Best Camping Dishes A Comprehensive Guide
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When it comes down to outdoor gear, there is something that every camper, backpacker, and hiker should consider investing in Quality dishes. Although it may seem minor, packing the right bowls, mugs, cutlery, and plates on your trip may make a huge difference to your overall camping comfort.
Keep aside your regular bowl from or disposable paper plates: camping dishes are specifically made for outdoor performance. They are durable, compact, lightweight, and easy to clean. They will allow you to enjoy meals in style, and won’t weigh down your pack.
Coleman 24-Piece Enamel Dinnerware Camping Kit
Are you looking to camp with a large number of people? Perhaps you’d like to camp out of your RV? The Coleman Enamel Dinnerware Kit will be your best choice. It offers some of the best RV camping dishes so far.
Apart from the number of people it may serve or its functionality, one of the primary reasons most people choose it is because it has one of the most attractive designs you can find. The kit is also uniquely crafted and enables you to arrange all units correctly.
The kit comes with six different parts, and each part consists of four units. We generally have bowls, plates, spoons, forks, knives, and mugs. They’re easy to clean and keep away.
Pros
- Ideal for a large group of people
- The kit is certainly eye-catching
- You may use it with a dishwasher
- Easy to organize and usually well arranged
Cons
- The kit might break easily
GSI Outdoors Cascadian 1-Person Table Kit
Are you considering walking a long-distance or hiking before you get to the campsite? The GSI camping dishes will certainly be the best option for you. It is light and fairly easy to pack, ultimately making it convenient to carry. The kit is typically designed for one person and is also highly portable.
It is one of the ideal plastic camping dishes and usually comes at an inexpensive price. Apart from focusing on the users’ comfort, the kit makers also consider the environment. The materials utilized in creating the kit are recyclable. This kit consists of a 9-inch plate, knife, spoon, large fork, 12-ounce mug, and a 6-inch bowl.
The kit’s practical design makes it much easier to use with cooking gloves or even your bare hands. Another benefit of this kit is that it is easy to wash, and you may quickly remove the stain from this GSI Outdoors Cascadian kit. It’s also accompanied by a storage bag.
Pros
- You may easily pack this kit and bring it with you
- Its practical design makes it much easier to handle
- The kit comes with all the necessary utensils required for camping
- It’s made of recyclable polypropylene
Cons
- Cannot handle heat properly
Sea to Summit Delta Camp Kit
This is a popular brand of outdoor dishes. Apart from being a practical choice of dishes, it’s also very helpful. The kit is carefully made to withstand heat and is ideal for handling your hot food. In general, the dish kit is enough for the application of only a single person.
You don’t need to be concerned about getting burnt with this kit, which is one of this product’s major perks. Protex is the main material used to make the kit and is usually heat resistant. An added benefit of the kit is its overall beauty; it’s entirely aesthetic and comes with some captivating designs.
This kit is built with a compartment used to dry your plate, spoon, bowl, and other utensils that constitute a kit. Furthermore, it has an ingenious addition that assists you to store your cutlery properly without misplacing them.
Pros
- The kit does not add weight to the luggage
- Made from a highly durable, strong, and heat-resistant material
- Carefully made to spread heat evenly
- You may quickly remove stains from it
- It comprises a space primarily for drying wet dishes
- Has a captivating design
Cons
- The kit is enough for only a single person
STANSPORT Deluxe 24-Piece Enamel Tableware Kit
Its excellent functionality is what makes this brand one of the most preferred options. Stansport is undoubtedly one of the most preferred enamel camping dishes on the market. It is highly functional and very durable. In case you want something that can last a long while and function properly, you need to consider this product.
It is ideal for family outings, or even activities that entail a large number of people. It consists of 24 pieces, and this entails mugs, bowls, forks, spoons, knives, and plates.
The material used to make this kit guarantees its strength and longevity. Some are built of stainless steel while others have steel coatings for reinforcing them. If you get this kit, you do not need to be concerned about buying a new one for a long time. It’s easy to remove stains from the Stansport kits, and they’re also quite inexpensive to get.
Pros
- Comes with an enamel finish that allows it a simple and elegant appearance
- Made of steel and is also highly durable
- The kit isn’t too expensive and is easy to clean
- Ideal for a large number of people
Cons
- Some people have complained about the product’s quality
Light My Fire 8-Piece BPA-Free Meal Kit
This kit’s design makes it easy to get into your backpack. It’s easy to use and compact and may be easily handled.
It typically comes in eight pieces and consists of all the necessary utensils for your camping trip. The kit is also very useful when it comes to your cooking needs. It consists of a plate, spork, bowl, cutting board, and a harness for mobility.
This product comes with two models; one is accompanied by a SnapBox container that may hold up to 170ml, and the other comes with a SnapBox container that may hold up to 320ml.
Pros
- It’s very compact and easy to pack
- The kit is accompanied by a foldable cup
- It’s light and ideal for long walks
- There are numerous applications for this kit
- The kit also has a chopping board
Cons
- The rubber harness is not safe to use
- The kit is not compatible with heat
What are camping dishes? Why do you need one?
Camping dishes are basically culinary kits that tend to make food preparation much convenient when you go for any outdoor activity such as camping. Food is an integral element of the experience, and these camping dishes offer you the opportunity to enjoy the most favorable meals while outdoors.
Benefits of using camping dishes
Camping dishes are specifically made for outdoor performance. They are durable, compact, lightweight, and easy to clean. They will allow you to enjoy meals in style, and won’t weigh down your pack.
Things to look for In a good set of camping dishes
You need to consider several things before settling for a particular kind of camping dish kit.
Design
The kit’s size and design matter! If you buy a large kit, it simply means that you’re not planning to walk long distances with it, or you’re planning on camping out of your car or your RV.
However, in case you plan on hiking, it would be best to get something that’s lighter and smaller. It will save you much stress in the future.
It’s also advisable to consider the dishes’ design. You need to get something that can not only last you a long while but will also be much easier for you to use.
Cleaning
You wouldn’t want to waste your precious time doing dishes while outdoors; your kit needs to be relatively easy to clean and rinse. It would be best to opt for the enamel or metal kit.
Material
In general, different types of materials are applied when making camping dishes. Some of the materials used include plastic, enamel, stainless steel, aluminum, or titanium. Each of these types comes with its upsides and downsides.
Metal dishes such as aluminum or stainless steel are much stronger and will last relatively longer compared to plastic camping dishes. However, they’re heavier and very expensive.
And if you choose the plastic type, they’re incredibly light compared to all the other types. They also do not cost as much. However, the risk of plastic comes with the BPA factor. Some harmful substances such as BPA may get into your food.
In case you go with the enamel, it isn’t as bulky as the metal plates and is much safer for your general health compared to the plastic, though it usually breaks easily.
Portability
Packing your camping dish kit should not get in your way, it should be much easier to pack up.
Container
Your kit’s storage container needs to be the best size for it. You need to be able to pack it properly and tight such that it won’t consume unnecessary space in the backpack.
Besides this, the storage container must have different compartments for your kit’s different units, to prevent them from mixing up.
Conclusion
It’s vital to have a camping dish kit when you go camping. Apart from making eating more comfortable, it will make your camping experience less demanding.
But “which is the best” depends upon your individual requirements.
Of all the kits mentioned above, the Coleman Enamel Dinnerware Kit is the best for RV campers who want to serve their family. For the individual camper, the GSI Outdoors Cascadian 1-Person Table Kit is best.