Being a very lucky critter, I was fortunate enough to get a swag of cool camping and outdoorsy time kit for Giftmas, and it's time I got around to giving credit where credit is due. My lovely partner and mother of Tactical Baby, who writes her own inspirational blog went all out at one of our local adventure gear shops with both this blog, and my own tendencies in mind. One of those items is the Meal Kit by Light My Fire who are the the amazing people behind the Swedish Fire Steel So will little more ado, let me talk you through the Meal Kit.Firstly, the strapping is elasticized on two of the three bands, giving a very close grip whilst still being easy to get into to gain access tot he Kit.
Likewise, it was simple to put back on when needed. The third leg of the strap is webbing, which includes reflective fibers like those found in a safety belt and a wire-gated swivel clip for mounting to a pack. This is a great idea for someone like myself who goes hiking, as having some extra passive signaling material hanging from your back gives you an extra Search and Rescue option, not to mention letting traffic know you're there. This might be an issue for people for whom light-discipline is an issue, but nothing some tape wouldn't fix, I expect. Inside the tightly sealing lid (which holds 450mL) is a collection of really nice secondary items:
A spork with a knife edge, very handy and remarkably good to eat with. A combined strainer and cutting board, which is an awesome addition. I usually end up trying to do my chopping on my plate, and strain with a fork. So much simpler with such a light and flat-packed addition! The spill-free cup holds 350mL with measuring lines at 100, 200 and 300mL. Its lid is a tight fit but the sippy lid leaves the container unsealed so its not ideal for storage on the go. A woven cord holds the lid of the sippy cup to its body, good news for those of us who loose pieces when washing in communal sinks. Nested within the cup is the fully sealing SnapBox which holds 170mL. All of these secondary items fit within the main bowl which itself holds 900mL. There is a hole in the rim of the main bowl, presumably for hanging it to dry.
I wondered how much use the kit would be as a pre-packed meal set, rather than just a full mess-kit and found that the elastic straps stretched enough such the the sippy cup (containing the SnapBox) could be carried outside the main bowl/plate combo. This means it could be packed full of ingredients, ready to prepare later or eat immediately, which is a real bonus if you have the time to pack it before bugging out.
The plastics are all microwave safe, dishwasher safe. and interestingly enough, the kit is reported to float. Good to know if you expect to face water hazards, or the dreaded shared camp-kitchen sink. This is a really cool set. I like its lines, and the proud Scandi that I am appreciates its efficient and neatly nested design. Again, I'm a very lucky critter, and I'm grateful I'm loved enough to be bought cool gear!
