How many have been in this scenario? You are excited for a tent camping trip. You get sleeping bags, tents, and chairs into the car and get to the most beautiful spot. You start setting up the tent and realize, partway through, that you are extremely hungry. In the excitement of the trip, you forgot to eat! So you have to finish putting the tent up, put everything inside it, start a fire and finally get to cooking an hour later, by which time you are "hangry.
That certainly is not the best way to start a nice weekend in the woods. Tent camping is almost always a lot of fun, but one of the most difficult things to manage is cooking. A lot of times, it ends up being hot dogs over the fire, which is great, but what if you want something more substantial and delicious? Turns out, there is a product about to hit the market to help. Meet the Nomad Kitchen. Nomad Kitchen is a basecamp kitchen that fits into most hatchbacks and SUVs without any tools. One of its key features is its ease of use - the kitchen sets up in seconds just by sliding open, so you can start cooking even before unpacking.
Here are some key features of the Nomad Kitchen:
Stainless steel washbasin
Bamboo cutting board
Drying rack
Drawer for your favorite two-burner stove (stove sold separately)
Strap to attach a fuel canister
Hangers for trash bags, utensils, spice rack, and other gear
Enough space to store up to 14-gallons of water (water tanks sold separately)
Plenty of storage space to keep your gear organized
“Interesting geology” of the Eurasian plate and North American plate junction.”
Nomad Kitchen is the brainchild of 32-year-old Founder and CEO Sam Gross, who came up with the idea while road tripping the American West. “I went on a two-week road trip to explore Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons and I was only staying in a campground for one or two nights at a time," Gross recalls. "I love to cook, but every time I was hungry, I'd have to take out a table, set everything up to get started. It took too long, I never felt my dishes were clean, and I kept misplacing things like my cutting board and knives. So when I got home I looked to see if there was something on the market that would provide the experience I wanted and there really wasn't."
Gross explains that he considered buying a van or RV, but that would have cost him tens of thousands of dollars and he didn't have space or money for a second vehicle. He noticed there were some kitchen setups for SUVs, but mainly for large ones like 4runners or Land Rovers, and he drives a Subaru Forester. Plus, they were thousands of dollars to buy, something he wasn’t willing to spend on it. So, he took his engineering background, and decided to design one himself.
The design was originally made to fit the Subaru Forester, but through some ingenuity in the mounting system, it is a near-universal fit for SUVs and hatchbacks - it is even able to fit in a Prius. "We decided to use adjustable straps for the angles and distances, which makes it extremely versatile," Gross explains to The Buzz. "Plus, I wanted to be able to take it out easily for when I need to go to Costco or IKEA or someplace like that." The company does note, however, to make sure to measure the amount of space in your car before purchasing.
According to the website, "To ensure the Nomad Kitchen will fit in your cargo area, at a height of 14 inches above the cargo area sill plate, there should be at least 25.75 inches between the inside of the cargo lid or hatch and the back of the seats."
As mentioned, the Nomad Kitchen does not come with a stove, but they list several that are guaranteed to fit and have an optional add-on of the GSI Selkirk 540, a Men’s Journal “Gear of the Year” in 2019. They also have an optional add-on of a 15-liter water jug- highly recommended.
Gross sees this as a product for people like himself, something he calls, "Vanlife curious," for people that live in an urban area but want to get out and live an adventurous life and don't have space or money for a second vehicle. "It's for people that want to get out and see the world, but want to have some of their normal comforts, too," Gross explains. Though this is where they focus their marketing, Gross thinks it can crossover into a lot of different subcultures in society, such as festival campers, tailgaters, or even just going to the park for the day.
Right now, the Nomad Kitchen is available for pre-order. The target release date is this summer, but, like many industries right now, this may depends on current events so check here to get updates. “We have everything ready to go. We have a fully established supply chain and really excited to get this in every camper’s hands,” Gross concludes.