Reddit mentions: The best camping flatware

I'll do one better than a boring list. But I’ll preface this that I’m an adult, mid 30’s, without children (and no intention there, which should paint a better picture when I talk about the vibe of places).



So Garden Grill is by far my favorite. It’s unlimited food, but family style, so it comes to you and if you like something they will keep bringing as much as you want. It scales very well with groups too, since it’s a flat cost and all you care to enjoy. It also has characters: Chip & Dale are the stars, but Farmer Mickey & Pluto stop by as well.



Via Napoli is good if you are a group, otherwise it’s not very cost effective (but it’s a good pizza, just expensive).



I’d rank Biergarten about similar in quality to San Angel in, but since it’s buffet style, if you don’t like something there’s always other things and you don’t need to worry about being stuck with something you’re not enjoying. One Warning, there aren't private tables, so you will get to know your tablemates next to you.



For a Snack, I like popping into Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar, but that’s not great if you have kids. Ditto for Rose & Crown, I love it, but they are not the most kid friendly places.



If you like Japanese food, Teppan Edo is fantastic and a ton of fun. It’s a hibachi spot, basically Benihana, which would be the chain that does this style, but I enjoyed that you usually will only be sharing a chef with 1 other family.



Skip Le Cellier. If you’re gonna spend the $ on a steak at Epcot like this, take a break from the park and walk the 5-10 min to Yacht Club and just go to Yachtsman. It’s probably one of the top 5 steaks I’ve ever had, and about the same price or cheaper.



Skip the options in China. They aren’t bad, but unlike San Angel or Biergarten, pretty much everyone has a go to Chinese food spot at home that will make the same things, better and cheaper. Just not worth the money.



Beyond these, when are you going? If it’s during any of the festivals, I’d tell you to skip sit down meals, and hit the food booths. All four festivals have them, and they all have way more interesting options. My only Recommendation is to get one of these sporks and enjoy all the small plates the booths have to offer!

Just did a South Kaibab -> Bright Angel loop last month. It was a strenuous hike but entirely possible for 3 guys who did no training whatsoever before leaving. If you don't have your permits already in order it may be too late to go down legally, they generally book up months in advance; visit the park website for more information. The fine for camping without a permit is $50.

It's hard to say who your party consists of from your brief description but I'd recommend not taking kids <13 years on this hike.

The North Rim is a lot higher in elevation, therefor has worse weather, and in fact closes in late November.

Required gear is pretty standard but of course depends upon your route. Pack lots of water, some of the water sources freeze up and cannot be relied upon in winter.

It looks like from some of the posts that you'll be responsible for food. If you're only going to do a single overnight and stay/dine at Phantom Ranch, bring a bunch of light snacks otherwise definitely bring a stove because nothing is going to beat a hot meal on a cold day when you're exhausted. If you don't have one already I like my Jetboil. It's kind of pricey but it packs into itself and is only slightly larger than a travel coffee cup. If you need silverware, these sporks are the shit. They're durable and won't pierce anything in your pack.

Get nice socks (like smartwool) they'll reduce your likelihood of developing blisters and good hiking boots which ideally will be broken in. It sounds like you're pretty well experienced and have appropriate clothing.

Most importantly bring a camera. This hike is going to beautiful and fun. It's going to be a hike you won't forget but you're going to want to share your memory with other people. Have fun!

Some of the random things I've found in my ventures have been this Hipster Bamboo Bluetooth Speaker - great for music lovers, hipster people with vintage things in their house or really anyone. Also Loaded Questions is by far one of the greatest games we added to our collection. This traveling silverware set complete with metal straw for your eco friendly pals who don't want to use plastic out in public. Really lovely and luxurious soap that you can customize yourself!! Taco holders because, why not? Solid oven mitts and pads for the cook/baker on your list.A wireless/bluetooth cellphone selfie thingamob that helps you take pictures on vacations without a giant selfie stick! This awesome starry night, Mario art that is begging to be gifted to the gamer on your list. This gardening/cocktail kit for the cocktail lovers that just need a small patio or porch to grow some small herbs.A cellphone holder that literally comes in handy all the time. This awesome variety of hot chocolate (kcup) for the sweet tooth lovers. This incredible stamped line that has a ton of super adorable kitchenware, my favorite is the coffee spoon rest- 'Instant Human Just add Coffee.' These beautifully hand painted wine glasses!

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This list includes a lot of awesome gear. If you can afford all of it, then more power to you, but there are places you can probably save money.

I notice you have four shirts. You probably only need two, even if one is for sleeping in. Same goes for pants/shorts.

The Evernew stacking set is a little weird. The pot is big enough for a solo hiker. The mug should be functional as a small pot, but that's not really necessary. I think you might be better off just buying a pot from them (and maybe going wide instead of tall), and then using your own mug if you wanted it.

The spork will break after heavy use; I also think it's available for like $3 at REI. Something like this is pretty popular among UL hikers, although I believe .4 oz is the standard.

You probably don't need both campsuds and Dr. Bronners.

You can replace the flask with a lighter container, although I'm not certain that something with similar character (plastic whiskey bottle) would be lighter.

You can probably save weight by replacing the reservoir with plastic bottles. If you like the drinking tube then you might consider getting one with smaller capacity.

The Sawyer Mini can be a real hassle to work with. Most people I know carry the Sawyer Squeeze, in spite of the slight extra weight.

The first aid kit might be excessive. I think this video gives interesting insight into trail med kits. I'm not saying it's right for everyone, but I've pretty much come to the same conclusions as him about what I need in my own first aid kit.

I personally wouldn't bother with the emergency bivy or the whistle, but that's just me. If you do want something along those lines, an emergency heat blanket would be lighter, and there are lighter whistles.

You don't need the flint and steel. You also don't need a leatherman, but it looks pretty light. It's tough to find a knife under 1 oz, so I figure you might as well stick with it.

