After tens of hundreds of path miles and extra dehydrated meals than our collective GI system cares to rely, the CleverHiker workforce’s discovered what separates ‘good’ from ‘nice’ with regards to backpacking silverware.
From chilly mornings within the Himalayas to scorching afternoons within the Utah desert, we’ve examined dozens of spoons, forks, and sporks within the subject to see which of them maintain up within the backcountry.
We researched over 50 choices and chosen the highest manufacturers like Toaks, Humangear, Snow Peak, UST, MSR, Outside Edge, and GSI. Every utensil was fastidiously scored for performance, consolation, sturdiness, design, and packability that can assist you select the best device for each backcountry meal.
And for more information, try a few of our different standard gear guides:
Fast Picks for Utensils
That is our first roundup of the very best sporks and utensils! Get a fast overview of the very best utensils under, then preserve scrolling for extra detailed opinions and firsthand insights from the sector.
Greatest Backpacking Utensil General: Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished ($11)
Greatest Funds Backpacking Utensil: Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno ($4)
Greatest Funds Titanium Spork: Snow Peak Titanium Spork ($9)
Greatest General Backpacking Cutlery Set: Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set ($20)
Most Distinctive Mealtime Multi-Device: Outside Edge ChowPal ($22)
Most Progressive Backpacking Utensil: GSI Open air Glacier Stainless Spork & Sticks ($15)
Greatest Funds Cutlery Set: Ust Klipp Utensil Set ($7)
Greatest Collapsible Ultralight Spork: MSR Folding Spork ($4)
What’s new
Take a look at our favorites from the primary spherical of testing of this model new class:
- The Humangear GoBites Bio collection impressed us with its wide selection of choices to swimsuit each want. To not point out their high quality and excessive affordability.
- The MSR Folding Spork is each tremendous inexpensive and probably the most ultralight possibility on our checklist.
Backpacking Utensils General Testing Scores
Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished
Greatest General Tenting Utensil
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.8/5.0
Value:
$11
Size:
8.5 in
Measured Weight:
20 g
Materials:
Titanium
Execs
- Nice attain
- Straightforward to wash
- Nice pot scraper
- Sturdy
- Light-weight
Cons
- Size could be a downside in some situations
- Spoon solely (spork model accessible)
The Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon is a staple in our backpacking kitchens. For years, we’ve taken it all over the place – from the Lengthy Path’s Inexperienced Mountains to the Spanish Pyrenees – and it’s earned a everlasting spot in our meals bag. Its 8.5-inch deal with is the star of the present, providing you with loads of attain to scrape each final chew from deep meal pouches whereas maintaining your arms clear. Not like sporks, there aren’t any prongs for meals to slide by, so each scoop is environment friendly and efficient.
Functionally, it’s among the best utensils we’ve used for “scoopability.” The squared-off bowl might look uncommon, but it surely’s uniquely environment friendly at scraping the partitions of pots and luggage. The bowl itself is polished titanium, which feels clean towards your mouth and is much simpler to wash than brushed finishes or plastic alternate options. It’s broad sufficient for a satisfying chew, but nonetheless sufficiently small to really feel comfy.
The brushed titanium deal with strikes a pleasant steadiness between grip and sturdiness. Whereas the perimeters of the deal with can really feel slightly sharp, it’s a minor downside in comparison with its total consolation.
It’s ultralight at simply 0.71 ounces, however sturdy sufficient to final a lifetime of path meals. Titanium is barely versatile, which means it can bend earlier than it breaks—one thing you possibly can’t say about plastic utensils. Packability is the principle compromise. Its size makes it not possible to stow inside smaller cooksets, but it surely slides simply into meals luggage or exterior pockets. The deal with’s hanging gap is a pleasant contact if you wish to clip it in your pack. Our solely different potential downside is the size takes some getting used concerning hand to mouth coordination. Some noodles have been misplaced within the longer airplane journey.
For the value, the Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon is a straightforward funding. Light-weight, sturdy, and extremely useful, it’s among the best backpacking utensils you should purchase.
Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno
Greatest Funds Tenting Utensil
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.8/5.0
Value:
$4
Size:
6.5 in
Measured Weight:
14 g
Materials:
Plastic
Execs
- Many coloration choices
- Ultralight
- Snug
- Value
- Straightforward to wash
Cons
- Not as sturdy as steel
- Deal with is a utensil
The Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno has rapidly turn into certainly one of our favourite “plastic” utensils for backpacking and tenting. After dozens of meals each at residence and on path, it’s confirmed to be useful, comfy, and surprisingly sturdy for a plant-based design.
Not like hybrid sporks that compromise on each ends, the Bio-Uno provides a devoted spoon and fork. The spoon has a shallow, tapered form with flat edges that excel at scraping pots clear, whereas nonetheless holding a full chew of soup or stew. The fork’s 4 prongs give it sufficient stabbing energy to skewer meat and veggies, even when it’s not as sharp as steel. Between the 2 ends, you get a flexible device that covers almost each meal state of affairs.
Humangear provides the Bio-Uno in three variations: the 6.5-inch commonplace, the 8.5-inch for digging into freeze-dried meal pouches, and the Spin, which cleverly collapses to half its size for max packability. All are impressively light-weight, starting from simply 0.49 oz for the usual and Spin to 0.63 oz for the Lengthy.
The place the Bio-Uno stands out from typical plasticware is in design and development. The plant-based materials is dense, clean, and freed from deep brand stamps, making it straightforward to wash and nice to carry. It feels sturdier than most nylon utensils and may deal with increased warmth, although like several plastic it can finally snap beneath excessive strain slightly than bend.
The one actual downside is that switching between the spoon and fork means touching your consuming floor. It’s a small tradeoff although for the worth you get. For anybody who desires a light-weight, budget-friendly utensil that performs far above its value, the Bio-Uno is a straightforward decide.
Snow Peak Titanium Spork
Greatest Funds Titanium Spork
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.7/5.0
Value:
$9
Size:
6.4 in
Measured Weight:
16 g
Materials:
Plastic
Execs
- Light-weight
- Sturdy
- Giant spoon
- Value
Cons
- Would not maintain liquids properly
- Brief deal with
The Snow Peak Titanium Spork has lengthy been a staple within the backpacking world, and after testing it on dozens of meals and tons of of miles of path, we see why. It’s dependable, inexpensive, and provides the very best of each worlds—although it doesn’t fairly grasp both.
Functionally, this spork leans extra spoon than fork. The beneficiant bowl makes it straightforward to scoop hearty bites of pasta, grains, or peanut butter, although the deep fork prongs leak liquids and have a tendency to separate meals slightly than stab it. For many backpackers, this isn’t a dealbreaker—soups will be slurped straight from the pot, and the spork nonetheless handles most path meals simply high quality. The quick deal with retains weight down and packs simply, however it might probably make consuming from the deep finish of freeze-dried meal luggage into an ungainly mess. For individuals who need further attain, a long-handled model can also be accessible.
Design-wise, the spork stands out with its brushed anodized titanium, glossy traces, and vibrant coloration choices. It feels gentle and refined in hand, although the slender deal with can really feel a bit delicate when held on the very finish. The brushed end isn’t as clean to eat from or clear as polished titanium, but it surely’s the very best brushed floor we’ve seen—silky, engaging, and fairly straightforward to wash.
At simply 0.56 ounces, it’s the lightest non-plastic utensil on our checklist, but nonetheless constructed from ultra-durable titanium that bends as a substitute of breaking. It could scratch over time, but it surely ought to final a lifetime with fundamental care.
For ultralight hikers and budget-minded backpackers, the Snow Peak Titanium Spork stays a best choice. It’s not flawless, however its steadiness of weight, sturdiness, and worth make it a real backcountry traditional.
Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set
Greatest General Tenting Cutlery Set
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.7/5.0
Value:
$20
Size:
6.6 in
Measured Weight:
48 g
Materials:
Titanium
Execs
- Full performance
- Devoted utensils
- Light-weight
- Sturdy
Cons
- Cumbersome
- Heavier than single untensils
The Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set is an apparent alternative for ultralight backpackers preferring traditional comfy and functioning utensils with out carrying overdoing the load. Not like combo utensils that compromise on efficiency, this set delivers front-country practicality with a devoted spoon, fork, and knife that every one perform precisely as you’d hope.
The spoon is beneficiant sufficient to deal with most path meals, the fork skewers meals effortlessly, and the knife surprisingly cuts by denser meals like hen, far past what you’d count on from a light-weight tenting knife. The one limitation is the quick 6.5-inch handles, which may make reaching the underside deep meal pouches tough.
Design-wise, the set includes a comfy, acquainted really feel regardless of its gentle weight. Brushed titanium handles present refined grip, whereas polished consuming surfaces make for clean mouth contact and straightforward cleansing. Every utensil feels substantial in hand with out further bulk. The included mini carabiner makes carrying the set simpler, but it surely’s fragile and breaks simply.
Weighing simply 1.69 ounces for the complete set, it’s considerably heavier than a single ultralight utensil however remarkably gentle for 3 items. Backpackers can carry the complete set or separate items relying on their wants. The titanium development is sturdy and constructed to final for hundreds of path miles. For ultralight hikers who need dependable, versatile cutlery that performs like residence utensils, the Toaks 3-Piece Cutlery Set is a wonderful worth and a stable addition to any package.
Outside Edge ChowPal
Most Distinctive Multi-Device Tenting Utensil Set
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.6/5.0
Value:
$22
Size:
11.1 in
Measured Weight:
71 g
Materials:
Stainless Metal
Execs
- Has some multi-tool capabilities
- Sturdy
- Sharp knife
- Good hand really feel
Cons
- Novel
- Weight
- Design quirks
- Can lure grime
The Outside Edge ChowPal is the Swiss Military knife of camp utensils—almost equal components consuming device and multitool. It’s constructed for campers, overlanders, and backcountry cooks who need actual utensil efficiency and extra with out lugging round half the kitchen drawer.
The actual spotlight is its sharpened chrome steel blade—one thing you possibly can truly reduce with, in contrast to the uninteresting spreaders that almost all tenting units name a knife. Paired with a succesful, sturdy fork and a small however efficient spoon, it’s a setup that handles each path mush and actual meals. The built-in can opener, bottle opener, and wrench cutouts are enjoyable bonuses, however they’re extra “in case of emergency” than every day necessities.
Constructed fully of polished chrome steel, the ChowPal feels stable, balanced, and constructed to final for years. It’s heat-resistant, comparatively straightforward to wash (regardless of its many edges and angles), and neatly nests collectively in its nylon carrying pouch. The price of all that sturdiness and performance is, after all, weight. At 2.5 ounces, it doesn’t make the reduce for ultralight gear.
The ChowPal is greatest suited to bushcrafters, automotive campers, and anybody who values toughness and performance over minimalism. Ultralight backpackers would possibly move, however for everybody else, this utensil provides a dependable mixture of practicality and sturdiness that holds up over time.
GSI Open air Glacier Stainless Spork & Sticks
Most Progressive Tenting Utensil
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.5/5.0
Value:
$15
Size:
12 in
Measured Weight:
55 g
Materials:
Stainless Metal & Wooden
Execs
- Intelligent design
- Snug spork
- Extraordinarily lengthy attain
- Comes with carrying case
Cons
- Weight
- Sticks lack substance
- Area of interest
The GSI Open air Glacier Stainless Spork and Sticks is a novel combo set designed for campers preferring chopsticks over conventional cutlery—however nonetheless need the utility of a trusty spork. Whereas it’s not probably the most universally sensible utensil, it carves out a particular area of interest for the best consumer.
