Do you cook inside your tent?

[Smithagain]

We are just getting geared up for our first family camping trip.

I've been assuming we will cook in the tent, as my mum did when I last went camping (20 years ago!) But having seen some reviews where people talk about cooking outdoors/under a canopy, I'm wondering if there is something about modern tents that makes that a bad idea. Do people still cook indoors (carefully, obviously), or is it now a no-no?!

You arent meant to due to fire hazard. Tents burn to nothing very very quickly.

Not a good idea. Put up a wind break outside and cook there.

i've had to cook in tent vestibules in poor weather.

it's NOT idea.

Visions of cosy meals in lovely new tent now receding fast!

So when it's peeing down outside, you draw lots as to who gets to go outside and nurse the stove, right??

Smithagain - please do not cook in your tent it is an extreme fire risk. Ray Mears always cooks outside.

ALSO

Burning any kind of fuel to provide heat inside an unventilated closed tent will kill you due to carbon monoxide build up.

Please read this very short report of deaths in Georgia (USA) in tents in 1999. One was caused by a propane gas stove and another by a charcoal barbecue both apparently taken into a tent to provide heat.

Hope you have a good trip.

At times like this, am very glad of the internet. So, basically modern polyester tents are marvellous in terms of ease of pitching, lightweight, compact bags etc etc. But they also make the fire risk dramatically greater than it used to be in the big, draughty canvas tent I grew up with. Is that about the size of it?

And we have to decide whether to buy some extra contraption to provide cooking shelter, or eat takeaway when it's raining

'Please read this very short report of deaths in Georgia (USA) in tents in 1999. One was caused by a propane gas stove and another by a charcoal barbecue both apparently taken into a tent to provide heat.'

A fairly well-known French mountaineer, Chantal Maudit, died of carbon monoxide poisoning in her tent on an 8000m peak.

Extremely bad weather meant they had to cook up inside.

Unfortunately, it cost them their lives.

What you need to do is wait for a gap in the rain and when the wind is a little less windy.

Put up those beach braker things making sure you constantly go round with a mallet to hit back in the ground as a) the wind keeps blowing it down b) there is rock 3 inches under the ground so constantly falling down.

You then plan a quick simple meal that wont kill you if it's raw.

Yes, you are on your own with everyone else huddling in the tent.

Make sure you have lots of matches as teh wind keeps blowing them out.

I've bought a cheap caravan.

In 1992 I was cooking outside a tent and the flame retracted inside the stove - stove exploded and I ended up with 10 stitches in my face and hand.

I was lucky - I could jump away as I was outside. Heavens knows what could have happened if I was inside.

i was going to metion the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning too...

a very seriouse risk even more so if you have a SIG... dont forget it sinks and most people while camping sleep on or very close to ground level

'Make sure you have lots of matches as teh wind keeps blowing them out.'

I use an after-burner as then I don't have to keep striking matches (it's often windy in Scotland).

I helped with a tent fire and a burned camper once. Don't do it.

Tell your dp it's officially barbecuing and only people with willies are allowed to do it.

People without willies are in charge of opening bottles and keeping glasses well topped up.

Works chez seeker!

Thank you all. We have officially decided never to cook inside the tent!!!

I like your comment seeker, that would definately get my man to cook!

I have a separate kitchen tent just for cooking in - it houses the rings and I stand outside with the door pegged up as a canopy!

I plan to cook in my awning with the door open and the cooker set away from the walls.

I have never cooked inide a tent and would not wish to do so or recommend it.

What's wrong with cooking outdoors?

Ok I might cook at the door of the awning basicly outside but under the flap .

I am to used to Scottish wether and don't want watered down beans .