Backpacking is a fun way to see the world, and unlike other trips where you have the luxury of bringing several suitcases, here you only have room for absolute necessities in one bag. You can only bring that which you’ll need on your trip.
Mealtimes are essential in any trip, and having the right utensils will either make your trip or break it to a miserable time. To make sure you have enjoyable mealtimes and a good backpacking trip, we bring you ten best backpacking utensils that you’ll need in 2020.
Here, we list utensils that are versatile in their usage, durable, compact, lightweight and easy to manage.
Best Backpacking Utensils
Light My Fire BPA-Free Spoon-Fork-Knife Combo
This Light My Fire regular-sized spoon-fork-knife utensil combo with a serrated edge on the side of the fork is the best kind of multipurpose utensil that saves you from filling up your backpack with numerous utensils.
Made with bio-based plastics, which means that the composition is made fully, or in part, from plants or other biological matter, these multipurpose utensils are not only sustainable but they are an excellent substitute to fossil fuel dependency.
They are heat resistant, non-stick cookware safe and are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The serrated edge is sharp enough to cut your meat or vegetables but specifically designed not to injure the side of your mouth while eating.
There are various color options to choose from.
GSI Outdoors Santoku Cut and Meal Prep Set for Backpacking
This GSI knife pack has everything you’ll need to chop and prepare your meal. It comes with a 4″ paring knife, 6″ santoku and 6″ serrated knife, a clever, folding cutting board that compacts for carrying but unfolds to a generous 9″ x 12.6″ prep surface, bottle for soap and a two-sided dishcloth to keep everything tidy.
The compact, high stainless steel blades come with protective sheaths that ensure safe handling and preserve the blades’ sharpness. The knives also sport an ergonomic rubber handle that provides a sure grip.
The quick-drying, microfiber cleaning cloth has a soft, non-abrasive side for delicate items and a rough, scouring side for scrubbing. The pack comes in a convenient carry bag that safely stores the knives and is easy to carry along.
Hydro Flask Travel Mug
This double-walled vacuum insulated tumbler from Hydro Flask is the best backpacking travel mug in the market. Uniquely designed to protect the temperature of your drink for hours, this mug keeps your drinks cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 6 hours with the lid in place.
This Hydro Flask is made with a 18/8 pro-grade stainless steel to ensure no flavor is transferred and that your drink retains its pure taste – and the durable construction will withstand even the harshest of conditions in your backpacking trip.
Hydro Flask mug features a slim design that lets you drink with one hand, can fit in most cup holders and its signature powder coating ensures a good slip-free grip. The top of the mug is thick, giving you that pint glass feeling while you drink.
There are different color options and sizes to choose from, depending on your travel needs. This travel mug comes with a manufacturer’s lifetime warranty.
Victorinox Swiss Army Multi-Tool
The Victorinox Swiss Army Multi-Tool is a high-grade, 15-piece compact pocket knife that’s made of durable stainless steel. The steel is tempered, annealed and polished to achieve the necessary hardness and provide optimum resistance to corrosion.
This multi-tool comes with a large blade, small blade, corkscrew, can opener, small screwdriver (also for Phillips Screws), bottle opener, large screwdriver, wire stripper, reamer, key ring, tweezers, toothpick, scissors, multipurpose hook, and wood saw all which neatly tuck away in an ABS plastic handle.
The Victorinox Multitool also comes with a compact leather pouch for storage. This multi-tool can fit comfortably in your pockets and if you choose to, the pouch can hang on your belt. Cleaning and maintaining this Swiss Army multi-tool is easy as the instructions will be included.
Gold Armour Kitchen Cookware Organizer
You need all your utensils neatly and stored in one place, and this cookware organizer from Gold Armour is the perfect organizer to ensure your utensils are not all over the place.
This pouch has different compartments that will hold each of your utensils in place making sure they stay sturdy and don’t get scratched or worse, damaged in storage or on the move. This 8PCs set includes: scissors with bottle opener, utility knife, cutting board, spatula, bottle opener, tongs, ladle, rice paddle.
Made with tough woven cotton, this pouch protects your utensils from foreign elements, cleans easily and is dishwasher friendly. Its sleek design is engineered so that this organizer can fit comfortably fit in your backpack.
Bulin 13-Piece Lightweight Backpacking Cooking Set
This 13-piece cooking set from Bulin has everything you’ll need to make a meal on your backpacking trip. The set comes with two pots with lids, one frying pan, one kettle, 4 BPA -free bowls, 2 BPA Free plates, 1 BPA Free foldable soup spoon, one rice ladle, and one cleaning sponge all enough to prepare food for 2-4 persons.
The camping cookware mess kit is made of hard-anodized aluminum that provides fast heating, high temperature resistant, corrosion-resistant and is built to last. The set also features a safe, non-toxic aluminum with non-stick coating for easy cleaning. The pots have heat-resistant handles to keep your fingers safe from the heat.
The collapsible bundle design of the Bulin cooking set lets your compact camping mess kit nest together and save a lot of space in your backpack. The set is lightweight, making it easy to carry around.