The chrome steel spork is the design’s most dependable piece. With a beneficiant spoon capability and 5 quick prongs, it strikes a pleasant steadiness between slurping and stabbing, making it versatile for soups, stews, and stable meals alike. Its ergonomic deal with has a curved form that rests comfortably in hand, and the load of chrome steel feels nearer to residence silverware than ultralight plastic or titanium alternate options.
The wood chopsticks, whereas polished and clean, really feel noticeably lighter than conventional chopsticks and lack the load wanted for easy maneuverability. Skilled chopstick customers might admire them greater than we did. Nonetheless, their lengthy attain is useful for deep meal pouches.
The set’s most original characteristic is the power to nest the chopsticks and spork collectively, forming a virtually 12-inch “tremendous spork.” It’s enjoyable and useful for further attain, although stability suffers and the combo can really feel slightly unwieldy.
The set is a bit heavier and bulkier than single utensils, however nonetheless manageable for backpacking. The included bag helps preserve all the things clear and arranged on the go.
For individuals who love chopsticks, this package is an inexpensive, sturdy, and thoughtfully designed possibility. For everybody else, the spork by itself could also be the actual motive to purchase.
Ust Klipp Utensil Set
Greatest Funds Tenting Utensil Set
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.4/5.0
Value:
$7
Size:
6.5 in
Measured Weight:
94 g
Materials:
Stainless Metal
Execs
- House-like performance
- Devoted utensils
- Sturdy
- Straightforward to wash
The UST Klipp Utensil Set brings the consolation and utility of residence silverware to the backcountry. With a devoted spoon, fork, and knife, it means that you can eat, scoop, stab, and unfold effectively – one thing a plastic spork can’t fairly match.
The outsized spoon simply handles soups, stews, and even stirring, whereas the fork (though small) performs similar to an ordinary kitchen fork. The knife isn’t going to win any reducing awards, but it surely spreads peanut butter simply high quality and may all the time be left at residence to save lots of weight. The set’s 6.5-inch size is sufficient for many pots however falls a bit quick for deep dehydrated meal pouches.
One other star characteristic is the chrome steel development, which supplies every utensil a sturdy, substantial really feel within the hand and a well-recognized, clean mouthfeel. Not like plastic or ultralight titanium, these utensils bend beneath strain slightly than snapping, they usually deal with warmth with out the priority of melting plastic. The included carabiner is handy however noticeably fragile.
The massive tradeoff right here is weight and bulk. At 3.32 ounces, that is the heaviest utensil set on our checklist, although nonetheless manageable for brief journeys and overlanding.
General, the UST Klipp Set is right for backpackers, automotive campers, or overlanders who prioritize consolation, reliability, and long-lasting development over shaving grams. For these customers, this set is a no-nonsense winner and a unbelievable worth.
MSR Folding Spork
Greatest Ultralight Collapsible Tenting Utensil
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.3/5.0
Value:
$6
Size:
8 in
Measured Weight:
10 g
Materials:
Plastic
Execs
- Collapsible
- Ultralight
- Good attain
- Useful
Cons
- Sturdiness
- Not nice with some meals
The MSR Folding Spork is right for ultralight backpackers, thru-hikers, and anybody who prioritizes shaving ounces and saving pack house above all else. It’s a intelligent little utensil that mixes the attain of a full-length spork with improved packability, folding down to only over 4 inches and weighing solely a fraction of an oz.. This makes it just about unnoticeable in your pack, but nonetheless sensible for consuming most dehydrated backpacking meals.
Functionally, the spork handles gentle meals like mashed potatoes, soups, and pasta with ease. Nonetheless, it struggles with something denser than a potato. The big spoon prongs enable liquids to leak by, and sticky meals like peanut butter or oatmeal are inclined to cling to the textured plastic.
The folding mechanism is straightforward and efficient, although it depends on flexing the light-weight plastic, which is able to compromise its integrity over time. The spork is slightly floppy beneath heavier masses, and the spoon bowl is sort of round, which isn’t excellent for scraping pots.
