Car-Camping Cooking Gear That Lets You Eat Well Deep in the Backcountry

Oftentimes, cooking in the outdoors is relegated to freeze-dried food and dehydrated dinners that aren’t very satisfying to the discerning diner. That’s where having a 4×4 rig for your overlanding travels shines, because you can pack it with a ton of great kitchen gear and quality groceries. Most capable overlanding setups should have plenty of room for car camping cooking gear so whipping up delicious campsite meals is a breeze.

Though tramping into the backcountry with a vehicle means not having to scrimp on weight or size (within reason), it’s still important to select car camping cooking gear that’s tough and compact enough to survive rough and tumble off-road adventures. We picked some of the latest and greatest camping cooking gear to be sure your next meals in the wilderness are a well-appointed affair.

Car-Camping Cooking Gear That Lets You Eat Well Deep in the Backcountry

1. SylvanSport Dine O Mite

This fast-to-fold cook station includes a sturdy bamboo countertop with removable windscreen, plus four zippered, hard-bottom cubby shelves and stash pockets on the sides.

[$220; sylvansport.com]

2. Camp Chef Mountaineer Stove 

Camp Chef’s lightweight aluminum stove beats basic Colemans with two 20,000-Btu burners across a huge cooking area. Appliance-like controls allow fine flame mastery, and optional legs civilize primitive camping.

[$395; campchef.com]

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3. Finex Cast Iron Dutch Oven

A contemporary take on the classic Dutch oven, this beauty is octagonal for easier pouring of soups and stews, while the stay-cool stainless steel, springlike handles make it painless to wow your crew with hot cobbler. [$300; finexusa.com]

4. Ledlenser ML6 Connect

LED lanterns sip electricity, but often glow a sickly white. But this app-controllable lantern emits a comforting  muted-yellow light, and is simple to position with integrated rubber hook and magnet.

[$120; ledlenserusa.com]

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5. Ignik Gas Growler Deluxe

Ditch expensive 1-pound green propane bottles; they cost about the same as topping off Ignik’s 5-pounder, plus you’re legally allowed to transport it in a vehicle once refilled, unlike the ubiquitous (and hard-to-recycle) greenies.

[$150; ignik.com]

6. Dometic CFX3 25

Electric coolers are key for extended trips. Thisnew WiFi-enabled, 25-liter cooler cuts the usual bulk with a small footprint (2 square feet) that still has an interior roomy enough for a few days’ worth of bacon, eggs, milk, and more bacon.

[$840; dometic.com]

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7. Blue Ridge Overland Gear Cooking Kit Bag & Utensils Bundle

This clever clamshell kit mounts simply and comes with silicone serving and cooking essentials. Two modular, zippered pouches store smaller stuffables.

[$97; blueridgeoverlandgear.com]

8. GCI Outdoor Comfort Pro Chair

The cook scores the best seat—in this case it’s GCI’s strong, lightweight chair, which unfolds in one motion so there’s no fumbling with cords or the confusing setups of smaller packing options.

[$40; gcioutdoor.com]