Advice on Kitchen set up

[C&D Dowdall]

Good afternoon OB community,
Trying to figure out how to beat outfit our Wrangler with a beginner kitchen. We have a lot of equipment from doing backcountry camping but need some advice on what to start with.

 

[Sandpoint Steve]

Just like backpacking, making things efficient is still important. When I was building out my 4Runner, if it didn’t add capability or make things easier, it can go to the bottom of the list. I made my kitchen module to fit behind the rear seat. This allows me to use the 4Runner as a daily driver and use all the seating intact. At the same time, all the camping gear is in the truck. For an overlanding trip, I add food to the frig and my bag of clothes and I’m ready.
For my kitchen I wanted space for the stove, frig and storage. Soooo original I know. Things I would change. My frig is 35qt I could easily do the 20qt. i have done a 2week trip with my daughter and the 35 was larger than we needed. I made mine out of plywood because that is what I knew. My next design will be from an 80-20 style To save weight.
here is what I came up with. Over all,it works very well.

 

[Derbydude]

Good afternoon OB community,
Trying to figure out how to beat outfit our Wrangler with a beginner kitchen. We have a lot of equipment from doing backcountry camping but need some advice on what to start with.

I built this out of walnut plywood and it’s great having all your gear already to go. Take your time and plan out what you think you’ll need and build around that. Have fun out there

 

[Biker Eagle]

very simple amateurish plywood build. The tailgate table is most excellent. There are severable different ones available for the Wrangler and at good prices. Only option for the GX is high quality but spendy. We use a single burner Cook Partner stove to conserve space but a backpacker Pocket Rocket stove would take even less space. Here again, we use a 5lb propane tank vs. a 20lb to save space. Gas One makes a single burner stove close in size to the Cook Partner but at a fraction of the cost.

 

[North American Sojourner]

Just like backpacking, making things efficient is still important. When I was building out my 4Runner, if it didn’t add capability or make things easier, it can go to the bottom of the list. I made my kitchen module to fit behind the rear seat. This allows me to use the 4Runner as a daily driver and use all the seating intact. At the same time, all the camping gear is in the truck. For an overlanding trip, I add food to the frig and my bag of clothes and I’m ready.
For my kitchen I wanted space for the stove, frig and storage. Soooo original I know. Things I would change. My frig is 35qt I could easily do the 20qt. i have done a 2week trip with my daughter and the 35 was larger than we needed. I made mine out of plywood because that is what I knew. My next design will be from an 80-20 style To save weight.
here is what I came up with. Over all,it works very well.
View attachment 221708

That stove is EPIC!
Zim

 

[reaver]

It's all about finding what you really need, and the only way to do that is to get out there.

It took me two years to get my Xterra setup in a way that was somewhat efficient. It's also setup primarily for being solo (ie, no family with me), whereas my trailer I'm building is setup for the entire family.

For example, this is what I currently have in the X:

Kitchen is the drivers side drawer (though I may switch that to the passenger side drawer).

Fridge is on a diy tilt slide on the driver's side of the platform. In the drawer, is my gas one dual fuel single burner stove. I don't even take the stove out to cook. Just open the drawer, hook up my 5lb tank (or use butane), and get cooking.

The other drawer contains a family sized cook set, utensils, dishes, cleaning stuff, etc.

I'll be switching to a smaller cook set for solo trips this year, as I really don't need the big family set for just myself. Just a pot for things like soup, and a frying pan. Also a collapsible kettle for boiling water for coffee.

 

[grubworm]

i ended up making my own custom decked system in my tundra, but the wife has a wrangler and being small, we use a tool tote and put all our cook stuff in it and then take it out and wheel it where we want it...picnic table. etc. the handle slides out and can handle a piece of plywood to hold the stove while the tote lid is open for access to other cook gear. works great, is cheap, and very versatile.

Husky 26 in. Connect Rolling Tool Box Black 228224 - The Home Depot

Heavy duty metal latches, this Husky Connect Mobile Tool Box Black provides a unique way of organizing your tools and parts.

www.homedepot.com

 

[C&D Dowdall]

Just like backpacking, making things efficient is still important. When I was building out my 4Runner, if it didn’t add capability or make things easier, it can go to the bottom of the list. I made my kitchen module to fit behind the rear seat. This allows me to use the 4Runner as a daily driver and use all the seating intact. At the same time, all the camping gear is in the truck. For an overlanding trip, I add food to the frig and my bag of clothes and I’m ready.
For my kitchen I wanted space for the stove, frig and storage. Soooo original I know. Things I would change. My frig is 35qt I could easily do the 20qt. i have done a 2week trip with my daughter and the 35 was larger than we needed. I made mine out of plywood because that is what I knew. My next design will be from an 80-20 style To save weight.
here is what I came up with. Over all,it works very well.
View attachment 221708

That looks amazing. What do you use to power the fridge when you are in camp? Is there a particular one that is recommended?

 

[Ragman]

We have a Wrangler Unlimited as well as a full size PU so we move things back and forth depending on the trip, thus no built ins. For us we use a chuck box (old Dosko) for most of the cooking stuff which works very well but in the JKU does take up some space. We have also used a 42L Alu-box to carry smaller kitchen set up (Firebox with add on butane/propane burner and fire grate) that would be a bit more than your backpacking gear and a lot less than a proper camping stove set up. I guess it depends on how much of an upgrade you would like to make vs the backpacking and and if you can leave the set up in your Jeep full time or if it needs to be modular and easily removable.

 

[Sandpoint Steve]

That looks amazing. What do you use to power the fridge when you are in camp? Is there a particular one that is recommended?

The front side of the kitchen has (2) 35ah batterie, air compressor and base for the ham radio(ftm400). If you don’t think you need 35qt I have been looking at the drawer style dometic frig.
also have an inverter back there.

 

[Billiebob]

2 people, a week or less between food shopping, a 30L or snaller fridge should be plenty big. For me refrigeration is the biggest convenience/neccessity. Everything else is real flexible once you have keeping food fresh figured out.

Next concern is being bear safe so sealed dry storage is nice and keeping EVERYTHING with odours INSIDE the vehicle.... garbage included. It is nice if you can sleep a distance from those food odours. Growing up in bear country we set up the food, cooking, eating, living on one side of the car.... and the tents, sleeping on the other side.

Are you a food guy or is food just fuel. If food is fuel, a backpacker single burner works. If you love to cook, the sky is the limit but USED will save a lot of money. Brand new fancy stoves, skottles, BBQs all do the same thing, they burn a flame to cook food. A 60 year old Coleman works as well as anything.... maybe better.... but buy white gas, don't cheap out with gasoline.

No matter what the fuel, white gas or propane, try to store the fuel outside.

While weight is always an issue if you like fine china and silverware go for it. Tupperware and plastic are only practical if you like take out food.