Why We Rely on This Japanese Outdoor Brand for Our Camp Kitchen Essentials

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For many, the appeal of the great outdoors extends beyond just camping. Yes, nature takes center stage—especially when the night sky reveals its stars. Yet, right alongside that is the chance to connect with friends around a campfire, preparing a delightful meal together. These moments have always been my fondest outdoor memories, from childhood camping trips where my dad spun spooky tales as we toasted marshmallows, to recent gatherings focused on good food with friends.

These shared experiences in nature are precisely what the Japanese outdoor brand Snow Peak aims to foster with its blend of stylish and functional outdoor gear, including furniture, apparel, and a wide range of camping kitchen tools designed to help adventurers whip up amazing meals under the sky.

Founded in 1958 by Japanese mountaineer Yukio Yamai, Snow Peak began by offering climbing gear made by the skilled metalworkers of Yamai’s hometown, Tsubame Sanjo, in Niigata’s Chūetsu region. Today, under the leadership of his son, Tohru Yamai, the brand has shifted its focus to camping and outdoor products, ranging from tents to grills. Now, granddaughter Lisa Yamai has joined the family business, introducing a collection of stylish yet practical outdoor clothing.

As a camping enthusiast who is equally passionate about food, I turn to Snow Peak for my camping kitchen essentials. Here’s why it’s my favorite.

Top-notch outdoor cooking gear for dedicated food lovers

While Snow Peak offers all the essential gear needed for outdoor cooking—pots, pans, stoves, mugs, and utensils—it’s their specialized products for ambitious camp chefs that have garnered a devoted following among food aficionados. Their kitchen line features items like a titanium sake bottle, titanium chopsticks, and a customizable camp kitchen table that can include a sink, chopping board, grill, or prep station. Most products are crafted from durable titanium or stainless steel and boast a minimalist, timeless design focused on functionality.

As an avid backcountry camper, I appreciate that most of my Snow Peak gear is lightweight enough for both backpacking and car camping. My must-have camp kitchen items from Snow Peak include:

• Stove: GigaPower Stove Manual Renewed, $36, snowpeak.com
• Cutting board and knife: Cutting Board Set (M), $50, snowpeak.com
• Mug: Ti-Double 450 Mug, $60, snowpeak.com
• Cookset: Trek 1400 Titanium Cookset, $76, snowpeak.com
• Spork: Titanium Spork, $9, snowpeak.com
• Chopsticks: Wabuki Chopsticks, $50, snowpeak.com
• Coffee maker: Collapsible Coffee Drip, $43, snowpeak.com
• Grill: Takibi Grill, $320, snowpeak.com

Weighing just 2.64 ounces, the self-igniting GigaPower Stove Manual Renewed is a compact, gas-fueled stove that fits easily in your pack. Despite its small size, it can support a full pot of water and delivers 10,000 BTUs, comparable to a typical kitchen stovetop. I find it indispensable for bikepacking, backpacking, or brewing coffee on group outings.

The Cutting Board Set features a unique design, with a knife-shaped groove on the bottom to hold the included knife, allowing you to fold the board in half for easy storage and portability. This reflects Snow Peak’s remarkable attention to detail.

The titanium, double-walled Ti-Double 450 mug keeps your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold. It resembles a standard cylindrical mug, but its handles can be folded flat against the body—one of my favorite features—making it easier to stow away or fit into a camp chair cup holder. One drawback: you’ll need to buy the Silicone Lid to really maintain the temperature of hot beverages for longer, especially in colder conditions.

The Trek 1400 Titanium Cookset, which includes one pot and one pan, is also made from titanium and features collapsible handles. I appreciate it for bikepacking and cooking for one or two people. For larger groups, Snow Peak’s Multi Compact Titanium Cookset would be a better fit, as it includes two pots and two pans.

For utensils, the Titanium Spork is a simple, fire-resistant choice (I’ve definitely used it to flip veggies on a hot charcoal grill). The bamboo and stainless steel Wabuki Chopsticks are impressively compact; they break down into two pieces and pack away to half their full length for easy transport.

The Collapsible Coffee Drip, crafted from lightweight titanium, folds flat for convenient packing. When set up, it fits on nearly any mug, ready to brew freshly ground coffee.

I’d also like to highlight the Takibi Fire & Grill, which serves as both a grill and a firepit. This grill can be the star of any campfire cookout. Constructed from durable stainless steel and weighing just 32 pounds, it folds into a compact rectangle for easy storage. It’s much more portable than the hibachi grill I usually haul into the woods while car camping. The only downside is that it’s designed for use with charcoal or wood, which may not be suitable in areas like California during high wildfire risk periods.

Cost and Value

Although Snow Peak’s camp cookware tends to be on the pricier side, its quality justifies the investment for anyone who frequently cooks outdoors. The products come with a lifetime guarantee for peace of mind, but given their exceptional craftsmanship and durability, you likely won’t need it.

While I haven’t lived a lifetime yet, all the Snow Peak gear I’ve owned has proven incredibly durable. After 12 years, my GigaPower stove (an older model) still performs like new, and the Ti-Double 450 Mug and sporks have endured numerous camping and bike adventures without any damage. They may have lost a bit of color, but they have far outlasted my previous (and cheaper) plastic cookware, which melted after a too-close brush with the fire.

Putting everything to the test in the great outdoors at the new Snow Peak Campfield

For both newcomers and long-time enthusiasts, one of the most thrilling announcements from Snow Peak this year is the launch of its first North American Campfield in Long Beach, Washington, located about three hours from Seattle and two hours from Portland, Oregon. (Snow Peak already operates 14 other Campfields, with 13 in Japan and one in South Korea.)

This campground is stunning in its own right, and gear enthusiasts will be thrilled to know that visiting the Campfield is a fantastic opportunity to try out Snow Peak equipment in a natural setting. Campers can reserve a tent suite that includes a pre-set Snow Peak shelter, a camp kitchen setup, grill, tables, and chairs. While basic campsites are available for those who wish to bring their own gear, you might just want to leave it all behind this time. Guests also have access to various communal areas, including a community firepit and café, which promote socializing among campers, along with a soon-to-open Japanese bathhouse featuring a sauna, pool, and cold plunge (anticipated to open in early summer 2024).

The Campfield had a soft opening earlier this spring and will officially open on June 22, 2024. Reservations are available now.

This article was first published in 2021 and was last updated on May 21, 2024, to include the latest information.