I’m always interested in what gear people take when trying to keep things lightweight on the water. Especially when it comes to cooking… often the highlight of the day after a long paddle. Here’s what I’ve included in my kitchen setup. You might find some items to consider for your kayak/camp kitchenette. I focused on functional, lightweight & dual purpose items when building this kitchen. I take this setup and use the GSI Pinnacle Backpacker Cookset with the Primus Yellowstone stove.
A: Kitchen Scrub Sponge
I bring one in a plastic bag. It’s good to have something to scrub with but if you’re scrubbing every pan, every time you cook, you may want to consider a non-stick cook set.
B: Hand Sanitizer
Pretty essential in the outdoors, especially when handling fresh meat on the first night or after cleaning fish.
C: Plastic Film Canisters
Plastic film canisters have endless uses. I take an assortment of garlic powder, dried onion, seasoned salt and butter buds in mine. I like the “clear” or white canisters so I can get an idea of what’s inside. These are a rare item these days but you can still find film canisters at some grocery stores that develop film (ask and they’re bound to give you a bunch) or ask friends and family who happen to still use film. If all else fails, check ebay.
D: Campsuds
A great all-in-one biodegradable soap to have on hand.
E: Polypropylene Bottle (For Cooking Oil)
Cooking oil can often be substituted for butter so I carry a little bottle with me. REI has a large assortment of poly bottles in many sizes and shapes.
F: GSI Salt and Pepper Shaker
This is one of those items you may not need if you’re using film canisters or it could be used in place of film canisters. With two compartments at each end, you could substitute salt and pepper with other spices.
G: MSR Alpine Folding Spatula
Of all the folding cooking utensils, I find that the spatula is the most important and useful if you already have a spoon and knife in your utensil set. This little guy is sturdy, compact and most importantly plastic, to avoid scratching your cookware.
H: Sea to Summit Alpha Utensil Set
This set is durabile and dual-functional with a built-in hex wrench on the handle. The mini carabiner keeps everything together.
I: Ekco Roll Can Opener
This is another optional item. I sometimes bring a can of stew along just incase the weather turns bad and I want to phone-in a quick meal. There are smaller blade-style can openers out there but this guy is just small and light enough to take with and makes opening cans much easier.
J: MSR UltraLite Packtowl
A towel or bandana is always great to have on hand for cleaning up and drying dishes. I bought an MSR packtowl on discount sometime ago. It’s very absorbent but dries quickly.
K: Epicurean Cutting Board
This was a “found item” that happened to come with a set of knives for our kitchen. You can find this small but sturdy cutting boards in many different sizes.
L: Carrying Case
Another recycled item was a compact disc case I had laying around. All I did was remove the inserts. The pockets that held the insert now make a convenient home for items in my kitchenette. But you can find some nice carrying cases online as well. The Amazonbasics case is essentially the same convenient size but with more pockets.
Kayak/Camp Kitchen Subtotal:
Sponge: $.97
Hand Sanitizer: $.97
Film Canisters: Free
Campsuds: $2.95
Poly Oil Bottle: $1.70
Salt & Pepper Shaker: $3.95
Folding Spatula: $4.95
Utensils: $14.95
Can Opener: $7.99
Towel: $13.95
Cutting Board: $9.95
CD Case: Found
Grand Total: $62.33 + tax (but many of these items you can often find on sale, omit or substitute with cheaper items.)
Key Info:
GSI Outdoors
Primus
MSR
Sea to Summit
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