I notice the Zpacks toothbrush/paste is still heavier than the lowtech method of cutting a toothbrush in half and drying out drops of toothpaste.

You don't need the paper towels, just use TP. You also don't need very much TP.

Some things you might consider adding are a charger for the nexus 6, local map (maybe compass), Leukotape, bear bag & line.

I'm also going to disagree with some of the advice in this thread. I don't think freeze dried food is a good option. It's a real money sink, and there are plenty of lightweight foods you can get right at the grocery store. Crocs are popular camp shoes because they are amazing camp shoes - they weigh a little more because they are very cushiony.

Hey, thanks! You really whittled the list down. Responses to specific items:

• bike leggings: spandex tights with padding like bike shorts. Thinking it'll be nice to have a second pair of riding pants for colder days or even on warm days for sun protection.
  
  
• biking jacket: Hmm you're right, but I get cold easily, so I was thinking the biking jacket could be another layer under the rain jacket. I'm probably just being a pansy, though. And the rain jacket is better for riding, anyway, for visibility's sake.
  
  
• leatherman: Good call. I wasn't bonding with that thing anyway. I was also looking at this handy thing! That'd take care of a knife, utensils, and can/bottle opener.
  
  
• biking gloves: I bought the windproof gloves because of a reaaally cold ride recently that froze my hands on the downhills and kinda traumatized me! But yeah, you're probably right. I likely won't have cold daytime weather until the Rockies anyway, so I'll probably return the gloves now and pick some up in Colorado if I have another traumatically cold day.
  
  
• The skillet is the lid to the bowl. Shazam.
  
  
• Coffee mug: Yeah, I could drink out of the bowl. But I drink a tooon of coffee, so it'd be nice to start on my first cup while boiling water for oatmeal. And then I'll have another cup. And then another cup. And then I'm good to go. But yeah, you're right, a dedicated coffee mug is non-essential.
  
  
• clothesline: agree.
  
  
• Duct tape: Ok, thats out, because as of now I can't think of an actual scenario when I'd need it. But if I get in a situation out on the road where I think "damn, if I just had some duct tape..." you'll be hearing from me! hah
  
  Thanks a bunch!

Do you have a bit of a budget to get started? If so, I have a shopping list for you! I’d recommend investing in a good cooler bag, like this one, a bag strap for balance (your cooler is going to be heavy and this will keep your luggage nicely balanced as long as you aren’t lugging it up carpeted inclines—looking at you MCO), some oven, freezer, and microwave safe Tupperware (another option I haven’t tried are collapsible silicone containers, which would be lighter than the glass ones), an ice bag, an immersion water heater, and some travel utensils because you never know when you won’t be able to find them on the go.

Now let’s start packing your lunch bag! TSA will allow frozen food as long as it’s not a liquid like soup. So cook up some healthy meals and freeze them in your fancy new containers. They also allow frozen gel packs as long as they aren’t leaking, but not all hotels have fridges let alone freezers, so the ice bag is a better bet (or addition if you want to add a gel pack along the bottom of your cooler). You can refresh your ice bag from the hotel ice machine and by asking for cups of ice from airport restaurants (you may have to pay a couple cents for the cup, or sometimes even the price of a drink, but it’s worth it to keep your food fresh and delicious). I’d empty the ice bag before security and fill it again after, but you could ask a TSA person if they’ll allow it though before dumping it out.

When you get to the hotel, you can use the ice bucket as a container to heat up your food (assuming they don’t have a microwave, that is) with the immersion water heater. Most of the glass Tupperware aren’t shaped well for this, so I’ll transfer the food to one of the glass coffee cups from the hotel and surround it by water just below the brim. Remember to wash the cup first because they can be gross. Also pack some ziplocks to heat your food in just in case they don’t have glass coffee cups. Here is an image of someone using this method in case my explanation isn’t clear. Personally, once the water boils I put the lid on, hit the gym, and come back to a warm meal! Depending how dense the food is you may want to do two rounds of boiling water, or let it boil longer. (Forgot an immersion water heater? Backup option is to use the coffee maker to make cups of hot water, but this is a tedious process). If you have a vacuum sealer, that could be another way to pack and heat your food.

Other things I like to carry are instant oats, string cheese, apples, mandarin oranges, bananas (in a banana saver), carrots, protein bars, protein shakes (been eyeing these but haven’t tried them), fruit leather, nuts, squeezable peanut butter, and dried fruit. If you’re weighing foods, remember to do it before you leave and make a note or take a pic of the food on the scale.

All this gear is a big investment, but I calculated it in terms of airport meals. A standard airport meal averages $10+ so if I can avoid eating even one each trip the bag and accessories will pay for themselves quickly.

It takes a while to get a routine for eating well on the road but I know you can do it! Don’t beat yourself up for meals out with coworkers or clients—I try to budget for social calories because eating and drinking together can be an important way to get to know people better, and your social, mental, and emotional health are all just as important as your physical health. That said, you can still stick to healthier options from the menu more often than not so that meals out don’t derail your progress.

Safe travels and healthy eating on the go! Bon Voyageappetit!

For that price you won't be getting ultralight on the big 3: backpack, sleeping bag, and tent. Unfortunately those are the largest, heaviest, and most difficult to go light weight on a budget. The majority of the other items are pretty good UL gear. You can, for example, get a lighter titanium stove. It'll save you about 2oz and double the cost. Eventually the 2oz there and a few more oz here and there on a number of pieces of gear really add up so you may want to swap it out as you upgrade your gear over time. But for right now one in the price/weight range I suggested is really good ultra light weight bang for your buck.

1. Alice Backpack $35 -- Watch some youtube videos on how to strap your tent/sleeping bag/sleeping pad to the pack safely and securely. Alternatively buy a used backpack off Craigslist for dirt cheap. This is the third thing I'd upgrade, once you have a lighter/smaller sleeping bag and tent.
   
2. Slumberjack 40 degree sleeping bag $98 -- Upgrade to down-filled rather than synthetic if you can, also make sure it's temperature appropriate for your trips. This is the first place I'd personally choose to upgrade.
   
