Truly Outdoors: Camping in Style
Imagine with me for a moment the perfect camping experience. It would include five-star dining, 1500 thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, a jetted-soaking tub, room service…
So perhaps my ideal camping experience isn’t quite in line with someone who is die-hard about backpacking in and out of remote locations. Fortunately there are plenty of people who live in the grey area in between those who desire luxury and those who desire raw nature. Truly Obscure has looked at some ultra-light tents for those who want to be in a remote location as possible, and we’ve got you covered on sleeping gear, so today it’s time to talk about how to make camping a little less ‘roughing it’ and a bit more indulgent.
All too often when camping, we end up feeling frustrated with the lack of pots and pans to cook with, and ultimately have to make do with a single skillet. An elegant solution to the “not enough” cookware problem is GSI Outdoor’s nFORM Crossover Pinnacle Camper. This lightweight cookware system includes mugs, pans, lids that are also pasta strainers and even a stuff sack that doubles as a sink. The lids are BPA crushproof plastic, and almost everything in the set serves a double function. For example the skillet also doubles as a lid for the larger soup/stock pot. The mugs nestle inside the pot, and there is a gripper for the pans that clips on and is nice a durable. Everything is color coded, which not only makes it easy to know what goes with what, but it also looks fun, and style always earns points here. This set of pot/pans/dishes is really easy to use, easy to clean up and extremely portable. I never felt like the handle on the pans wouldn’t hold up to the weight in the pan, and I never felt at a loss for the proper pan. This is definitely a step in the right direction toward those 5-star meals we want. The Pinnacle Camper is available for $120 directly from GSI Outdoors as well as online retailers like Amazon or REI.
All of that fancy cookware needs a heat source, right? Campfires are wonderful, though not entirely predictable. There are a lot of areas in recent years that have had open fire bans in place due to extremely dry conditions and out of control wildfires, which makes a stove or controlled fire of some sort necessary. That is where the Gravity II from Primus is quite useful. This spider stove has a very low profile and comes with a wind screen, making it ideal to use even in the nastiest conditions. You can use nearly any type of fuel with it, including LP gas, gasoline/petrol and kerosene. Changing jets is a snap, simply unscrew the ring and you’re good to go. The best part about this stove though is the temperature control, and it’s got a fast boil time, and a great simmer. Really, it takes most of the trouble out of cooking outdoors. Weighing in at 8.4 ounces without the fuel pump and 12 ounces with the Gravity II is quite portable, even when going into more remote areas. This stove retails for $130 and can be found through Primus or online through Amazon.
Once you’re done eating all of that delicious food you’re going to need somewhere comfortable to kick back and digest. Let Koolest help out with the MaxxDaddy Monster folding chair. The folks at Koolest really aren’t kidding when they call it Monster. This chair can safely hold up to 800 pounds, and has been tested up to 1400 pounds. It’s made of a high tensile steel and 2 layers of 600 denier polyester- it’s a beast! Note, this chair weighs in at 24 pounds, so unlike the previous two items, it’s not really suitable for backpacking, but designed for car camping. We were able to pile four people in the chair before stopping- not out of concern for the sturdiness of the chair but rather out of concern for the trachea of our poor editor, who was at bottom of the pile. It’s important to remember to use the steel frame in the arms to bear heavy weights, the fabric is durable but it will rip if you stress it too much. The arms telescope, the headrest is adjustable, it’s got a leg rest and the fabric is quilted for comfort. Two cup holders round out the broad list of amenities, and while it’s not quite room service, it will definitely suffice. For $140 it’s in a different league than the folding camping chairs you see in the big box stores, but for those serious about being comfortable, even those who don’t usually camp, it’s a serious chair. Look for the MaxxDaddy Monster online from Koolest, and if the Monster is a bit too much chair, be sure and check out their wide line (including a cute three-person folding chair and one for kids).
