Sponge's Top 10 - Cooking Gear List
Note: Clicking the product names or pictures on this blog will take you to Amazon product pages. Sponge receives a commission from purchases originating from these clicks.
Double Note: Sponge will NEVER link a product he does not stand behind. Also, Sponge has NEVER received free products or special treatment from companies.
Weighs only 3.9 oz. Perfect size to boil enough water for rehydrated meals. A small fuel canister and stove can fit perfectly inside.
One complaint Sponge hears about the Toaks (see #1) is that the handles can get too hot to safely handle. Welcome to your solution. Wrap this tape around them a few times and you have an insulated solution that is resistive of heat up to 500 degrees!
Weighs 3.84 oz. Some hikers prefer Jetboil or more powerful options, but this one is super-reliable and has never failed Sponge. It also has a built-in lighting mechanism, which works well to get the cooking process started swiftly.
Weighs 0.65 oz. This is all you truly need to eat your meals on the trail - the extra long handle allows you to eat out of pouches without making a mess or getting anything on your hands.
These are invaluable to bring high-calorie oils or condiments to add to meals. Sponge uses one for olive oil. Each holds a handy 3.4 oz. of liquid.
Weighing just 0.3 oz. - if you need a little seasoning to those dehydrated meals, this is ridiculously easily to tuck away. You could use other seasonings besides salt or pepper if you so choose.
50-Pack of 1-Gallon Mylar Stand-Up Bags
While purists may opt for simple freezer Ziplocs (which are fine), these have two distinct advantages - durability and being scent-proof. If you plan to be anywhere in bear / rat / racoon territory, these can be handy for storing food items you don't want sniffed out...and then destroyed. I only tend to bring a handful - and so a 50-pack will last many trail adventures!
Just like the above bags, with two distinct differences - they are smaller (perfect for smelly snacks) and have a clear window, allowing you to easily know what is inside without having to label or open them. These are work really well for non-food items!
Sponge wishes he learned this trick sooner. Transfer those bulky dehydrated meals into quart-sized freezer Ziplocs, then use this high quality pouch to do the heating. The best part? This "coozy" keeps your meal warmer a LOT longer - and who doesn't like a hot meal?
Wait? These are for COOKING, Sponge? Why yes- or more specifically - sterilizing your cooking utensils every so often to make sure you stay well on the trail. These are super small - easy to pack and double in usefulness to treat wounds. A 200-pack is less than $6 and can last you a multitude of trips.