3. Coleman Sundome $36 -- Any name brand dome tent is great for beginners. I picked a 2-person since you don't seem to know what you're doing (not an insult) I assume you'll be bringing a buddy! This is the 2nd thing I'd personally choose to upgrade to something that compacts down small enough to fit inside my backpack.
   
4. MSR Pocket Rocket butane stove $32 -- Not the greatest or the absolute lightest, but one of the more popular light weight stoves. A can of fuel is $5 at Wal-Mart or pretty much any sporting goods store.
   
5. Primus Litech 10oz kettle $25-- From this kit you really just want the pot and lid. You can leave the pan at home. According to the ad it is big enough to hold the 230g sized butane cannister previously mentioned. I suggest either eating things that require no cooking or just boiling water like any number of Mountain House or alternative meals available in the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart or any sporting goods store.
   
6. Stansport Back Packing Pad $10 -- One of the simplest items to upgrade, but "nicer" ones are $30-100+.
   
7. Titanium Spork $9 -- The only cookware you'll need for most those backpacking freeze-dried meals where you just add hot water and eat out of the pouch.
   
8. 4-pack of ponchos $4 -- These are stupid small and light. They're shit quality and rip easy so they're mostly one time use.. but at $1/ea you can pack one per day, who cares? Nice rain gear is hella expensive.
   
9. Base Layer -- If you don't already own it, buy some polyester/spandex "athletic" under-shirts and pants. They're stupid light, wick away your sweat, and add lots of warmth per ounce and cubic inch of pack space. I picked up a random set from Ross yesterday (bottoms and short sleeve top) for $20 combined. Generally speaking, avoid cotton for all clothing.
   
10. Rip-Stop/hiking/tactical pants $40/pair -- I can't pick these out for you because sizing/style preference, but the fairly cheap ones are about that price per pair.
    
11. AMK First Aid Kit $23 -- This is likely way more than you need and you could probably put together a decent one in a zip-loc baggy with stuff you have around the house. Don't forget to add any prescriptions you have or anything for special needs (allergies).
    
12. Survival Whistle $6 -- You can find cheaper ones at Wal-Mart maybe...
    
13. Signal Mirror $8 -- A woman's "compact" makeup mirror could get you this for free
    
14. Aquamira water treatment drops $14 -- You may also prefer iodine tablets or a filter. You can get a basic Sawyer filter from Wal-Mart for about $25.
    
    That totals out at $365 and covers most of your bases of things you'll need to buy. Most everything else is going to be like soap, toothbrush, etc. which I'm assuming you already have. I really like the HikeLight 3-day camping checklist. You won't be able to get most (any?) of the gear on this list at your price range, but just make sure you have a comparable replacement. Yours will likely just be bigger and/or heavier than their suggested ones. http://hikelight.com/gearlist.html
    
    Happy backpacking!

You should buy a backpacking tent first and foremost. They're smaller and much lighter than a car camping tent most people have. I use the Eureka Spitfire 1-person and can set it up in just a couple minutes. Helpful when it's pouring rain. A three-season tent should be fine unless you plan on advancing into mountaineering quickly.

As far as food though, I hate cleaning in the backcountry so I pack tortillas (keep very well and doesn't matter if they get smushed in your pack), a jar of peanut butter, single serve packets of tuna, some granola/Clif bars and hot sauce(!!!). I usually stop by a large gas station and load up on condiments inside. It's glorious. Mayo, mustard, ketchup, salsa, relish, onions, hot sauce(!!!) all easy to dispose of and easy to use. If it's gonna be cold I'll bring my stove and a dehydrated meal or a cup of ramen. Also, if you go to Wal-Mart they have instant grit/oatmeal packets that are awesome for the morning. You can eat them right out of the packets and sprinkle a some bacon bits and trail mix inside, stir it up and call it gourmet.

Invest in a decent pair of hiking boots (mid-tops are best), a couple pair of wool socks, ditch ANY cotton gear you have and swap them out for synthetic clothing. Cotton does nothing to retain heat when wet. The only cotton I bring is for camp. Nothing like getting to camp and taking off your dirty clothes and change into a smooth cotton long sleeve. Athletic gear works fine and I usually just wear some compression shorts under my hiking pants. Although pricier, you should invest in what's considered a hard-shell jacket. It's a rain jacket that still is still breathable (vents out heat from underneath) while still keeping you dry. They're pretty pricey new as even the cheapest ones run at least $100. I buy mine used on eBay and retreat them with some DWR.

Ziploc bags are amazing for keeping things compartmentalized and dry. Don't skimp and buy cheap bags. I've had those break, rip, tear much more easily than Ziplocs.

Get a few carabiners as they come in handy all the time.

Learn to tie some basic knots.

Buy a pack cover for your backpack to keep out the rain. Preferably one with a small hole at the bottom to drain out any that happen to get inside.

If you can, don't try to save a few bucks and skimp on cheaper gear. Most of the gear you buy now will last you for many many years. I made the mistake of buying some cheaper gear and had to replace a fair portion of it relatively soon. Mainly a good weatherproof headlamp... I went through a couple of those.

Lastly, join a local Facebook group consisting of other hikers/backpackers. Use it as a resource to find out about current trail conditions and such. Can also ask them about suggested backpacking trips that are easy for beginners around the area.

Happy trails!

And buy this spork.

Honestly, this is too open ended to give appropriate advice. What are you cooking? Predominantly boiled water food, or more varied cooking? How many people are you cooking for? What climate do you live in? Will you be boiling water to purify it? Will you be using the cookset while car camping or on longer treks into the backcountry? What's your price range?

The absolute cheapest is going to be a diy alcohol stove (there are tons of different methods) and a diy can pot. The whole setup would be negligible in price and ultralight for backpacking but doesn't do much more than boil water.

