Now that summer exploration season is in full swing here in Montana (forest fire season, too!) we’ve been trying to get out onto the trails as often as we can. And why not? Within 20 minutes of our house, we can be crunching our way up a Forest Service Road and out into the wilderness for a long weekend of solitude.
To facilitate our departures, I’ve been experimenting with a modular packing system that allows us to either, (a) yank a handful of bins and coolers from the garage and throw them through the hatch, or (b) simply leave them in the Jeep during the work week, ready to rock whenever we are.
The long-term plan is a drawer/permanently-installed storage system, but that takes some careful planning, and, I think, more miles under the tires to understand what we really need and what we don’t. It also somewhat reduces daily-driver usability - so until the XJ becomes a full-time adventure-mobile, we are reining in that ambition.
In the meanwhile, I’ve been fiddling with different configurations and combinations for the Rubbermaid Roughneck storage boxes and various coolers that we own (more on the boxes later). In addition, I’ve been experimenting with what goes in those boxes.
Because I’m a logistical obsessive, and I like making organizational lists for myself, I thought I would share my current cooking and food kit via exploded view:
Box #1:
Most of these items are either castoffs from my home kitchen, or camping-dedicated tools that I’ve collected over the years. Dissected like this, it all may seem like overkill, but I love a fully functional kitchen regardless of whether I’m on a mountain in the middle of nowhere or at home.
- 1 Rubbermaid Roughneck tote, 18 gallon
- 1 large mixing bowl/wash basin
- 2 nonstick saucepans
- 2 nonstick frying pans
- 1 multi-size lid for pans
- 2 one-litre size Nalgene bottles
- 1 thermos
- 2 insulated travel mugs
- 2 enameled mugs (our special wine-sipping glasses)
- 2 lexan bowls
- 4 plastic plates
- 1 egg saver
- 4 teaspoons
- 4 tablespoons
- 4 forks
- 4 table knives
- 2 steak knives
- 1 chef’s knife
- 1 paring knife
- Assorted utensils: spatulas, flippers, ladle, stirring spoon, slotted spoon, whisk, tongs, peeler, can opener, measuring cup, combination measuring spoon, corkscrew
- A Harbor Freight tool bag to keep all silverware/utensils together
- Dish soap, various towels and scrubbers (also handy as pot holders)
- Propane cylinders for the Coleman stove
- A roll of aluminum foil
- Matches, lighters, fire starters
- A plastic bag full of various plastic bags, including: kitchen-sized garbage bags, pint-sized ziplocs, gallon-sized ziplocs, more plastic grocery bags (you can never have too many)
Box #2:
This box reserves most of its space for dry foods and various sundries, but can do double duty with other camping essentials as space allows.
- 1 Rubbermaid Roughneck tote, 18 gallon
- Two rolls of paper towels
- Various non-perishables including: coffee, tea, powdered Gatorade, sugar, pancake mix, salt, pepper, spices (especially cumin, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper), peanut butter, beans and rice, couscous, pasta, WINE, etc.
- 30 gallon roll-top water-proof dry bag used as a moisture and odor control measure for the trash. Garbage goes in a garbage bag, garbage bag goes in the dry bag - an SUV solution in the absence of a truck bed or a Trasharoo.
Pack it in, pack it out! - A legacy Coleman two-burner stove (my parents bought it 35 years ago) with Dad-made carrying case, fire wand, and a few spare o-rings for the regulator and hose (depending on the length of the trip, and the amount of food we bring, sometimes the stove rides outside the Rubbermaid)
Et cetera:
- Igloo “The Cube”48 qt cooler
A note about this cooler: This is one cheap-ass ice chest, but I am constantly amazed at how well it works. It’s small, but for just two of us, that’s not an issue, and its cube shape really helps with the packing process in my very right-angle Jeep. With two blocks of ice, it will sustain perfectly good temps for up to four days in decently hot weather with regular draining. Of course, I lust after a fridge, and I will have one, but that’s also down the line for us. - Two 5-gallon water cubes
- One 3-gallon water cube
A note about the water cubes: Rigid plastic or metal jerry cans are the standard in water transport, but I love the flexibility of the vinyl cubes - they’re tough, portable, and can be squished into odd corners. When they’re empty, fold them up and stash them under the fronts seats for space savings. - Camp table
- New England-style beach lounge chairs
Next up, I’ll detail the camping kit more extensively, as well as what I’m carrying in my recovery/mechanical bag, and discuss how I’m utilizing those underrated Rubbermaid totes.
What am I missing?