There are lots of things to think about whenever you are considering to get a backpacking tableware set. There are so many to choose from. A lot of outdoor companies are creating their own unique tableware and you may not have any idea on what item will be the most suitable for your needs. It is important that you get a good item or set of items so that you can enjoy your backpacking trip more. If you get something terrible or something you don’t like, you may end up wasting a lot of your money as well.
Types Of Backpacking Gear Related To Cooking And Food
Mess Kits
Mess kits can have cookware, tableware, lunch box, utensils and other important items all in one set. They are often cheaper than getting individual pieces. I highly recommend that beginners get a mess kit first at the start of their backpacking journey. Mess kits will often have some sort of nested design so that the user can save space. A mesh bag is often included with the mess kit so you can organize it and carry it easily as well. The whole mess kit will often be very lightweight. They are designed to be light so that backpackers will carry them or entice backpackers to get them.
Cookware
Most backpacking gear related to food will often have the ability to cook food. So they will often be a cookware. Backpacking cookware are often multipurpose and can be used in a variety of ways. For example, a pot can cook food but it can also be used as a bowl, can be used as a kettle as well, and can be used to carry water as well. Same thing with a backpacking pan, it can be used to fry food, can be used as a plate, and can be used as a bowl as well. Backpacking cookware are often multipurpose to save space and so that the backpacker can carry less weight.
Tableware / Dinnerware
You can also just get a tableware set. A tableware set will often have plate, spoon, fork, and knife, and some sort of cup. If you are not planning on cooking then a tableware set will be ideal. You can also get individual pieces. There are titanium backpacking plates that you can get that can also be used as a frying pan. Same thing with cups. You can get stainless steel cups that allow you to boil water with them. Just keep in mind that you cannot use the cup to drink your beverage since it will be hot and will burn your hands and burn your lips. A tableware set is ideal if someone else in your party is going to cook or you are not planning on cooking anything yourself.
Get A Set Of Tableware Or Individual Pieces
Set
If you are thinking of getting a set, it will definitely be a lot cheaper or less pricey. You are getting a lot of pieces for a specific price. This is great if you need a whole set or that you have no preference. You just want to enjoy eating your food and you don’t want to think about the tableware at all since you are not going to use the tableware all the time. A set will often be lighter and it will often be more compact. You can save more space in your backpacking by getting a set. You will have more pieces as well for the money that you have. You will often have everything you need to eat your food since a set of tableware will often have a plate, bowl, cup, spoon, fork, and knife.
Individual Pieces
Getting individual pieces will often cost you more. However, you can definitely be more specific and get high quality items. There are lots of times when I do not need all the items in a set. I only need a few pieces. There are times when it is better to get individual pieces. This way, I can get higher quality items. I can get a better plate or better bowl. I can get specific items that are more useful in my backpacking trip. There is also no guarantee that all the pieces in a set will have everything I want. I may want a bigger bowl and the set may not have it. Also, it is often better to get sporks rather than a set of utensils. I can choose the spork that I want. Getting individual pieces will allow you to choose the material, the size, the weight, and you can be more specific with each piece of tableware and be able to get them from different companies.
How To Choose The Material Of Your Tableware
Plastic
Plastic is one of the most common material that you will see when it comes to backpacking tableware. Plastic is very versatile and very durable. It is often very cheap or inexpensive. Plastic can also bend and become foldable which makes tableware made from this material very compact. Try to get something that is BPA free because BPA has been known to make you sick. You can also get disposable tableware that you can throw away but keep in mind that you should not litter on the trail. Try to leave as less of a footprint of yourself as possible. Keep the trails clean so that others can enjoy it as well.
Wood
Wood is not very popular but I kind of like it. I often bring chopsticks that are made out of wood. The wood that I get are often biodegradable but you still shouldn’t throw this type of tableware on the trail. Tableware with food will attract animals such as bears which can cause the animal to attack humans and be killed. Wood is pretty good. It is easy to carry, does not break easily and very lightweight as well. You can get them in a set or individual pieces. The tableware that are made out of wood that I found are often very inexpensive as well. They are made of bamboo and the pieces are of good quality.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is most likely my favorite material when it comes to backpacking gear. I have more stainless steel gear than any other material. Stainless steel is very durable. It will not get squished in a backpack. The tableware made out of stainless steel will also not break easily if it falls on the ground. You can also use the stainless steel plate or bowl as a cookware since this material conducts heat rather well. Just be sure not to touch it with your bare hands since it will be very hot. Stainless steal is also very scratch resistant and you can clean this material rather easily.