Moving up are canister stoves which range from $10 for a simple stove to $100+ for a Jetboil or similar system. I have an MSR Pocket Rocket and the temperature control makes these systems better for cooking more complicated backcountry meals beyond boiling water. The downside is the canisters are not reusable and it's hard to tell exactly how much fuel you have left. Predictably, the Jetboil is very fast and efficient at boiling water but not great at more complicated cooking.

Stepping up from the diy cooking pots are any cheap aluminum pots. These can be dedicated camping pots, or just any general discount pot.

Moving beyond canister stoves you can look at liquid gas stoves like the MSR Whisperlite. These stoves cost $100-150 and depending on the model can use white gas, gasoline, kerosene, and some also have adapters for canisters. The nearly unlimited fuel source make these stoves fantastic for prepping and the refillable liquid fuel bottle allows you to always know how much fuel you have. They are larger and heavier than canister stoves (though about equivalent to a Jetboil) and don't have great heat control. I use my MSR Whisperlite as my go-to stove just because it's easier to use than wasting my canister fuel.

A step up from basic backpacking pots are titanium pots. At this point all you're paying for is less weight than your cheaper options.

You can also look at large, traditional dual burner coleman stoves. These essentially give you a normal stove-top while camping and the propane canisters are relatively cheap. Of course, these are not suitable for anything but home use and car camping.

Another option for bushcraft, depending on your climate, is to just use a campfire. Some people only take a steel water bottle and use it to boil water in the campfire for their cooking needs. This is usually too much hassle for me after a long day of hiking but I occasionally use this method depending on the trip and weather.

When you look at cooking sets, stay away from nice little kits with pots and plates and silverware and cups. All you really need is a pot and a spoon or spork. Sometimes I bring a cup and or bowl, but I think it's best to keep things simple and lightweight.

There are other options out there but I hope this answered your question. If I was to blindly recommend one complete budget-minded set right now, it would be the MSR Pocket Rocket - $40, this pot and cup combo - $11, and this spork -$3, plus a $10 isobutane canister.

It probably wasn't silver purely for the sake of elegance. Silver is easier to work with than a lot of other metals - cuts easy, forms easy, solders easy, etc., and it's sturdy (assuming it's not pure silver), corrosion-resistant, and safe to use as an eating utensil. That makes it a likely candidate for a small, fairly intricate, hand-made thing like this.

edit to add

People still buy travel utensils. Titanium sporks are really popular right now - here's a more modern, mass-produced and non-artisan version of the same thing: https://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Folding-Spork/dp/B00GLD8SYA/ . Back then, they'd have even more importance, because a person might spend days between towns on even a routine journey. This particular one is cool because it'd easily fit in a pocket, stay clean in its case, be light-weight (every ounce counts when you're carrying your own gear), etc.

I work 12 hour days, so I feel your problems.

Birdseye and Green Giant do steam in bag vegetables I've found to be pretty good. They are under $3 a per bag, so that is an easy way to get your veggies. At least two meals a day for me are nothing but 4 minute to cook veggies bags. Like $20 gives me a month worth of food.

http://www.birdseye.com/vegetable-products/birdseye-steamfresh/steamfresh-chefs-favorites

I'm also a fan of doing spaghetti with meatballs, chicken alfredo or some other pasta based dish I can put into Tupperware and just microwave in 5 or 6 minutes or less. I figure I spend maybe $40 a month on dinners for work.

Also, pick up a lunch bag like this to carry it in.

http://smile.amazon.com/EasyLunchboxes-Insulated-Lunch-Cooler-Black/dp/B004UISANC/

I also recommend a 4 in one utensil set like this.

http://smile.amazon.com/Piece-Stainless-Steel-Eating-Utensil/dp/B004V5XNQS/

I also have a cheap, $20 2 quart crockpot from WalMart that I can do soup or something in. Start it up when I get into work, by first lunch (I take two half hour lunchs a night) I've got a good meal ready to go. Often times one of my co-workers and I will poll some cash and do something.

Oh my item was born for this contest. It's this spork, which appropriately enough would go into my camping/survival kit.

Imagine this: You're stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere, with no good things to eat, except the bugs on a log you found. Now these bugs are looking pretty good, so you use the fork side of the spork to pick em up and start eating them! But oh no! Their guts all spilled out! You can't waste that valuable protein in a situation like this! What will you ever do?! The guts go straight through the fork side! "I got it!" you think, as you turn the spork around. You are then able to eat all the guts like a true champ. And that is how I would survive on an island with my item. And turtles are awesome.

I am The Potluck Ninja. It is my mission to wander in and out of potluck dinners leaving nary a trace of my presence. No plates, no napkins, just take a scoop outta the closest nearby dish and move down to the next dish in line. The only casualty thus far? The provided plasticware.

I grab a fork, a knife, and a spoon from the far end of the table, because one can never know what food choices will be presented. There could be salad, perhaps a chicken, or most likely... a casserole. And then, it never fails.... Not only are my plastic utensils clinking together as I move about the feast, but switching back and forth between them slows me down and at the end of my dining infiltration, I have to dispose of them... leaving evidence!! This is not the way of a true Potluck Ninja.

Enter, THE SPORK. THIS add-on item is the last tool in my quest to become Potluck Ninja SUPREME! Not only does it provide the stab, scoop, and slice qualities of it's individual counterparts, but standing alone it remains both silent... and reusable! Just a quick luscious lick on it's way to the pocket and that spork has disappeared... just like me... with nary a trace that either of us were ever there.

Of course, just like anything else, there's bound to be a learning curve in my training regimen with this new stab/scoop/slice weapon. Therefore, I also request THIS ITEM! It even comes with the Save-A-Tooth Preservation System! After all, better to be safe than sorry.

They will call me... The Prudent Potluck Ninja Supreme!

> Schmad on my add on

And now... NINJA VANISH!!!

My time to shine! I'm big into canoe camping. All the links I'm giving you are from Amazon Canada but you can get the same stuff on Amazon USA.

