Quality Coolers are a Must Have

When I’m teaching outdoor cooking skills, I often get asked what are the essential items to get started? One of the must have pieces of camping equipment are a couple of good coolers. Cold foods should be kept below 40°F. So, unless you regularly camp in temperatures below 40°F, you need to have good coolers. And the higher the temperatures, the better the coolers need to be.

Coolers are one place where you want to spend the money and opt for the highest quality you can afford. You want rugged, hard-shell, well insulated coolers with tight seals. Lockable ones are even better. Trust me, most raccoons are pretty smart. You want coolers that will keep your foods cold at least 4-6 days. This will get you easily through a long weekend. If you like to take longer trips, there are more options.

I advocate for multiple, smaller coolers as opposed to one big cooler. Smaller coolers are easier to lift and pack into your vehicle. Packing the vehicle is always a game of Tetris, isn’t it?

Smaller coolers allow you to separate your foods by type, i.e., all your proteins in one, all your fresh produce in another, all your cold beverages in another, etc., or you can separate by meal so that the Sunday morning breakfast cooler doesn’t need to ever be opened until Sunday morning.

The best brands on the market today include Yeti, Orca, RTIC, Engel, Xspec, OtterBox, Cabela, Igloo, and Coleman. There are more brands but the ones I mentioned consistently get high marks from hard core campers. Each of these lines have multiple models with varying features to fit your needs. Figure out how and where you like to camp and what’s important to you.

Even if you’re just a weekend camper, go for something that will keep foods cold (below 40°F) at least 4-6 days. This will ensure that even on a long weekend, your foods will still be cold by the end of the trip and the return back home where anything that did not get eaten can be safely returned to the refrigerator.

If you live in bear country, you might want to check out coolers with IGBC certification. Yes, that’s a thing. A certification from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee verifies that the product in question has been tested by said committee and meets minimum standards for design and structural standards that are considered “bear-resistant” by a team of grizzly bear experts. The IGBC specifically states that this does not mean the product in question can’t be opened or destroyed by a bear, nor does it mean the product is leakproof. With that said, even the minimum construction standards required to deter a hungry 900 lb grizzly lend a lot of credibility to the durability of a product.

Do your research. Quality coolers are a good investment and, once you’ve made your purchase, treat your cooler as just that: an investment. Store it in a safe place, clean it out after every trip, take good care of it, and it will last a long, long time. A quality cooler will keep your foods safe and cold, and that includes your beer because after a long hike who wants a warm beer on a hot day?!

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Unpacking Your Gear

We tend to talk a lot about how to pack for a camping trip; however, unpacking after a camping trip is just as important. Unpacking your gear properly, can make packing for the next trip fast, easy, and hassle-free. It will also help your gear last longer because this is a valuable part of caring for gear.

The challenge is: we’re tired from the amazing weekend we just had and all we want to do is take a hot shower and plop on the sofa or in our favorite easy chair. But unpacking does not have to be a chore. Here are a few, simple tips for making it quick and easy, starting in camp.

Pack for Unpacking
In camp, wash your pots and pans, and put them back in your chuckbox clean, dry, and organized so you don’t have to wash them when you get home. There is a chance that you might forget and the next time you get to camp, you might find all manner of nasty molds and stuff.

Pack it Right, the First Time
Again, in camp, take the time to pack it right. Whether you’re rolling your sleeping bag or taking down your tent, take the time and the care to do it right. This will save time when you get home because you won’t have to redo it so you can put it away.

When in Doubt, Air it Out
When you get home, if you know or suspect any of your gear is wet or even damp, pull it out and let it dry before you pack it away. Pull out your sleeping bag and hang it. Set up your tent outside on the lawn or inside the garage or house and let it dry while you unpack the car and stow all your other gear. Otherwise, you’re risking mildew and mold.

Clean and Dry
Take the time to clean and dry items before you put them away. Empty your cooler, rinse it out, and wipe it down with disinfectant so it’s clean and sanitary for the next trip.

Everything in its Place
Have a spot for your backpack, tent, sleeping bag, cooler, food tote, etc. When you know where everything belongs, it makes it easier to put away and easier to pull out for the next campout.

Don’t Unpack EVERYTHING
Some items can just “live” in your backpack, food tote or gear box and don’t need to unpacked. Things like your first-aid kit, flashlight, work gloves, etc. can stay in your backpack. Things like salt and pepper, food handling gloves, resealable bags, etc. can stay in your food tote. Things like extra tent stakes, mallet, lantern, etc. can stay in your gear box. Things that always go can stay packed where they belong.

Segregate Gear
Have separate compartments or sections for items that stay packed and items that don’t so you can quickly unpack the items that need to be unpacked.

Restock
As you’re unpacking, check consumables like batteries, baby wipes, salt and pepper, first-aid supplies, etc. and replenish right then or make a note to purchase and replenish before your next trip. This is also a perfect time to reflect on the trip and add items to the list that you wished you had. If this is the last trip of the season, you’ll want to remove things like batteries that might go bad or won’t winter well.

Trash Your Trash
Make sure to throw away or recycle all unwanted items. If something broke or just wore out on the trip, make a note to replace or repair it before the next trip.

Just Do It
Unpacking needs to be done and now is the time to do it. You have to unload it from the car anyway, you might as well do it right so it’s all ready to go for the next trip. You’ll feel better and will be able to truly relax in that easy-chair.

Make it Fun
Turn on some music, crack open a cold beverage, have a plate of snacks handy, and use this time to reflect on the weekend. You could even be looking ahead to your next trip.

When everything has been cleaned, dried, restocked, and put away, you can hit the shower, kick up your feet, and watch some TV or pick up that game controller for some well deserved couch-potato time.

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Ramping Up for Camping!

Are you ready to go camping? Now is a good time to head to the basement or garage or where ever you store your camping equipment, and take inventory.

Take a good look at what you have, what you need, and what you want for your adventures. Check things like work tables, utensils, pots and pans, mess kits, shelters. Is it all in good shape or does something need to be repaired or replaced? Is it time for a new set of tent stakes? Now’s the time to replenish those non-perishable supplies.

Examine Fabrics

While you’re checking your tents and sleeping bags for broken zippers, split seams, etc., remember to check your cook shelter, dish towels, wash cloths, and oven mitts. Check for rodent damage. Mice just love fabrics for cozy winter nests. It’s not a pleasant discovery but it’s better to find out now than when you’re ready to leave for that long awaited camping trip.

Check Equipment

Fire up your camp stove, lanterns, BBQ, etc. to be sure that insects haven’t decided to make a home in the tubes or burners over the winter. Check your propane and charcoal supplies. Inspect all your cast iron. If you didn’t use it over the winter, did it winter okay? Is the seasoning still good?

This is also a good time to check all your flashlights, lanterns, etc. to be sure they’re in good working order and that you have a good supply of mantles, replacement batteries, etc. Have you ever arrived at a campsite after dark only to discover that your lantern batteries are dead? I also like to make sure I have a good supply of citronella candles to keep bugs out of my camp kitchen.

Plan Ahead

Take a look at your calendar. Are there any trips that you’re taking where you might need some special equipment? A backpacking trip? Bike trip? Fishing trip? Plan and shop ahead. Take your time and make pre-season planning an enjoyable part of your camping experience.

Now let’s get outside!