One of the biggest things that prevents people from going camping is how long it takes to prepare for a trip. One way to cut down this time is to make yourself a camping chuck box. A chuck box, also known as a patrol box, is really just a self contained set of kitchen gear. It’s history goes back to the cowboy era in the American Southwest. It was the primary component of the Chuck Wagon.
A chuck wagon held all of the cooking equipment, from pots and pans to silverware, and also all the dry goods necessary for such a transient lifestyle.
My chuck box holds the essential cooking equipment along with a couple of other necessary supplies. When I get ready for a camping trip, I don’t need to decide which pans to bring. I won’t forget silverware. I know I’ll have matches and a flashlight.
Take a look at what’s inside my Camping Chuck Box
Inventory
- Lantern Mantles
- Multitool
- Lighter
- Matches
- Headlamp
- Mini Mag-lite
- Tongs
- Spatula
- Turners (plastic and metal)
- Measuring spoons
- Can Opener
- Biodegradable Dish Soap
- Chef’s Knife
- Bandaids
- 9×12 inch Cutting Board
- Salt & Pepper (This
is the one I’d like to get)
- GSI Outdoors Bugaboo Camper
- Spare Batteries
- Silverware
- Small Cutting Board
- Marshmallow Roasting Forks (MANDATORY :))
Some people say a chuck box isn’t complete without dry goods like coffee, flour, sugar, or even a roll of aluminum foil. I don’t have these things in my box for a couple of reasons. I prefer to take only the food I’m going to use and I like to rotate through food so I don’t have to worry about whether it’s still good to eat.
It’s easy enough to put it all together in a different container right before we leave. I also pack food away in the car at night so we don’t have to worry about critters digging through it. I can keep my chuck box out and ready without attracting said critters.
You may choose to build your own chuck box. This is a nice option if you have the space. We are car campers so everything needs to fit in the trunk. It is easier for me to fit a bunch of smaller containers in the truck rather than a few big ones. Because of this, I chose against building my own. They also can be quite heavy. That was another turnoff for me.
Before your next camping adventure, take some time to prepare for your future trips. This chuck box fits in the truck of my car and only weighs 20 pounds fully loaded.