• Get a backpacker's stove. You can get a cheap one from Amazon like this or this.
  
  
• Get a cookpot off of Amazon too like a Toaks pot or Stanley pot.
  
  
• Get a water filter like the Katadyn BeFree.
  
  
• Get a spork.
  
  
• Get a frying pan that has a handle that can fold up. There are a ton of options for this on Amazon.
  
  
• Don't forget a spatula. You can get smaller, lighter options for this on Amazon.
  
  Now you're all set for anything you have to cook.
  
  Food suggestions:
  
  
• Frozen meat for the first night
  
• Frozen bacon for the first morning
  
• Eggs for the first morning
  
• Salami
  
• Bagged tuna
  
• Bagged salmon
  
• Fish (if caught)
  
• Babybel cheeses
  
• Nuts
  
• Seeds
  
• Beef jerky
  
• Low carb tortillas
  
• Avocado for the first day
  
• Mayo packets
  
• Dark chocolate
  
• Oatmeal packages
  
• Dehydrated fruit like peaches and strawberries
  
• Dehydrated veggies like peppers and onions and mushrooms
  
• Parmesan cheese
  
• Salt, pepper, seasonings
  
• Dehydrated meals from MEC or REI (you can get regular options and low carb options)
  
• Bagged quick cook rice
  
  I tend to not eat three meals a day when paddling. I have breakfast and dinner and maybe some snacks during the day.
  
  Be mindful that if you are paddling and hiking and portaging you're going to be burning huge amounts of calories. If you're just lazing about on a dinghy maybe not so much.

ETC sells a Source 4 USB drive that's super awesome. I got my boyfriend one and everyone we know is really jealous. ETC sells all kind of awesome swag

The Rosco Lighting Designer's gel book is pretty awesome too—it's 6" wide so it can fit in a S4 for gel picking

Assistant Lighting Designer's Toolkit & Technical Theatre for Non Technical People are great books, imo

Ultimate Focus Tool w/ lanyard will make any electrician thrilled

Gerber & Swiss Army sell nifty little multi tools that you can clip onto your keys. They're nice if you don't want to or have the need to carry around a huge Leatherman

BeeLine sells an iPhone 6 case w/ a Kevlar line and carabiner clip so you can clip your phone in when you're up on the grid

A set designer I know has two sets of camping eating tools (like this) so he can eat on the go and not use his multi tool as modified chop sticks

Stage managers love sticky notes (here) and stationary

Headlamps, heat-proof gloves, s-biner that doubles as a bottle opener, booze, chocolate, snacks, stress ball

That's all I can think of right now but I'll probably come back with more

In that case, I'd recommend going as light-weight as you can. A set like the one in the photo will be fine for car camping, but too heavy for backpacking, especially multi-day. Here's what I take when backpacking:

Toaks titanium 700ml pot

BRS ultralight gas stove

Toaks titanium folding spork

And a 4 or 8oz gas canister like this one, depending on how long I'll be going for. Don't get the gas canisters online though, get them at a camping or outdoors store, they'll be cheaper.

Honestly, that's all I need for solo backpacking. If you're backpacking with other people, you would maybe need a bigger pot (like 800 or 900ml), but I prefer to use the smaller one and make batches of food if need be. If I'm going car camping, I can bring more stuff as needed (cups, mugs, bowls, etc).

You don't need to get the exact items I have, but basically just ask for a simple, ideally ultralight gas canister stove, cooking pot (ideally titanium, not stainless steel), and a lightweight spork.

I also don't think you need tupperware unless you're car camping. When I backpack, I bring primarily dried foods that require not much cooking (asian style noodles, oatmeal, couscous, etc), and augment with some packaged tuna or chicken (in a bag, not a can) and spices. You can browse through /r/trailmeals for inspiration on cooking while camping.

Get you're self one these super light and solid stoves only $17. I've had one going for over a year now with no issues, I know folks who have had them for longer. Then find a titanium pot and spork. I really like this one. There are cheaper ones but titanium is the way to go. Save money with the cheap stove and get the light weight pot instead. This set up is all you need and will save you weight and allow you to carry more camera gear.

My favorite snack is cereal. Especially at night before I go to bed. The combination of sweet cereal and cold milk is just right before bedtime.

Because I'm such a HUGE fan of cereal, try to eat it when I go camping. [These] (http://www.amazon.com/Light-Fire-Original-BPA-Free-Assorted/dp/B00BUIWK36/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1408074966&sr=1-2) spork/knives would be great for cereal and so much more. They could even be used to Feed the pregnant lady.

I actually immediately bought one of these (snow peak i think) the first time I saw it because I thought
"oh man! wait until the archaeologists find this after i die! they will think the spork was the most valuable of utensils, what a great gag!"
I can't say I've really grown up at all since then but I have switched to using this spork instead as it is pretty handy, fun, and cheap.

Thanks for the link! We actually already replaced them with pretty much exactly that, although not that specific one. That's what I would recommend too, although situationally this can actually work really well too: https://smile.amazon.com/CRKT-Spork-Outdoor-Multi-Tool/dp/B0030IRKHA

It was actually posted as a mallninja item a few days ago. It's one of those things that's stupid unless you have a very specific purpose for it and then it's incredibly useful.

quick edit: It does have the same problem with the tines being too small, but if you happen to have nuts and bolts of the included sizes on your gear, it can help a lot with that. The titanium spork you liked is probably overall better for most situations. The latter is really very situational.

I really like the sawyer water filter. Whatever you get, the best thing you can do is fill up a 'dirty water' container in the middle of the lake, and use that to refill your gravity filter. Over 5 gallons starts to get tricky to bring back into the canoe. We tend to pour the filtered water directly into a container rather than use a 'clean' bag. Pro tip - if you are boiling water for cooking, you don't need to filter it. Just use that big jug of fairly clean water you pulled from a good distance from shore.