The MSR Folding Spork actually scores in weight and packability. It’s the lightest and most compact utensil in our full information. For hikers centered on ultralight backpacking who don’t thoughts some sturdiness compromises, this spork delivers excellent worth.
| oSort | Product | Value | Size | Measured Weight | Performance | Design | Development | Weight & Packability | 0 |
Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished View at REI View at Amazon  |
$11 | 8.5 in | 20 g | 4.6 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 1 |
Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno View at REI View at Amazon  |
$4 | 6.5 in | 14 g | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 2 |
Snow Peak Titanium Spork View at REI View at Amazon |
$9 | 6.4 in | 16 g | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3 |
Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set View at REI View at Amazon |
$20 | 6.6 in | 48 g | 4.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4 |
Outside Edge ChowPal View at Cabelas View at Amazon |
$22 | 11.1 in | 71 g | 4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5 |
GSI Open air Glacier Stainless Spork & Sticks View at GSI Open air |
$15 | 12 in | 55 g | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 6 |
Ust Klipp Utensil Set View at Amazon View at Ust Gear |
$7 | 6.5 in | 94 g | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 7 |
MSR Folding Spork View at Amazon View at Backcountry |
$6 | 8 in | 10 g | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 5.0 |
|---|
How We Take a look at & Methodology
With a long time of expertise backpacking all around the world, our Gear Analysts have consumed tons of of path meals over hundreds of miles with nearly each sort of backpacking utensil possible (together with gasoline station forks and sticks). We base a utensil’s total efficiency on 4 metrics – performance, design, development, and weight & packability.
FUNCTIONALITY
Performance is a measure of how properly every utensil does its meant job. We additionally contemplate what number of completely different makes use of the product provides – from single-use spoons to sporks, combo utensils, and full utensil units.
We measure a spoon’s (or spork’s) size and width and total liquid capability. We measure a fork’s prong size and its potential to stab dense meals. For silverware units together with a knife, we take a look at their potential to unfold and reduce probably the most difficult meals.
Lastly, we measure the utensil’s total size to find out how properly it reaches the underside of a meals vessel whereas maintaining your arms clear.
DESIGN
The perfect utensils supply useful simplicity with out superfluous gimmicks that detract from perform, ease of cleansing, and sturdiness. It ought to look pretty much as good because it capabilities and really feel comfy and nice to make use of.
Mouth really feel may appear minor till you’re midway by dinner with a utensil that seems like sandpaper. The perfect choices have a clean end that feels similar to the silverware you’d use at residence.
Hand really feel is simply as vital. It creates a well-recognized sense of weight and steadiness that makes consuming comfy and easy. Ultralight utensils are inclined to sacrifice this probably the most in favor of saving just a few grams.
In the end, all of those design concerns come down to at least one factor – how comfy and satisfying is the utensil to make use of and clear day after day?
CONSTRUCTION
Whether or not it’s plastic, chrome steel, or titanium, materials and development high quality make an enormous distinction for a number of elements. It impacts its sturdiness and longevity, its warmth resistance, and its cleanability. Plastic, for instance, dangers melting at excessive temperatures and snapping beneath strain. Stainless-steel however, is hard as nails, straightforward to wash, and can final a lifetime.
We take all of those elements into consideration to evaluate a utensil’s potential to face up to years of use whereas backpacking and tenting.
WEIGHT & PACKABILITY
This metric is fairly easy. Each utensil takes a activate our scale to check its precise weight towards the producer’s declare. For utensil units, we weigh every particular person element in case you wish to break it aside and depart some weight at residence.
Whereas lengthy utensils are useful for reaching the underside of a Mountain Home meal, they make packing slightly trickier. Most utensils have the identical packable size as usable size, however some collapse right down to half of their dimension to suit higher in a meals bag or prepare dinner pot. Others include a useful carrying case, which features them a degree or two for packability.
