Trail Talk: Do You Need A Complete Mess Kit?

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Some people will say yes, some people will say no. It depends on where you are camping or hiking, how long you are planning on being out on the trail and the type of food you are planning on cooking. I bought a couple of different mess kits just to see what was out there and ended up keeping two of them. Against everyone's advice I went with a flattop griddle that has a wire rack in the bottom of it that can be popped out to do conventional grilling on. I like plates or dishes with compartments, especially when I am camping or hiking. If I lose my balance most of the time the food will stay on or inside it and I won't end up wasting food. Having one or two metal containers that you can boil water in is a perk but you can always use a metal can from vegetables providing there's no rust and it is completely cleaned out. Flatware can be a problem; sporks can only do so much so investing in a metal spork might not be the best way to go. I have melamine chopsticks that I use because they are so versatile and they are easy to clean. Most metal flatware is easily lost and the plastic stuff breaks way too easily. Buying a separate flatware kit (fork, knife, spoon) that is in a plastic or metal container that you keep in a dedicated pocket in your pack will ensure that you will always have a way to consume food without looking like a caveman. If you are camping or hiking alone then the burden of carrying a mess kit is all on you; if you think you can do without certain things then leave them home but think long and hard about whether a metal cup or frying pan is going to be helpful or not for your specific needs. Clean up also needs to be taken into consideration, even more so if you are planning on cooking fish or anything that could end up sticking to the pan or pot.