If you are a family that does a lot of dry camping, there are a few truths that you must inevitably deal with. First and foremost, there is going to be a lot of dirt tracked into the RV from the numerous trips inside to wash hands. In addition to the dirt, all of that washing also leads to less fresh water and more gray water in your RV’s tanks. In our experience the gray water tank, more so than the fresh water or black tanks, is the quickest to fill. The Camp Gourmet™ Kitchen, from GSI Outdoors, helps alleviate pressure on water usage with a unique air pump system that provides you with a fully functional outdoor sink.
The system uses collapsible 5-gallon water containers and a foot-operated air pump, like the ones used to inflate rafts. We use a pump from Sevylor, which is a bit more money than most, but the air hose detaches and the entire assembly stores flat. It also appears to be constructed of very durable materials. The Camp Gourmet does not come with the water containers or the air pump, but it does include all of the fresh water and gray water plumbing, including new caps for the water containers that accept the hose connections. In the picture above, you can see the air hose going into the fresh water container (be sure to mark one of the containers, so you don’t mix them up). When you depress the air pump with your foot, water is forced up the fresh water hose and it comes out a small faucet.
If it sounds complicated, it really isn’t. It works amazingly well, with only an occasional hiccup when the air hose pops-off of the water jug, if you get too aggressive on the pumping! The Camp Gourmet has two sinks, and includes cutting board-style covers for each one. We tend to use just the one sink, leaving the other covered in order to expand the work surface. The sinks are a bit shallow for serious dishwashing, so we use a Rubbermaid 15Qt. dishpan for washing dishes. These dishpans have a drain plug, so they drain right into the Camp Gourmet sinks, which is very convenient.
In addition to the table and sinks, the Camp Gourmet includes a metal wire-grate extension to hold a camp stove or barbeque grill. The flexible design of the Camp Gourmet allows the extension to be attached on any side, either parallel with the table or at a right-angle. Unlike the legs of the table, however, the legs of the extension are not adjustable, so you need a fairly level area to use the Camp Gourmet.
We are very happy with the Camp Gourmet. It helps extend our tanks and it reduces the number of trips in and out of the RV. Not to mention, it is much easier to fill or dump a 5-gallon water container than it is to go fill or dump the RV.
Happy camping!