As a pot, a 9 cup coffee peculator works really well for just boiling water. Bonus as it also acts as a peculator - heat water in another pot, then poor over the filter/grinds rather than wait for a full boil to peculate. I'll usually pack a 600ml pot that heats smaller amounts of water and doubles as my coffee cup. Nice to have a single walled cup you can set on the fire grate.

For the morning oatmeal, I just pack in a paper bowl. Easy cleanup in the fire.

Depending on how many days, a canister style stove is hard to beat for groups of four. Longer trips, or trips with more people, a white gas stove starts to work out better. There is an entire cult around building beer can stoves, but they tend to be a bit slow for 4 hungry people.

We tend to do a fair bit of freeze dried foods when we go. A long handled spoon - either from a DQ malt or something fancy titanium works nicely for eating directly out of the bag. No real cleanup.

I'm packing in an $0.88 pizza pan as an aluminum surface to cook fish if it is over the fire, an aluminum foil pouch for in the fire. Semi-disposable Tupperware works nicely to keep crackers from getting crushed in a pack.

Going in this weekend as well. Will be in the bars in Ely the Friday night before. Possibly see you in that corner of the world!

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: TOAKS Titanium Folding Sporks


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|China|www.amazon.cn||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

Its a freebie that I got a long time ago at some event. I think its actually one of these snowpeaks. But its been re-branded with the name of the company that was giving them away. Its funny how many times I have actually used it since I originally posted that picture. I packed it as sort of a joke/"just in case" thing . But its been very useful as a makeshift grilling spatula/fork/spoon for many impromptu beach grillings.

I had a similar issue with the spoons, so I bought these TOAKS Titanium Folding Sporks which work pretty well and fold up to fit nicely in the kit.

Here is from the budget backpacker:

Stove: esbit is 6.3 oz with 6 fuel cubes (weight includes fuel) for <$11.00: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Pocket-Tablets/dp/B001C1UGVO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462135828&sr=8-1&keywords=esbit+stove

Pot: GSI stainless weighs 5 oz for <$10.50 http://www.amazon.com/GSI-Outdoors-Glacier-Stainless-Bottle/dp/B001LF3IB6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1453225574&sr=8-6&keywords=backpacking+pot

Utensil: I use a standard aluminum fork and spoon because they weigh less than an ounce each, but you can also look at this:

Toaks titanium spork weighs 0.6 oz for <$9.00 http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-SLV-01-Titanium-Spork/dp/B009AO19MK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462136083&sr=8-1&keywords=toaks+titanium+spork

Once again, not 100% ultralight, but pretty light weight and a good starting place for a beginner.

I always recommend a titanium spork of some kind. I prefer the traditonal spork style, with a straight handle, as they fit more comfortably in your pocket.

1. What stove are you using it with? Or do you need that part too?
   
2. Cooking for 1 person or a group?
   
3. Do you generally cook meals / real food, or just boil water?
   
   ​
   
   A simple / popular / high quality / light setup would be:
   
   

• Stove: MSR Pocket Rocket 2, $45, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N5O7551
  
• Pot: Snow Peak Trek 700, $38, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AR2N7Q
  
• Utensil: Optimus Long Spoon, $10, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045UA8G2
  
  A simple / popular / cheap / light setup would be:
  
  
• Stove: Ekticity, $12, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B4FY8YO
  
• Pot: Toaks 550, $25, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018DLEOLS
  
• Utensil: LMF Spork, $2, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024M52LO
  
  ​
  
  If you are planning to seriously cook you'll want to upgrade. These setups are optimized to boil water quickly, not much more. Since many backpackers prepare dehydrated meals - this works for the majority.

I love my sporks...I bought a titanium one and found myself reaching for it everyday, so i bought a couple more. I like this one with the carabiner on the end https://www.amazon.com/Vargo-VR204-BRK-Titanium-Eagle-Spork/dp/B001O43NQE

So this is what I have with me usually when going to work. Which is a 1h journey by high speed train, crossing an international border.

• The large knife is a Spyderco Native.
  
• And there is another Spyderco hiding in there too.
  
• The tiny flashlight is a Lenser K1
  
• The small flashlight is, I think, a Fenix
  
• 16 GB Thumbdrive
  
• iPhone 5S
  
• Beyerdynamic iDX 160 iE earbuds
  
• eVic Supreme eCigarette with a Nautilus Aspire tank
  
• A Schneider eXtra Document Pigment Pen
  
• A lightning cable
  
• Victorinox SwissTool Spirit III
  
• CRKT Eat N Tool
  
• Leatherman Squirt PS4
  
• A Victorinox quick-release key ring, released
  
• NiteIze key holder, keys, car key
  
• Bellroy Wallet
  
• Plasters Travel Kit
  
• Passport
  
• Maxpedition Pouch (and another, the MaxPedition EDC not shown)
  
  Link to highres picture What addition would compliment this EDC?

This a great call. Plastic utensils are so wasteful and also lessens the enjoyment of the meal. I use this set here but I also like the idea of recycling used utensils.

I have a multi-tool of eating utensils. Knife, fork and spoon that fold out of one handle. It's easy to wash, great for camping, airports, trains, cars, etc. Highly recommend!

Edit: Mine appears to be discontinued, but here is something similar from amazon.

Sorry I forgot to say its a nice kit. Maybe some utensils would help to something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River-Knife-Tool-9100C/dp/B0030IRKHA/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1369081554&sr=8-9&keywords=titanium+spork

Titanium Spork

THIS burner works with Jetboil or any other similar isobutane can.

THIS saw will make gathering firewood easy.

I also like wqax based fire starters like THIS

Kind of running a hybrid mashup of stuff.

Base is a GSI Halulite Microdualist and a Halulite Minimalist II and Snowpeak Sporks. I make a lot of my own jerky and backpacking food at this point (Cabela's Commercial dehydrator FTW). Hell of a lot cheaper than even buying bulk mountainhouse stuff. Plus I get more variety and better flavor. Backpacking Chef has some great resources for getting started.

