I work at a wilderness camp, and for our base camps all our meals are cooked outside on propane stoves. Our multi-spice wheels always get moist inside, rendering them useless - any recommendations for moisture/leak proof shakers? I just wish Nalgene would make a spice shaker with a screw on leak proof lid!

***** this is for base camping/car camping with teens, so weight is NOT an issue, nor is packability!!!!!!

any ideas?
I just found this via google
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp;jsessionid=HsKynlqGjmgRRdytYmQyRvYzTy2xZnhZNFy6qhq55K10wD6fLyy4!24835113?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442624704&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302782731&bmUID=1206651442987
but its a bit pricy for a spice shaker...

It's not quite a shaker, but the Nalgene HDPE Screw-Top Bottles have fairly narrow necks which will prevent too much from shaking out at once.

From GSI Outdoors, LEXAN SPICE RACK and / or LEXAN SALT & PEPPER SHAKER are relatively moisture proof. At least they are way more leak proof than those spice wheel thingies. GSI calls them waterproof, and I believe mine is. However, during prolonged use outdoors in consistently wet weather, by simply opening them up on a regular basis you get some moisture in them. However, other than that caveat they work really well.

NOTE: the nalgene would have the same potential moisture issues.

Edited by jdmitch on 03/27/2008 15:30:48 MDT.

Thanks, I also just found the GSI lexan shakers. I am in Colorado, so prolonged wet weather isn't as regular as elsewhere, but it is a good point to remember. Mainly, the spices just end up in the pot box which holds moisture in from rain and doing the dishes.

I carry the GSI ones simply because I LOVE them! Yes, they are not true UL...but they are watertight :-) The spice rack is pretty cool if you don't mind carrying a lot of extra bulk.

I recall my grandmother putting rice grains in spice shakers, and maybe even the sugar jar, to trap moisture.

It works :-) Kind of why you'd see crackers in salt and sugar shakers back in the day.

Walk down the street or across the tracks to visit your local drug dealer. After smoking a dime bag, you can use the mini-ziploc to fill with oregano, basil, etc. After several of these, fit them all into or sandwich or freezer ziploc. Voila! Dry and lightweight. You can purchase these at tobacco shops too.

Edited by back2basics on 03/28/2008 18:46:16 MDT.

Or you could go to your local craft shop or Walmart and buy a pack of 500 to 100 tiny bead bags instead.

... or, uh... here?
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/microzip_2x3_bags.html

Edited by Thangfish on 04/20/2008 18:37:43 MDT.

It is for basecamp cooking so weight is not an issue. I got a few of the GSI lexan shakers, and put salt in one and inverted it under water for a few days. There was no leakage, I am impressed.

don't laugh cause I am totally serious here... something that is really great for storing spices is a contact lens case (or two)... they are light and safe. Of course, they aren't shakers but I prefer to pinch my spices anyway (more control).

I use something called the Spice Wheel, which seems to work great. Ordered it at www.spicewheel.com. I keep matches and spices in mine.

I find a major source of moisture for the spice containers to be the steam coming up from the cooking pot. So I put the herbs/spices into a spoon first, reseal the bottles asap, and then add the stuff to the pot.

Yep, the little Nalgene bottles are the goods.

Cheers

Love that GSI Peppermill!