Fitness
How to Build the Ultimate Car Camping Kitchen
This article was produced in partnership with Dometic
One of the best parts of car camping is the ability to haul the necessary gear to make gourmet meals in the middle of nowhere. You don’t have to cram everything into a pack then schlep it into the wilderness. And there’s no need to forgo your favorite food for dehydrated grub—or measure out oil and spices to liven up backcountry meals.
Of course you still have to be choosey, since the ultimate car camping kitchen can comprise some heavy, space-consuming items (e.g. a stove, grill, pots, pans, utensils, pantry staples, water). We’ve made a blueprint so you can maximize what you can bring while minimizing the space it takes in your vehicle.
Creating a Camp Kitchen
Putting together the backbone of your kitchen—the stuff you actually cook in and eat out of—used to mean a bit of foraging through old utensils and pots that should really be retired. But nowadays, there are lots of turnkey options for creating a great cooking station in the outdoors that’s light, durable, and efficient.
First off, it’s good to have some storage options lined up to pack away all of your various pieces of cookery. For that, go for Dometic’s new line of storage solutions. Soft-storage containers come in two sizes: 20 liter ($100) or 10 liter ($60). These handy little cubes are tough, as well as being ideal for storing lots of gear since they’re made from water-resistant, rugged thermoplastic-coated polyester, which gives them a semi-rigid structure that can collapse down. Add in the slip-in insulated totes—GO Pac Insulated 20L ($50) and 10L ($40)—and your storage transforms into a cooler. The 50-liter GO Hard Storage ($150) will also be available soon.
For covering the nuts and bolts of a camp kitchen, we like the Decked x Pathfinder Campfire Cooking Kit ($475), a collab between Decked, which makes the ultimate pickup bed drawer system (and a cool new tool box), and The Pathfinder School, a survival resource and outdoor gear company founded by noted survivalist Dave Canterbury. This all-in-one system gives you a ton of great-quality cookware to handle up to four campers.
Some highlights include: 120- and 64-ounce pots with lids and spouts, a folding skillet, four bowls and plates, four camp cups with lids, four sporks, and camp tongs which split apart to become a small ladle and spatula. All of this is made from single-wall, high-grade stainless steel so you can cook on a stove or open fire. And the best part is it all nests neatly and fits into the included Decked D-Bag ($200).
Being able to bring along a nice knife and large cutting board is another perk of packing a full-featured backcountry overlanding kitchen. OXO, which makes some of the most reliable kitchen utensils, just came out with a new line of kitchen essentials for the outdoors. And two of the best options are the Santoku Knife ($20) and Steady Surface Cutting Board ($13).
With the knife, you get a 5.5-inch stainless steel blade configured in the popular santoku blade style, great for chopping and slicing. A locking sheath keeps the edge (and your hands) safe when tossed in storage and the non-slip handle helps grip the knife securely, even when wet. Add in the BPA-free plastic cutting board, with handy non-slip feet and built-in drip channel featuring corners with reliefs for pouring, and you’ll be well on your way to gastronomic bliss in the backcountry.
Another camp kitchen essential is a clean-up kit. Sure, you could just assemble one from the random bits in the cabinet under your kitchen sink, but why not get something that’s super useful but also small and compact? The new Sea to Summit Camp Kitchen Clean-Up Kit ($40) definitely fits that bill as it gives you a 10-liter kitchen sink (that packs up tiny); a soap bottle that clips into a handy pot scrubber for better grip; a double-sided washcloth; and super-absorbent, fast-drying kitchen towel. All of that comes stored in a small, convenient zippered case with a total weight of 9.5 ounces.
Indulge in Backcountry Luxuries
Bringing along efficient, packable, high-performing kitchen gear is satisfying, but to really indulge in the luxury of car camping it’s important to pack some stuff that can really transform your culinary expectations in the wild. One piece of cookware no serious car camper should be without is either a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, which are perfect for sizzling up some bacon over an early-morning fire or slow-baking cobbler in the coals after the dishes are done.
Check out the two-person team at Borough Furnace in the Finger Lakes region of New York for some minimalist, rugged cast iron creations like the Seasoned Dutch Oven ($240) or Frying Skillet ($300). Handmade in small batches, either of these cast iron beauties will be an excellent addition to your camp kitchen. The company is also the only brand in America to make a cast iron pot with a porcelain enamel coating (see: Enameled Dutch Oven; $280), à la Le Creuset, so if you have the means, spring for that.
Another car camping kitchen essential is an electric cooler. With Dometic CFX3 25 ($900), gone are the days of messing with rapidly melting ice that turns chilled food into a soggy mess. This pint-sized powerhouse is the perfect companion for a car filled with outdoor gear, since it’s only 22 in x 16 in x 13 in and weighs 28 pounds. The 25-liter interior will hold 33 12-ounce cans, though we suggest filling it up with perishable food and regulating your beverages to a traditional cooler with ice so nothing gets water-logged or affected by fluctuating temps.
The CXF3 25 is also tough with a beefy frame and aluminum handles. An easy-to-read, black-on-white LCD display and available smartphone app make operation and monitoring the little fridge a breeze. You can also tote along an independent battery source like the Dometic PLB40 to keep it powered up and off your vehicle’s battery when out adventuring.
Running water is a luxury you don’t get in the wilderness, unless you’re in a pimped-out RV or stay in a developed campground. Dometic’s new GO Hydration Water Faucet ($100) is a game changer.
Compatible with any water container—though we suggest the Dometic GO Water Hydration Jug ($70) for its quick-connect spigot, comfy webbing handles, and two openings for easy accessory attachment and cleaning—the faucet uses a long-lasting battery that gives it the juice to pump water quickly. It also provides a night light for aprés campfire toothbrushing. A puck base and magnetic base allow for multiple mounting options around your campsite to maximize utility.
One last luxury that can come in handy at campsites is a foldable fire pit/grill like the Front Runner Box Braai/BBQ Grill ($222). Some sites don’t allow fires if they’re touching the ground. That’s where a flat-pack grill like the Box Braai shines. Made from stainless steel, the quick-to-setup grill gives you plenty of cooking surface to satisfy a large group and comes with a base that keeps it upright along with catching any errant embers.
With a multitude of awesome options out there, bringing your culinary prowess to the backcountry in the trunk of your car or bed of your truck is easier than ever, it’s just a matter of picking out the best gear.
Shop Dometic’s new GO line here.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
