest mistake some campers make is bringing the kitchen sink. All you need is a portable camp kitchen that holds enough gear for a family of two to six. Like the personal gear, take what you need and no more!
  4. Plan your meals. If you have a camp kitchen or a makeshift set-up on a table, plan your meals around the cooking gear you are going to use. Only refrigerate items that require it. Try to use as many fresh foods that don’t require refrigeration as you can in your menu.
  5. Keep dry or in the shade. A dining fly or “Easy-up” is quite handy. If it rains, your area is protected; if there is a lot of direct sun, you can enjoy shade. It’s also a great place to put your kitchen.
  6. Kitchen hang-out. Just like at home, the kitchen is a hangout for socializing. Keep it neat with the coffee pot on.
  7. Manage your trash. It accumulates quickly. Bring heavy-duty trash bags. A collapsible trash container with the trash bag works great. If you are in a place with campfires, burn all of the paper goods (not plastics).
  8. Clean your room. Remember what your mother said, “You can’t go out until you clean your room.” Keep your tent tidy and organized so when it’s time to “hit the sack,” you can jump right in.
  9. Fires and firewood. Know the campfire regulations for your campsite. In heavily used areas, gathering wood is not permitted, so you may need to bring your own.
  10. Camping is a time to relax. Enjoy the natural environment—and keep it enjoyable for the next camper to follow. Be courteous and don’t trash your campsite.

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“Everything worked just great. You can see how much I have stored in the box—literally everything I need for cooking/preparation of food. The couple I went camping with were really taken with the unit—thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread!”

—Dave Weed, Happy Camper

“We love our Camp Kitchens! Our old patrol boxes were built from plans. They were very heavy, and the legs were hard to assemble. Our Camp Kitchens were easy and fun for a group of Scouts to put together. The instructions were easy to follow, and the parts were well-organized. Everything fit together perfectly. The Camp Kitchens are well-designed and much easier for our Scouts to carry. All of our necessities fit neatly inside. In addition, set-up is easy when we arrive at camp. Thanks, My Camp Kitchen!”

—Scott Dory, Scoutmaster

“For a beautiful cooking experience, the artfulness and craftsmanship of the Summit WOWS. It feeds the soul.”

—Susan, Colorado

“Just finished putting together your kit, and I really enjoyed the project.”

—Ed Watson, Happy Camper

“The Camp Kitchen is just absolutely perfect and fits exactly how we wanted it to in our four-wheel pop-up camper. It is really well-thought-out, and I’m SO glad I didn’t try to build a DIY as I was previously planning. You have put a lot of camping experience into every little detail. And it is built for an air drop! It’s funny how excited my wife and I are about The Outdoorsman kitchen box, considering we have tens of thousands of dollars tied up in all sorts of technical outdoor gear. Your camp kitchen is truly worth every penny. Congrats on a classic.”

—Brooks Montgomery, Owner of Hart-Montgomery Outdoor Sales, Bozeman, MT

“We are enjoying our [custom tailgater] bar—getting so many compliments and looks! It is great.… Thank you!!”

—Anna Dulcich, Happy Camper

“First of all, let me say I LOVE what I see and hear from your products. We are a Scouter family with two boys 13 and 11 active in our LDS Scout troop and a secondary traditional troop here in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

—Raoul Casares, Scout Father, Pleasanton, CA

“We are so pleased with the custom table [designed to fit in our Teardrop trailer]! When my husband opened it and put it together, he said he wanted to use it as a standing desk in his office!! I am just so pleased to have such a beautifully designed and high-quality camp kitchen! I value these qualities in my NON-camping life … so it was wonderful to find that you were making something like this as most of the camping stuff out there is just awful!!! It has also been a great pleasure to work with you all. Thank you for all that you do!”

—Alison Richards, Senior Editor of Science & Food, NPR, Washington, DC

“You make an awesome product! … Arrived home today to My Camp Kitchen waiting on my porch. Couldn’t wait to open it up and see the new improvements. I could not be happier!! The new legs are fantastic!! And having the extensions be able to stay with the box and not have to tote separate is just the ticket. We just placed our three kids’ names in a hat and drew the lucky winner of our old unit. Our oldest daughter won and promised to share with the other two and keep it in the family always. Thanks again for making a great quality product that we can be proud to pass on.”

—Scott Hall, Happy Camper, Grand Rapids, MI

“Nothing competes with camping. There is no remote-control camping. So when you get a kid out there making a fire, prepping foil dinners, roasting marshmallows, playing silly campfire games, and walking around in the dark with a flashlight, he is thrilled in a way that cannot be duplicated by technology. Go, Dad!!!!”

—Analisa Macias, Avid Camper and Daughter of the Snogrens

“Wow! I just received the camp kitchen, and I have to say, the pictures don’t do it justice! Amazingly designed and built! Great product! I’ll send you some pics from the campsite! Thanks again, Richard!”

—David Esarey, Henderson, NV

“I love cooking with My Camp Kitchen. I have all that I need right there. Cooking outdoors is much more enjoyable than in our trailer.”

—Richard, Colorado

“I want to tell you how delighted I am with the camp kitchen. We went camping this past weekend and found cooking to be easy and storing the gear convenient. Thank you also for the towels, coffee filters, and wine glasses. We used these as well. I will recommend this unit to everyone I know who camps.”

—Teresa Theesfeld, Happy Camper

“I just received my Mini Chef last Friday, and it’s terrific. And it was like Christmas finding the extras inside! A really nice touch. Thank you.”

—Alison Richards, Senior Editor of Science & Food, NPR, Washington, DC

“My Camp Kitchen was the central spot for all the food and drink as everyone found it to be a great camping asset. It was at a comfortable height for preparation, and all the tools I needed were right there in easy reach. My Camp Kitchen is a wonderful product that I will continue to enjoy and tell everyone about.”

—Bill and Jodi H., Colorado

“Wow! Awesome! Really Cool! That’s the impression I have with The Outdoorsman. Very well-constructed, and I think it will work perfectly for our Scouting needs. Easy to set up and surprisingly light. Thanks so much.”

—Brian Jasper, Scoutmaster, Marysville, OH