Review on GSI Outdoors Waterproof Spice Rack: Perfect for Camping, Home, RV - Clear, Black by Tammy Finucci

After thinking a lot about camping/backpacking cooking over the past year, I finally settled on a set of six spices for my standard set (no salt or sugar): Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Monosodium Glutamate (yes, monosodium glutamate), citric acid and ginger. I started first with a small condiment from the grocery store that weighed about 2 fl oz each. As it turns out, they weigh quite a bit when full. So I decided to reserve this set for group camping and ordered several Nalgene wide mouth 30ml HDPE bottles for my next version. It was a big improvement, but I realized very quickly that I didn't really need to pack that much spice for shorter trips. So when I realized that the GSI set had three 0.5 fl oz compartments and three 0.3 fl oz compartments, I figured it would be a good size for weekend trips. I use the smaller sides for monosodium glutamate, cayenne pepper, and citric acid. , as they are used in much smaller amounts and the larger sides are used for onions, garlic and ginger. I even decided to order a second set for two reasons. First, that black cap annoys me; With the second set I can have either all white caps or a block of two black caps. Second, the fourth container allows me to carry two savory spices, which I'll probably go with cinnamon and cardamom for, opening up a wider range of flavors to cook with on the go. This leaves me with two extra containers in case I lose one or want to trade the fourth for a different set of spices/herbs. I'm Asian and I like to mix up all eight of my standard campfire spices: salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, onion, garlic, ginger, citric acid, and cayenne pepper. The addition of cinnamon and cardamom also gives me more South and Southeast Asian flavors. GSI jars are heavier than 30mL Nalgene bottles, but their size is better suited to solo travelers, and the volume saving is worth the effort. I could only fill the Nalgene bottles halfway, but they would still take up the same volume in my backpack. Update: After removing the internal shaker caps and the silly rubber bandolier, all three bottles together weigh 87g. Six 30 ml Nalgene wide mouth HDPE round bottles weigh 68 g. So the GSI tanks are significantly heavier as they only hold half the volume. The total weight in my pack will be significantly less, and less will still do for a three day weekend trip and possibly longer for a solo backpacker/tourist.