Titanium Long Handle Spork with Polished Bowl and Ultralight Waterproof Bag

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072393SQ4?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Polished bowl for easier cleaning. Long handle for freeze dried. Nice little bag. TITANIUM.

Thanks u/keananmusic, I forgot the spoon/spork! If you don't have one already, may I suggest the polished bowl(spoon/spork)? I always felt like my regular one wasn't clean because of the texture.

I'll go ahead and do the math for you.

Toaks 550 pot $30: http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-550ml-Pot/dp/B00CYA26BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421708767&sr=8-1&keywords=toaks+550

Esbit stove $13.91: http://www.amazon.com/Esbit-Ultralight-Folding-Titanium-Tablets/dp/B002AQET2C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421708767&sr=8-2&keywords=toaks+550

Toaks spork $11: http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Folding-Spork/dp/B00GLD8SYA/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1421708837&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=toaks+spork

Toaks windscreen $10.95: http://toaksoutdoor.com/windscreen.aspx

GRAND TOTAL WITHOUT SHIPPING: $65.86

SAVINGS: $65.86 - $48.99 = $16.87

Now let me ask you this. Would you be willing to light $16.87 on fire? If not, you do see the value here.

I got me one of these, and it is easy to eat out of MH pouch for sure.

​

https://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Handle-Spork-Polished/dp/B01M69WHEA/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2TBF32Y81P22I&keywords=long+handle+titanium+spoon&qid=1554865669&s=gateway&sprefix=long+handle+tita%2Caps%2C332&sr=8-4

I've got both of these. Both are great.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Titanium-Spork/dp/B001E7S5BO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381935479&sr=8-1&keywords=titanium+spork

http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-cutlery-Spork-titanium/dp/B000AR2N76/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1381935479&sr=8-4&keywords=titanium+spork

[Icebreaker Underwear] (http://www.moosejaw.com/moosejaw/shop/product_Icebreaker-Men-s-Anatomica-Boxer-Brief-w-Fly_10224622_10208_10000001_-1_) is on sale at a few places for $24. And at $10 the [Snowpeak titanium spork] (http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-SCT-004BL-Parent-Titanium-Spork/dp/B00GZJSJ9Y) is generally regarded as the best camping utensil money can buy.

This is nice and I appreciate all the thought that went into it.

And yet, I find double-ended utensils annoying. If one end has good on it, it's awkward to use the other end.

I'd rather have this than this

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01M69WHEA/

​

I keep this at work, and use it every day to eat my lunches. Great for eating lunch out of a mason jar.

OP, toss one of these in your bag.

I've had four of these for years and they are great for camping, lunches at work, or just digging in to takeaway curry.


Mmmm, curry.

This is not ultralight. For ultralight you just need a titanium cup. That and a titanium spork is your cook kit. This kit is for newbs.

Good cup: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D9PS8X8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Spork: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072393SQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I call it a Sporfe, use one with my lunch every day, and yes they exist
(If you look really carefully there's a little serrated knife on the side of the fork...)

Personally I prefer tactical spork over polymer spork.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030IRKHA/ref=as_li_ss_til?tag=sayuncle-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as4&creativeASIN=B0030IRKHA&adid=19G42H90QM4TBQWS7T6A

The reliability of those 'tuperware' sporks can't be compared to steel. The quality of the tactical spork is obvious if you can get one in your hand.

You and me both. Smitty's sauce is pretty good. Get one of these and one of these and you are good to go.

This is pretty cool too, but completely useless for eating bbq. Mostly.

Edit: Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

I'd avoid anything from AliExpress that I plan on putting in my mouth or cooking with.

A pretty commonly used spork is this one for $2. I've heard these do tend to break, so may be worth getting a couple.

Well that can be a long list... here goes though:

Water

Dehydrated food

Cooking utensils (I just bring a small pot/cup and a spork personally)

Stove

Sleeping bag

Tent (two pound, two person from Big 5)

550 paracord

2 tarps

Katadyn base camp filter

Sunshade for camping pad

Multi-tool

Compass

Map

Lighter & matches

Water purifying tablets

I'm sure I'm leaving a few things off, but those are several of the basics

A possible solution might be to learn to use chopsticks and get a stainless-steel pair of those.

Knives and Forks can go in luggage just no knives in carry-on. I'm doing some research as I post this since I'm kind of curious about doing this myself now. Apparently forks are ok but "The final decision is up to the TSA agent" which doesn't bode well, imo.
I also found these, I think I might get one for my travels. Not sure about that coating though, sounds like black is teflon and the other colors are something I've never heard of.

Short Spork Keychain Tool

And A Full Sized One

​

An alternative if you want something easier to hold.

https://www.amazon.com/Vargo-T-204-Titanium-Eagle-Spork/dp/B001O43NQE

need to get a sponsorship with Snow Peak so you can give people incredibly durable useful utensils

The cheapest add-on item I have is just over $4, so feel free to leave me out if you like. It's on my default list. (It's a spork/multitool keychain.)

I use a German surplus set. The set is indestructible and the pieces won't melt if I leave them in a boiling or simmering cookpot.

Titanium Spork

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snow-Peak-Spork-titanium-cutlery/dp/B000AR2N76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381148848&sr=8-1&keywords=titanium+spork+snow+peak

I just use [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-SCT-004BL-Parent-Titanium-Spork/dp/B00GZJSJ9Y/ref=pd_sim_sg_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=05BWWXY0GJ06AHHGA6N5).

here is one from Amazon. However, the ones we have are from ThinkGeek

Titanium Spork - won't get rusty though.

I'm the type of asshole that went and bought a $9 spork to keep in my car because of a similar situation.

It was part of the little orange bag that holds the spork.

Light My Fire and they're actually really cheap right now for some reason.

