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I personally would never cook inside a tent due to fire risk, condensation and cooking smells so I always used to cook outside and quite often got wet!

I then bought a windbreak with a roof which was a huge improvement:

However, it was made from a cheap plastic-type material which rustled like a carrier bag in the wind.

So I treated myself to the Royal utility tent which was definately money well spent!

I can see why some people need utility tents given the size of some of the kitchen set-ups. I had less room and accessories in some of my earlier houses.

A utility tent for us would be almost empty even for a week's camping for 3. A double burner stove with integral stand and small side shelves, a few cool boxes/bags and a tupperware box of crockery etc. All bar the stove and crockery box sits in our spare inner tent in the Columbia or the trailer (when we go out to keep cool). With substantial room in the living area and not overly adventurous cooking we cook in the tent. Fatty food and BBQs are obvious kept for cooking outside in fair weather or under a tarp if the weather catches us out. We just carry the stove outside (takes seconds to re-locate and the stove has adjustable legs so caters for a change in ground levels). Never had an issue with condensation or food smells and our gas is always turned off and that in the pipe burnt off after each use - our tent also has good low and high ventilation and we have appropriate safety measures.

For weekends with the small tents we have the crockery box, 1 cool box, 1 cool bag for dry items and tins, 2 suitcase stoves on backpacker tables plus windshields. Usually we just cook in the open as it takes seconds to set up. If the weather isn't good, we just hoist up the tarp (which hasn't been needed that often in reality). Yet to try the Vango small sun canopy for the Bude 4 as an alternative. For us, the thought of all that extra pitching and setting up would probably mean we camp less!

As we are downsizing I was going along the lines of a tarp and windbreak - but then remembered the gale force winds we had last September in Cornwall. I wouldn't worry about the equipment outside but there is no way I would have stood out there cooking (we had issues just standing it was so windy). It would make the holiday expensive if we had to eat out every night, I think a utility tent would pay for it self in just 2 bad days. When we used this tent for just weekends (Yukon River 6) I did cook outside with a windbreak, but we never went away in it if the forecast was for a wet week-end. When I cook inside the Norfolk Lake I always make sure I have a clear escape route in case of any accidents. I think as long as you plan for the worst case scenario you are doing the best you can. People cook inside their caravans and as far as I'm aware don't worry about fumes from the gas. We had a very old caravan many years ago and used to turn the grill on to keep us warm......if I knew then what I know now I would have been a lot more cautious.

Happy camping everyone, get cooking and fill the air with all those lovely smells, wherever you decide.

Definitely looking at OR Outhouse. Another issue with the tarp and windbreak idea was guylines!! The windbreak could in my experience be re-classified as neckbreak so add on the tarp ropes and I'd probably be spending my holiday having my meals cooked for me at the local hospital!!!!! No need for a kitchen tent then!!!!

Quote: Originally posted by issym on 19/5/2012

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PS, are ther any "windows" in the OR Outhouse? Not necessarily opening, just something for a bit of daylight?

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Quote: Originally posted by russa on 14/5/2012

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I am still undecided on whether to buy a tarp or kitchen tent due to additional charges and space issues.

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