MSR PocketRocket 2 Ultra light Backpacking Stove.
This MSR compact lightweight canister stove is the perfect cooking stove for the minimalist adventurer, global traveler and backpacker. It collapses to an exceptionally small size, barely noticeable in your backpack and folds out wide enough to accommodate a wide range of pot sizes and styles for all types of meal prep.
This compact stove is easy to set up and operate—no priming, preheating, pumping, or pressurizing is required—and boils one liter of water in just 3.5 minutes. It sports a wind clip that protects the flame for reliable performance in varying conditions and has a focused burner that pushes a persistent, solid flame for fast cooking. You can adjust the flame to control the temperatures for your cooking.
The MSR Ultra-light Stove is fueled by high-performance isobutene-propane fuel canister; self-sealing threaded canister fuel is available in most countries.
Khelif A & C Eco-Friendly Bamboo Backpacking Utensils Set.
If an eco-friendly cutlery set is what you are looking for, then this bamboo set from Khelif A&C is your best option. Made with 100% high-quality organic bamboo, that is non-toxic and odorless, these utensils are reusable and will last you a long while.
The set has six pieces of utensils, including two forks, two knives, two spoons. It also comes with a handmade cloth bag to store these utensils. The set is lightweight and compact, and will not occupy too much space in your backpack.
Light My Fire 8-Piece Meal Kit 2.0 Set
You’ve taken your time, prepared a nice meal and now it’s ready to be served, but where will you eat it from? This 8-piece Light My Fire Dinnerware Set has everything you’ll need at your mealtime.
The set includes a lid that can be used as a plate, a bowl, a snap box original, an oval snap box, a cup, a strainer that could double as a cutting board, a spork, and a harness. The snap boxes have tight-fitting, snap-lock lids to avoid the contents from licking.
The Pack-up-Cup expands to drink and collapses to a convenient carry size. All items feature BPA free materials, approved for use with food, are stain and odor resistant and are dishwasher and microwave safe.
Valtcan Titanium Chopsticks with Straw Set
Valtcan Titanium chopsticks and straw set provides the ideal solution for your everyday meals on the go. The set comes with reusable Valtcan Ti Chopsticks and 8 inch Straw that can double as a stirrer, all packed neatly in a carry pouch.
Made with 100% bio-compatible and non-corrosive titanium, the Valtcan titanium chopsticks are durable, stain-resistant, dishwasher safe, and built to last. The rounded design with squared ends gives you versatility and complete control over your chopsticks. The chopsticks are easy to clean.
How to Choose the Best Backpacking Utensils
To get the right utensil that will serve you best on your backpacking trip, you’ll need to consider the following;
Size and Weight
The size and weight of what you bring on your backpacking trip make a huge impact, and what you pack to prepare and have your meals is no exception. You need utensils that are either compact -or fold to compact size, to make maximum use of the limited space and are lightweight.
Material
The material making a utensil is very vital when trying to decide on which utensils to purchase and bring on your trip. To arrive at the best option, you have to ask yourself if the material is:
- Durable – You want utensils made out of material that can withstand the test of your travels, one that is resistant to the wear and tear that comes with using it in the outdoors or on the move. You want utensils that won’t break easily and will last you a long while, for instance titanium or aluminum
- Eco-Friendly – You want to get re-usable utensils that are made out of material like BPA- free plastic, organic wood or other material that does not harm the places you visit.
- Cleaning – You’ll want to get utensils that are easy to clean as you don’t want to waste precious travel time trying to get them clean.
Versatility
Given that you have limited space for your utensils, it’s wise to get those that have multiple uses to bring down the number of items you actually bring.
Getting uniquely designed utensils like a spork (spoon and a fork in one) or a 4-in one spoon-fork-knife-bottle openers combo will save you from carrying each of these items individually, saving you plenty of space in your backpack.
Value
You don’t have to spend your life savings to buy good backpacking utensils, but you do want to make sure that you get high-quality utensils that give you value for the money you choose to spend. Luckily, there are numerous options to choose from that are available at different price points.
FAQS
How Do You Clean Your Backpacking Utensils?
Depending on the material of the utensil you choose, most backpacking utensils are designed for easy cleaning and maintenance. You can either hand wash with bio-degradable dishwashing soap or use a dishwasher for those that are indicated to be dishwasher safe.
What Material is the Best for Backpacking Utensils?
When choosing utensils to carry on your backpacking trip, you should consider those that are made out of durable material, eco-friendly, easy to clean and ones that would alter the taste of your meals. The best backpacking utensils are either made of titanium, aluminum, BPA-free plastic or organic natural elements like bamboo.
How Do I Pack My Utensils?
To easily and safely pack your utensils, consider getting those that include a carry pouch or a travel bag. The last thing you want on your backpacking trip is having your knives and forks sticking out. If a pouch is not part of the set, you can purchase poaches where you can store all your kitchenware together.
Getting utensils for your backpacking trip can be a daunting experience, especially when you are bombarded with so many options and have no idea on what to look for. We hope this guide will help you get the best utensils making your mealtimes that much happier.
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