The GSI Outdoors Crossover Kitchen Kit is a basic collection of some of the most commonly used kitchen utensils and tools. I bought mine from a local outfitter in town. This setup fits in between what an ultra light backpacker and a car camper might carry. For my style of backpacking, this kit is ideal.
Included in the Crossover Kitchen kit is a compact scraper, a scrubby pad, a cutting board, a set of tongs, a ladle or spoon, a spatula, container for spices, two squeeze bottles, a camp towel, and of course the carrying tote. The whole thing weighs 9.6 ounces.
The larger utensils of the Crossover Kitchen Kit are fitted with pivoting handles to make them more packable. I like the pivoting design because it seems to be a more reliable than a folding utensil. Even if the lock isn‘t completely engaged, the handles will tend to stay in place. When locked in place, the handles measure about 7 inches and they have convenient hooks on the end to provide a way to hang up the utensil on a twig, or string.
I found the tongs, spatula, and spoon to be pretty useful and well thought out. The spoon or ladle has measurements molded into the side for ease of use. The spatula has a slightly rounded nose and a serrated section on one side. Even though the spatula is plastic, the serrated edge should suffice to cut a few items. I‘m not sure how long the sharp edge will last. For me, the blade of the spatula could be a bit thinner and more flexible. The small scraper has a rigid and a flexible side which makes it ideal for a variety of tasks. I might even use it for scrambling eggs.
Each GSI Outdoors Crossover Kitchen Kit includes a plastic spice container. I like the design and think it is pretty clever. The cylindrical container is really two screw together cylinders with a divider wall so that four chambers are available. Each chamber holds about a teaspoon of spice. Three rotating caps are included with the spicer which provide small, medium and one large hole for dispensing. The cap is rotated to select one side of the spicer or the other for dispensing.
The camp towel measures about 9 inches square and does a great job absorbing water. It is sturdy enough to wring out the excess water and it dries quickly. The scrubby pad measures about 3 ¼ inches square and works well. The cutting board is plenty stiff and although it is on the small side, it should suffice for light kitchen work and at the least can provide a flat stable surface to place items.
The tote for the Crossover Kitchen Kit is just about the right size. Everything fits inside snugly and a pry bar is not needed to get it closed when full. Two loops are provided to hang the kit outside your pack in case it needs to dry while you are hiking.
The GSI Outdoors Crossover Kitchen Kit has an MSRP of $34.95. I went ahead and bought the set over buying my setup piece-meal, because each item in the kit is useful to me and having the set in its tote is pretty convenient. Check it and all of the other great GSI gear at www.gsioutdoors.com.
– Mark