Titanium
Titanium is a very good material for backpacking. Titanium is one of the lightest material that you can get. It is also very durable. It is more durable than a lot of plastic, wood, and aluminum cookware. This material is also rust resistant and corrosion resistant. It is very safe and toxin free. One of the best materials that your tableware can be made out of. Titanium tableware is often more expensive. It is not as thick as stainless steel as well but it often lighter than stainless steel. Titanium conducts heat easily so most of the time, you can use the plate and bowl that is made out of this material as a cookware as well.
Hard Anodized Aluminum
Another common material is hard anodized aluminum. Most of the items that I found that are made out of this material are mess kits and cookware. Of course, the mess kits and cookware can also be used as a tableware. Hard anodized aluminum will often have some sort of coating like Teflon or ceramic to make the item non-stick. This often makes the item easy to cook with and very easy to clean. The food ingredients just falls out of the material. It prevents any particles from sticking to the mess kit, cookware or tableware. This material is very inexpensive as well. You will see a lot of mess kits, and backpacking cookware sets that are made out of this item.
Other Characteristics To Consider
Number Of Plates And Bowls
One of the things you need to take into account is the number of plates and bowls that you get. There will be sets with a lot of plates and no bowls, there will be sets with a lot of bowls and no plates, and there will sets with a mixture of both. You should check how many people are going to use the tableware as well. If you have a lover, or family, you may want a big set of tableware. But if you are just going to be backpacking solo then you should get a tableware without a lot of bowls and plates. You may even just get individual pieces rather than a set.
Multi-Purpose
Multi purpose in a sense that the tableware usable outside of backpacking. I mean if you are not going to go backpacking all the time, you should get something that can be used in your home or when you are at work as well. If you are not planning on backpacking a lot then make sure that the item is easy to clean and works well that you can use it at home or in other places. Maybe you can use the item as a lunch box, use it on the beach or on a picnic.
Spork Or Spoon, Fork And Knife Or Chopsticks
A spork is very useful since it will have all the things you need to enjoy your meal. You can just get two sporks rather than a set that includes spoon, fork and a knife. Sporks tend to be heavier though just by a few ounces. You can also just get a spoon or fork if you are concerned with weight. You can eat your food, cook or make coffee with a simple disposable spoon. You can just bring those disposable plastic flatware for backpacking if you don’t want to spend money on anything. I can buy fast food in my neighborhood and they will give me one of these spoons. You can also just bring chopsticks. Chopsticks are very cheap. You can get like 100 pieces for 5 dollars. At least, that is the price in my local Asian supermarket.
Lids
If you want a portable lunch box then you need to think about the lids. If you want to carry your food while backpacking or hiking then think about getting a tableware set with lids. You can use the tableware to bring food at work also if it comes with lids. Lids will make the bowls more multipurpose.
Insulation
If you want to bring hot food or cold beverage to your backpacking trip or day hike then you should think about insulated containers. Some are very lightweight that it is not a problem to carry them. This is if you really love food or coffee. You want to preserve the taste and texture of your food as much as possible.
Capacity Of The Bowl
There are many bowls that are on sale in the Internet. You should think about the capacity of the bowl. There are small bowls and big bowls. If you are planning on eating soup, cereal or whatever, then you should think about the capacity of the bowl. The bigger the bowl, the more room it will take on your backpack also. It will also have more weight.
Total Weight
If you are thinking of getting a set, you should think about the weight. Most sets are somewhat lightweight. If you are new to backpacking, you need to budget the weight very well. You should plan how much weight your tableware set is going to have. Planning the total weight is a great way to conserve energy and have more fun hiking. Keep in mind that if you are getting individual pieces, the weight does add up. You may end up with 5 pounds of tableware if you are not planning or looking at the weight at all.
Cups For Coffee And Beverage
Drinking coffee and other beverages on a bowl is just not very satisfying for some reason. If you love coffee and you just need to have it while backpacking then consider getting a cup for it. I want to remind everyone that you should not boil water and drink in the cup. This is a great way to burn your lips. Look for a cup with a lid if you want to enjoy your coffee for a long time. Not all cups will have lids. Some backpackers do not need a lid because they need to hike a lot of miles in the morning as well. Just something you should consider.