Chuck Box anyone?

[Dagger]

Just came back from a 3 day camping trip with my wife and daughter. Great times as always, but also the same frustration with my cooking setup as always. Kitchen packs or duffels, no matter how fancy, all seem to have the same problem. Whatever one needs is at the bottom of the bag. Even if it was just on top a second ago, by the time you reach for it it will have made it's way back to the bottom somehow... I tried plastic boxes (hard to carry, flimsy, cracking lids). The same organizational issue applies, whatever one needs is at the bottom again. Even clear plastic boxes only help marginally as they let you see where at the bottom the desired item momentarily resides. So. I have been looking at designs or ready to purchase chuck boxes or kitchen boxes. The blue (plastic) one would fit the bill nicely I think, but they are no longer made, and used ones are pretty $$$. The metal one looks great, but the Outdoorbasics.com website does not seem to exist.

What do you guys use for organizing your cooking or cooking area?

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

My rule is: it has to fit in the pack and it must be soft-sided. My kitchen stuff is spread over several bags (food, stove, cook set). I guess I'm in the 'unorganized' camp.

 

[clemency]

Wannigan?

http://nwwoodsman.com/Articles/Wannigan.html

 

[Dagger]

Wannigan?

http://nwwoodsman.com/Articles/Wannigan.html

You wouldn't be suggesting this if you had seen examples of my wood working skills...;-)
I was hoping for something I can buy ready made. I know there are wannigans out there to buy, but they are out of my price range.

 

[clemency]

You wouldn't be suggesting this if you had seen examples of my wood working skills...;-)
I was hoping for something I can buy ready made. I know there are wannigans out there to buy, but they are out of my price range.

Can't be much worse than mine. This is a super easy project. And cheap, so why not give it a try? Increasing your skillset is always a good thing.

 

[yellowcanoe]

NRS Boulder Box or the Canyon Box
The York Box is back
Makes a great seat or table too. Seals well but I have not thrown mine in the river
Stuff stays organized better than in a blue barrel

 

[Alan Gage]

Stuff stays organized better than in a blue barrel

You probably knew this but CCS sells barrel bags designed to fit them. 3 bags fills a barrel with some room left over for pots toilet paper, or other misc. on top or the sides. I use 3 different colored bags. One for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks mixed throughout. The zip-lock or two of snacks I'm currently eating are loose in the barrel but easy to find because everything else is in the CCS bags. So if it's time to pull over for a snack just pop the lid and grab the loose bags of snacks. If it's time for dinner just pull out the red bag and everything you need for food is there. Repack that night with the yellow (breakfast) bag on top so you'll be ready to go in the AM. Can't imagine trying to use a barrel with everything loose inside.

http://www.shop.cookecustomsewing.com/category.sc?categoryId=26

Alan

 

[wgiles]

Have you looked at the Plano Sportsman's Trunks?

http://www.planomolding.com/hunting/accessory-cases/sportsman-s-trunks

There are three sizes, the two smaller ones being good for canoeing and storing of gear. Walmart carries them, but not always all of them. I have a couple of the small and medium boxes, which fit well in my canoe. I also have one of the larger ones, which I use for storing gear. I don't depend on them to be water tight, but they seem to keep the weather and most critters out.

 

[yellowcanoe]

You probably knew this but CCS sells barrel bags designed to fit them. 3 bags fills a barrel with some room left over for pots toilet paper, or other misc. on top or the sides. I use 3 different colored bags. One for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with snacks mixed throughout. The zip-lock or two of snacks I'm currently eating are loose in the barrel but easy to find because everything else is in the CCS bags. So if it's time to pull over for a snack just pop the lid and grab the loose bags of snacks. If it's time for dinner just pull out the red bag and everything you need for food is there. Repack that night with the yellow (breakfast) bag on top so you'll be ready to go in the AM. Can't imagine trying to use a barrel with everything loose inside.

http://www.shop.cookecustomsewing.com/category.sc?categoryId=26

Alan

I like the shape of a box better than a circle as the circle leads to too much unused space
That is on river trips the York Box is far more useful
On portage trips my Ostrom harness makes the barrel comfortable
I have nylon bags sometimes I want to organize by breakfast snack dinner and beverage. However the heavy bag always sinks. Many of my trips allow cans luckily
It's hard to dehydrate lobster, clams and mussels but they do come in cans
The sink factor in the York Box not so exaggerated

 

[sweeper]

I've never found a 'Chuck type Box' that I liked. I once bought an NRS 149 liter Kitchen Bag but that's headed for C-list.

