Do you pack wood, metal or plastic?

[sallyinwales]

Thinking plates, bowls and cups here. When you gather your essentials for a few days in the great outdoors, so you prefer wood, plastic or metal cups and bowls?

I have a slight ulterior motive for asking, OH is amongst other things a wood turner and he's developing some really rather wonderful nesting cups and bowls that lock together to make storage canisters for your brew kit etc, rally beautiful tactile items with huge practicality, but whilst its logical to us to pack wood when we go out, what do others do?

Do you prefer the natural, sypmathetic textures or wood, the clinical lightness of plastic or the functionality of metal when you pack a mug and bowl?

 

[g4ghb]

I tend to pack Plastic for no other reason as to thats what I have and it's lighter than metal

would love to see some piccies of your 'wooden ware'

 

[-Switch-]

I don't like plastic, it's just too... well... 'plasticy' for me.
I'd like to take wood butI haven't got round to making a bowl/kuksa yet so I end up taking metal.
I hate the way it clangs around in the pack when walking - no matter how I pack it I always end up with an irritating metallic noise.
I don't have a 'proper' plate though, I found a sandwich tin in Wilkinsons for 70p - the kind that might be used to make a Victoria sponge - and it's a perfect size for using as a plate and deep enough to be used as a bowl. It's designed to conduct heat though, so it gets blummin' hot when there's food in it

I'll make a wooden bowl one day

 

[mace242]

A combination of all 3 Wooden spoons (of course), plastic cup and metal plates (the lid off my cooking pan.

 

[john scrivy]

I take all of those PLASTIC its hard to break ie (water bottle] METAL to cook in ie milatary style cup WOOD I like my hand made spoon to stur me brew

 

[gorilla]

metal crusader cup, platic spork, wooden spoon and spatula
tha bowls and cups sound amazing sally - would love to see pics when thay're done!

 

[scoops_uk]

Plastic spoon, plastic mug, stainless pot/crusader, no plates.

Scoops

 

[Squidders]

wooden spoon, zebra billy can, US army metal mug.

 

[Greg]

Titanium Foon, Crusader Mug & Crusader Mess tin - So I go all metal, I personally think it's more hygenic although I do like the look of those Kuskas!

 

[Dave Budd]

All mine are wooden All my own work of course

Though I do have some metal and ceramic vessels when demonstrating as the Iron Age Blacksmtih, but I wouldn't travel with them

 

[Fin]

SS for cooking (14cm zebra + the inner plate for eating), wooden for touching/ tasting (spoon + kuska). Thinking of adding my army crusader to my civvy kit as it's so versatile and I sometimes use a clikstand when wood burning isn't feasible, which would also suit the crusader but still want to drink real coffee out of a brandy soaked kuska (one of outdoor life's real pleasures!).

Very interested in the stacked woodware - as a woodworker I make a damm good blacksmith! I've always admired those who create beautiful/ tactile/ functional items from wood.

 

[commandocal]

Metal pans,cups ( crusader ) ,metal saucepan , plastic fork and a few plastic cups, also stack of paper plates, cost next to nothing,can be packed away or burnt easily and light enough

 

[crazyclimber]

Depending on where / when / how long I'm going for, metal crusader mug (with holes drilled in the top for a loop of wire to hang it), swedish army small saucepan (once in a while the whole SAT kit) and a metal spoon. Going lightweight I'll take only the mug and spoon - cook a boil in the bag with water in the mug, eat with a spoon and use the water for a hot drink.
I appreciate wooden spoons and enjoy making them once in a while (however they turn out), and some of the wooden bowls are just beautiful. For me though, they're not strong enough, easy enough to clean, and I enjoy the versatility of being able to cook in anything metal. Plus I guess metal edges slightly ahead in terms of hygiene

 

[PJMCBear]

Depends. If I'm to be in a static camp I practically take the whole chuck wagon. I've a fantastic enameled cowboy cook set that I love. Set includes mugs, plates, kettle and billy. Storage is a mix of plastic or leather. I also take a wooden chopping board, a KFS set, of which the knife doubles as my kitchen knife, a large coolbox with all the fresh food, etc.

If I'm on the move or walking in, it's a much smaller setup. Still plastic and leather for storeage. A plastic mug, small frying pan (doubles as a plate), 1pt billy and the same KFS as usual. I'll carry all my fresh food in a small drybag.

I'd like to use more natural containers, etc, but my skills with wood, etc, is not quite there yet. I'd also have concerns about weight when walking in. Athetics are all very well, but I've only got one back (sometimes my good lady needs the chuck wagon).

 

[Dougster]

A mix of all three, and Sally, I think we may have another maker here. You'd certainly have a market on this forum....

 

[mazeman]

Tends to be metal for me as a one man show, but when it's a family affair then wood is good, excepting the pans naturally!

 

[British Red]

Does this answer the question?

I love using wood for eating and would enjoy seeing your fellahs wares....

I find wooden bowls and cups both light and strong. I can and have used metal but can't abide plastic in any of its forms. A wooden kuksa doesn't burn your lips when drinking and a wooden bowl makes no horrible clanging noise when eating.

If you need a reviewer, I'd be happy to volunteer

Red

 

[John Fenna]

Wood and metal mainly - though the folding plastic stuff goes with me on exped as it takes up no room and is very versatile bacoming a chopping/mixing board when flat.
My coconut cup is becoming famous, but I also use a crusader mug, copper bottomed steel cookwear or good old mess tins are also a favourite and I have just made myself some billies from charity shop s/s tins with knitting needle bails.Some freebie balti dishes make good eating bowls though I generally eat out of the packet or cooking bowl if I am solo. I also have a charity shop wooden bowl for mass catered events while my spoons/foons/sporks are generally home made items carved with love, care and very little ability...I have used plastic sporks but - along with an MOD plastic mug and a non stick mess tin - I had these broken by airline baggage handlers. Idealy I would use wood every time for eating kit and S/S for cooking but wood is heavy for exped/backpacking use!

 

[StJon]

Light weight for me, titanium spork, titanium pot/kettle with lid, plastic cup, must be because I'm a sad gearfreek... Mini trangia with a bit of scotbright fits inside pot that stops the rattle...

 

[sallyinwales]

Does this answer the question?
D

Red

Red what wood is that spoon, I love the effect of the light on it!

You can see a few of his bits at our shop (www.sallypointer.com/shop) but I'll post some of his 'acorn cup' nesting set when we have a decent set to show off, probably after the Wilderness Gathering as he's soing some for there and I can take osm epics whilst they are on the stall
Sally