Simplifying Camp Cooking: Why the Skottle Became the Center of Our Camp Kitchen

At Tembo Tusk, we didn’t start out trying to build a brand. We started out trying to cook a decent meal at camp.

Like most people who spend real time off-road, we were tired of complicated setups, half-working stoves, tiny cooking surfaces, and meals that felt more like survival than enjoyment. We wanted something simple. Something versatile. Something that didn’t turn cooking into a chore after a long day on the trail.

We looked at our favorite way to cook back in South Africa and adapted it to overlanding. What resulted was the Skottle. 

We didn’t build the Skottle because the world needed another camp stove, but because camp cooking deserved to be easier, better, and more fun.

Camp Cooking Shouldn’t Feel Like Work

If you’ve overcomplicated your camp kitchen, you already know the signs:

• Multiple burners

• Too many pans

• Constant setup and breakdown

• Dishes everywhere

Suddenly, making dinner feels like a project instead of a pleasure.

We believe camp cooking should be simple and social, something that pulls people together, not something that pulls you away from the fire.

The Skottle was designed to strip things back to what actually matters:

• One cooking surface

• One heat source

• Endless possibilities

One Tool. Endless Possibilities.

At its core, the Skottle is a large, concave steel cooking surface inspired by traditional South African cooking. But what makes it special isn’t the shape, it’s what that shape allows you to do.

The Skottle replaces:

• A grill

• A skillet

• A griddle

• A wok

With one surface.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It all happens on the same piece of steel.

Eggs and bacon in the morning.

Burgers or fajitas in the afternoon.

Stir-fry, steaks, or one-pan meals at night.

No pan swapping. No burner juggling. No overthinking.

Designed by People Who Actually Cook at Camp

We didn’t design the Skottle in a boardroom. We designed it because we were frustrated with what already existed.

We wanted:

• Enough space to cook for a group

• Even heat without hot spots

• A setup that worked on uneven ground

• Gear that could take abuse and keep going

So we built it the way we wanted, solid, straightforward, and dependable.

The Skottle is:

• Made from heavy-duty steel

• Pre-seasoned and ready to use

• Supported by adjustable legs for uneven terrain

• Powered by a reliable, efficient burner

It’s not flashy. It’s functional. And that’s exactly the point.

Faster Setup, Faster Meals, More Time at Camp

One of the biggest benefits of the Skottle isn’t what it does — it’s what it eliminates.

With a Skottle:

• Setup takes minutes

• Cooking happens in one place.

• Cleanup is simple

• Breakdown is quick

You spend less time managing gear and more time enjoying where you are.

That matters.

Because the whole reason you drove hours down dirt roads wasn’t to stand alone over a stove — it was to relax, connect, and experience something different than everyday life.

Cooking Becomes the Social Center of Camp

One thing we noticed early on: when the Skottle comes out, people gather.

There’s something about cooking on an open, shared surface that invites conversation. People pull up chairs. They ask what’s cooking. They grab a spatula and help cook. They grab a beer and hang out.

The Skottle turns cooking into a group activity instead of a solo task.

And honestly, that’s one of our favorite parts.

Camp food tastes better when it’s shared and when the cook isn’t stressed out trying to manage three burners and a stack of pans.

Real Food, Anywhere You Go!

Simplifying cooking doesn’t mean lowering standards. In fact, it usually means the opposite.

When your setup is easy and reliable, you cook better food. You’re more willing to try real meals instead of defaulting to freeze-dried or reheated leftovers.

The Skottle encourages creativity without complexity:

• Fresh ingredients

• One-pan meals

• Real heat control

• Room to cook properly

It works just as well at a remote desert campsite as it does in a parking lot, tailgate, or backyard.

Because good food shouldn’t be limited by location.

Built to Last, Built to Be Used

We build Tembo Tusk gear with one expectation: it’s going to be used hard.

The Skottle is meant to get seasoned, scratched, and covered in stories. It’s meant to see dust, rain, heat, and miles.

It’s not precious. It’s purposeful.

And if you take care of it the way you would any good piece of steel, it’ll take care of you for years to come.

Why We Keep Coming Back to the Skottle

We’ve tested a lot of gear over the years. Some of it sticks. Some of it doesn’t.

The Skottle stuck because it solved a real problem without creating new ones.

It made cooking:

• Simpler

• Faster

• More enjoyable

And it helped turn camp meals into something we actually looked forward to, not something we rushed through to get back to the fire.

That’s why we still use it.

That’s why we still stand behind it.

And that’s why we brought it to the overlanding, hunting, fishing, tailgating, and off-roading communities.

Our Philosophy, On and Off the Trail

At Tembo Tusk, everything we make starts with a simple question:

“Will this make life better when enjoying life on the trail or outdoors?”

If the answer isn’t a clear yes, we don’t build it. We make the products we want, and they tend to resonate with others who have similar values. 

The Skottle exists because we wanted better camp cooking, and we figured other people probably did too.

So we built it. We refined it. We use it. And now we share it.

Because overlanding isn’t just about getting somewhere remote, it’s about enjoying your time with friends and family once you get there!