We have settled on a blue barrel.

 

[Iskweo]

I use the bag system inside of a barrel too. I got rid of the 60 li barrel and use a 30 now, two if I need them. The bags I use are the canvas type that you get now for reusable shopping bags. Much stronger and washable too.I am toying with the idea of using a smallish pouch to hold all of my condiments and utensils. I already have a canvas roll for the utensils but having things in one place makes it simpler.

 

[Bioguide]

No Title

I have this Beaver Tree Camp Kitchen but only use it family camping. It fits in my Old Town Penobscot 16' just fine, holds a lot of kitchen gear, and it's organized. The removable lid doubles as a wash/sink basin. It will store everything you seen in the photo an more.

 

[Doc.]

No Title

I know I represent a different paddling culture but I thought you might be interested in a gander at my kitchen. I almost always paddle solo but when I do paddle with others we each do our own cooking so I always use this same kit. The kit includes a stainless steel paint scraper used as spatula and mouth shovel, two military cups (just replaced a worn out one with the shiny one), a stainless steel cup lid (I made) that doubles as a fry pan, a stainless steel grill top stove usually used with a wood fire but sometimes used with the double alcohol burner, and a canteen. The canteen is supplemented with a nalgene bottle. I usually boil water but sometimes use purification tabs. The food bag contains rice, pasta, potato buds, dehydrated sauces, powdered eggs, oatmeal, coffee, sausage sticks, a couple of spices/seasonings, oil, and bullion cubes. Supplemented with wild edibles, fish, and maybe a rabbit/squirrel if I'm lucky, I can eat well for a good six days. Just thought you might be interested.

 

[Grandpa Paddler]

I'm in the blue barrel camp. 1 for shorter trips (3-4 days) 2 for longer trips. I organize (sort of) with labeled qt. & gal. ziplocks for food stuff. I normaly take 2 stoves, waaay toooo much fuel and lots of cooking gear. Weather determines what size dry bag I use for clothes, sleeping bag, tarp and hammock. Since most of my tripping is river centered, I'm not overly concerned about weight and volume as long as if fits in the canoe.

Jon

 

[Canotrouge]

I made a Wanigan last year as a kitchen box, and I would never trip w/o it. It is my favorite canoe tripping gear. Cheap to make, easy to make, and makes life so much easier in camp. I want to make an other one for food!

 

[Dagger]

Thank you all!
Lots of great ideas to sink my teeth in.

 

[bcelect]

These are nice but he charges a pretty penny for his. He has a video on how to make them. He sell the plans to make them, you would need a heater to warm the joints but is is pretty neat.

 

[latremorej]

No Title

Wannigan here too but since you say no to wood working I won't go into a whole lot of detail....

This box holds my whole kitchen which includes 2 1lb propane tanks with 2 walmart burners, MSR 4 person cook set with mugs and bowls, an extra gsi one person cook set, MSR pocket rocket with large canister, tongs, spatula, large serving spoon, stick lighter, 6oz veg oil, 6 oz olive oil, and 16lbs of food (3 people for 5 days this time)

Since it is essentially a big box, the "everything is on the bottom" still happens to me too. However, since it is a wide box, it's much easier to find things. And the lid straps on sideways to act as a table and food prep/serving area and still gives acess to the contents inside

 

[yellowcanoe]

I think wannigans are cool for River travel. They don't roll around and are perfect seating height
Anyone who has sat on a blue barrel ( i.e. The toilets in La verendrye) knows the woes of ring around the butt
I saw kids portaging wannigans in Temagami. Way too much weight for them and they were struggling

 

[Pbutkovich]

I also use the blue barrel. Bag idea sounds good because I hate having to dig for stuff. I cut and attached a piece of foam exercise mat to the top to make it a more comfortable seat.