When it comes to cooking outdoors, you probably don’t want to use your nice pots and pans on an open fire. Who knows if they will get dented or scolded under the high heats of the fire, not to mention they may get lost along your travels. What to use then? You can try to use foil as a pan, but that will only get you so far. If you want a serious meal while you are camping, you should probably invest in some cookware that is built for the purpose
There are primarily two types. You can either buy cheap pots and pans that will survive a few camping trips, but aren’t going to be the best to cook with or of the highest quality. The other option is spending some more significant scratch and picking up some high quality pots and pans.
The Coleman Aluminum mess kit comes with an eight ounce cup, a six inch deep dish plate, a 7.5 inch frying pan and a 16 ounce pot. For easy transport, they all stack and fit together as to not take up too much space in your pack, car, trailer or RV. Some criticisms with reviews are that the handles are not strong enough and bend under too much weight. The other criticism is that the handles get too hot, which is never a nice surprise. Kits like this also tend to be more difficult to clean.
Texsport Black Ice The Scouter Hard Anodized Cook Set
The other option comes from more durable sources, such as this set from Texsport. The Scouter Black Ice Anodized Cook Set retails for about three times that of the cheap aluminum sets, but has much higher reviews from its users and is much more durable than its aluminum competitors. Its also better suited for high temperatures. It is these reasons that make it much more popular with users, along with having higher ratings. It has a seven inch frying pan, a one quart pot, and a one and a half quart pot. There aren’t as many pieces as the Coleman set, but it’s much higher quality and has stay cool handles. These are also non-stick, making them much easier to clean.
A Classic: The Dutch Oven
A dutch oven is basically a cast iron pan that has been considered the “must have” for cooking over a fire for many generations. While dutch ovens are very heavy to tote around (not for the backpacker or hiker!) – they do provide a ton of different options for cooking! We like the Lodge Logic 8-Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Camp Dutch Oven as shown here but there are also countless different types of cast iron pans that might better suit your needs. They make for great cooking over the fire!
There are lots of different choices out there, so, depending on what you want, you can decide which set is better for your needs. If it’s a one time use, you may as well go for the cheaper units and just keep in mind to be careful with the heat. If you plan on using your cooking set for a long period of time, the extra money is worth the ease of cleaning and the ease of use concerning heat. Both will be sure to help you prepare better meals than aluminum foil, though!
You may also want to check out our posts on Camping Kitchen Boxes for some ideas on storing your pots and pans!
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With a weight capacity of 800 lbs, this is a chair meant for heavy duty use and you won’t have to worry about it breaking. It measures 38 x 38 x 20 inches and folds easily into 7-by-41-inch shoulder bag. Double cup holders gives you an extra place to store items.
Another option is the Big Daddy Camp Chair, which comes in a variety of colors and can be had for less than $20 online. It supports up to 350 pounds, yet is lightweight and portable. The width of the seat is 24 inches, and it’s about the same distance from the ground. It has a 22 inch backrest, and only weighs 7.5 pounds. It can be fit into a small polyester bag for easy transport and is a really comfortable seat. And it has cupholders too 
is a good option to consider and includes a footrest into the design of the frame. It also includes cup holders in the armrests, so you can get really cozy here in this chair. The chair has a powder coated steel frame that is built to support up to 225 pounds. The fabric is a thick polyester, and the chair weighs just 10 pounds and can be fit into a nylon bag. At $50, the ALPS Mountian Escape chair is quite a bit more expensive chairs without foot rests, but the addition of the footrest frame helps explain this. As comfortable as a recliner at home, but portable! 
can really make you feel like you are at home. The chair comes complete with an insulated cup holder and a reclining back. The footrest is a tripod design that is mobile, which makes it easy to customize where you want your foot to rest and will work for those that are either too tall or short for a fixed position footrest. This come at a higher price at about $100, but it is the top dog when it comes to camping chairs with a footrest… Or in this case, a miniature ottoman!
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This seat cushion operates on rechargeable lithium ion batteries which means you can take it anywhere you go, and also be comforted in knowing the batteries can be recharged. It is not any more expensive than what you would pay for a regular electric blanket. While this cushion is not a blanket, it could certainly be great for something to sit on or to have below your sleeping bag to sleep on. 
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There are also a number of blankets available that can be charged in a car. This TradeMark Global blanket, 
is powered by plugging it into the 12 volt outlet in your car, much as the same way you would charge your cell phone. It offers as 12-volt, battery operated electric blanket that is perfect for traveling in cold weather or emergencies. It is made from 100% polyester-fleece and the temperature can be controlled to be warmer or cooler. While if you are camping in a tent, you’ll have to figure out a way to charge it in your car, it can still be a good addition for your camping gear or to have in the car for roadside emergencies.
, which has Coleman’s InstaStart Technology. For less than $70, you can have a heater that can be used in a tent and offers flameless heat. The Coleman runs off of propane, and one single 16.4 ounce can will heat a space for about seven hours. It has varying temperatures, weighs only four pounds and comes with a five year warranty. This is a good heater for the price, though it is important to be safe while using it in a tent.
may be a better choice to consider. This heater is also 100% electric free, and can be used as portable or wall mounted. There is also a safety shut-off valve to prevent accidental non-ignition fuel discharge.
produces heat at a 45 degree angle and can heat a space of up to 100 square feet. This seems a bit optimistic, but you can assume your four person tent will be warm enough. Although it is at a low cost, the downside is that there is only an on or off button, with no temperature settings. This may lead to a tent that is too warm, which while some argue that’s never a bad thing, may be a problem for many.