Hydroflask water bottle $20

https://smile.amazon.com/Hydro-Flask-Insulated-Stainless-Standard/dp/B01ACATE9K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146454&sr=8-1&keywords=hydro+flask+water+bottle

O-light brass keychain flashlight - $20

https://smile.amazon.com/Olight-Keychain-Flashlight-Variable-output-I3S-Bare/dp/B01H1HC1NI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146475&sr=8-1&keywords=olight+brass


Snowpeak titanium spork - $8

https://smile.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-SCT-004-Titanium-Spork/dp/B000AR2N76/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146497&sr=8-1&keywords=snow+peak+titanium+spork



Kershaw Chill pocket knife - $15

https://smile.amazon.com/Kershaw-3410-Chill-Pocket-Knife/dp/B002IVHQ5Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146513&sr=8-1&keywords=kershaw+chill

Leatherman Wingman - $30

https://www.amazon.com/Leatherman-Wingman-Multi-Tool-Stainless-Steel/dp/B005DI0XM4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1480146546&sr=8-1&keywords=leatherman+wingman

Logitech G502 - $40

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Proteus-Tunable-Customizable-910-004074/dp/B00IRHE892


Fisher space pen - $11

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Non-Reflective-Military-Cap-O-Matic-M4B/dp/B001E103CY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146580&sr=8-1&keywords=fisher+space+pen



Park Tool MT-1 bike tool (handy for many tasks) - $10


https://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-MT-1-Rescue-Wrench/dp/B000OZ9WTQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480146598&sr=8-1&keywords=park+tool+mt+1

http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-SCT-004-Titanium-Spork/dp/B000AR2N76/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317701116&sr=8-2

I use a fireant for my stove.
I carry a few ESBits in case it's too wet to burn twigs. A spork. And a pot and pan. Also a simple lightweight mug, I don't remember where I got it it's just a small steel mug. Everything but the stove fits in the pots. The stove folds up really small I just have it in my bag.

and it's only ten bucks!

problem solved

A [titanium spork] (http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-Titanium-Folding-Spork/dp/B00GLD8SYA/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1419170776&sr=8-7&keywords=titanium+spork) to take camping.

Bake a batch of ginger cookies but decorate them in blue Royals outfits.

Titanium is the way to go.

then what is this?

That spork is a cruel joke. Get a titanium long handle so you can get those delicious last bits of your dinner-in-a-bag without getting your hands all messy.

Check out the CRKT Eat'n Tool. I keep one on my EDC bag for when I forget to grab utensils when I grab a quick dinner somewhere.

https://www.amazon.com/Columbia-River-Knife-Tool-9100C/dp/B0030IRKHA

Water System:

-Sawyer Micro Squeeze w/ adaptor for back flushing
($45.40 on Amazon )

-2L Evernew Water Bag
($15.82 on Amazon )

-2 1L Smart Water Bottles ($5)

Cook Set:

-Toaks Titanium 900 ml pot
( $60.81 on Amazon )

-Light My Fire Spork
( $3.56 on Amazon )

Or, you could use a long handled spork to reach into dehydrated meal bags, e.g. Boundless Voyage, Toaks, Snow Peak, etc (More Expensive)

A cheap disposable option is a Dairy Queen large spoon if you don’t require a fork.

-Optional hot drink mug: GSI Infinity Backpackers Mug
( $11.09 on Amazon )

Stove:

Alcohol Options:

• DIY cat stove with integrated pot holder (go on YouTube)
  
  -Trangia or Titanium alcohol stove e.g. Vargo Triad
  
  -Make a DIY beer can or aluminum flashing windscreen (YouTube)
  
  [You need to make sure that the alcohol stove has a snuffer cap if a fire ban is in effect]
  
  [If you use an alcohol stove, you will need a leakproof fuel bottle- check MEC, Litesmith, or use an old fuel stabilizer bottle]
  
  [In Canada, good alcohol fuels are Methyl Hydrate and Captain Phab Marine Stove Fuel]
  
  Gas Stoves:
  
  I don’t use a gas stove, however, here are a few I have heard of that are more affordable.
  
  
• MSR Pocket Rocket 2
  ($59.95 on Amazon )
  
  
• BRS Titanium Burner
  ($20.93 on Amazon )
  
  

Light my Fire http://www.amazon.com/Light-Fire-Original-BPA-Free-Multi-Color/dp/B00BUIWK36/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1425951701&sr=8-4&keywords=light+my+fire

When I first went to college I avoided buying a silverware set for 2 years by purchasing a titanium spork.
http://www.amazon.com/TOAKS-SLV-01-Titanium-Spork/dp/B009AO19MK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405645971&sr=8-2&keywords=titanium+spork

Damnit... I just got back from Taco Bell and did not collect a single spork. I hang my head in shame (but only the one on the right).

edit: problem solved: https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Peak-SCT-004-Titanium-Spork/dp/B000AR2N76/

Better explanations are in the Imgur album, but heres a list of crap.

1. Leatherman Supertool
   
   
2. Obstructures Aluminum Plate Wallet System
   
   
3. Jon Lota Keyflip
   
   
4. Derpy Hooves
   
   5A) 1952 Scheaffer Valiant
   
   5B) Lamy Safari
   
   6A) Karas Kustoms The Bolt
   
   6B) Karas Kustoms Brass Render K
   
   6C) Karas Kustoms Aluminum Render K
   
   
5. Ian Schon Design Space Pen
   
   8A) Gerber Mini Paraframe(you can get this for $8 on this link)
   
   8B) Leatherman C33Tx
   
   8C) Winchester ?? Anniversary Edition Box Set
   
   
6. Pentalic Pocket Notebook (Cant find the graph paper version)
   
   
7. Otterbox Defender for Galaxy S3 (This thing is bulletproof)
   
   
8. CRKT Eat'N Tool
   
   
9. RAINBOWDASH!

A serrated Spork. Dead handy for feeding yourself with.

Yours here at Amazon for 54 pence a go. It even comes in lots of funky colours for you to pick from.

EDIT: They're also sometimes called foons.