Why Belief CleverHiker
Gear Analyst Brett Kretzer brings a wealth of backcountry expertise, having logged greater than 3,000 miles on trails spanning from the Himalayas to the Rockies. He’s thru-hiked the GR11, Colorado Path, Lengthy Path, and Wonderland Path, amongst others, and has spent almost a decade working within the out of doors trade as a gear professional and tester.
Brett has eaten his means by tons of of path meals—from hiker mush to surprisingly connoisseur backcountry creations—all within the pursuit of discovering the proper instruments to make mealtime higher. His deep understanding of drugs efficiency, paired with a meticulous eye for element and a give attention to real-world usability, makes him exceptionally certified that can assist you select the best gear on your subsequent journey. Whether or not it’s a spork, range, or shelter, Brett is aware of what works mile after mile.
Evaluation & Outcomes
VALUE
When digging right into a utensil’s total rating relative to its price, the Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno is the clear winner. Its plant-based plastic is clean and straightforward to wash, and the general design is straightforward but useful. The fork stabs virtually in addition to a steel fork, and the big spoon with its flat sides makes a great scoop and pot cleaner. The variety of choices in Humangear’s GoBites Bio line, from the Bio-Spin to the Bio-Lengthy, contains one thing for everybody. Whether or not you favor a protracted attain or straightforward packability, Humangear has obtained you coated. It’s additionally one of many lightest utensils on our checklist.
The following greatest nom nom shovels are the Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished and the Snow Peak Titanium Spork. The Toaks Spoon has lengthy been a favourite of ours due to its lengthy attain, clean, polished bowl, and light-weight but sturdy development. The blunt spoon form serves very properly to wash the partitions of a prepare dinner pot.
The Toaks Spoon is inexpensive sufficient that we’ve changed a number of misplaced spoons through the years on a thru-hiker’s funds, however if you wish to save much more cash, the Snow Peak Spork is one other viable possibility. It provides slightly extra performance within the fork division, however on the sacrifice of some liquid capability. It additionally doesn’t have the sleek bowl of the Toaks and doesn’t clear pots as properly. It does, nevertheless, are available stunning, vibrant colours, and for a premium titanium possibility, the value is difficult to beat. We’ve come to understand brilliant colours after dropping just a few too many sporks in our days.
Whereas they don’t rating the best total, the MSR Folding Spork and Ust Klipp Utensil Set signify two extra wonderful funds buys. The MSR Folding Spork is exceptionally light-weight and packable, however sacrifices sturdiness, as most light-weight gear goes. The Ust Klipp Set is the exact opposite – heavy and ponderous, however extraordinarily sturdy. Each come at a really inexpensive price for what they provide.
FUNCTIONality
Relating to utility, a fully-featured utensil set full with a devoted fork, spoon, and knife is unbeatable. Conversely, ultralight or ultrapackable utensils by no means win as the very best device for probably the most sloppy meals.
The Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set is the closest choice to a front-country kitchen set. It’s obtained a decently sized fork and spoon, and a knife that really cuts one thing as a substitute of simply spreading PB. The polished ends clear up properly and supply a clean, nice mouth really feel. The 6.6-inch utensils additionally supply respectable attain.
An in depth second (or perhaps a tie, relying in your utilization) is the Outside Edge ChowPal. It additionally consists of a fork, spoon, and knife, however with added multi-tool capabilities. Though they’re extra novel than crucial, the ChowPal has a built-in wrench set, screwdriver, bottle opener, and may opener that would save the day in a pinch. Extra notably, it has a sharpened, 2.5-inch blade that places all different knives on our checklist to disgrace.
The ultimate full utensil set on our checklist is the Ust Klipp Utensil Set. This sturdy chrome steel set includes a very beneficiant spoon and respectable fork, however a barely helpful knife that gained’t reduce something denser than a banana. It’s nonetheless good to have a utensil in each arms to tear, shred, and divide meals.
Though it doesn’t include a knife, the GSI Open air Glacier Spork and Sticks satisfies a distinct segment for individuals who get pleasure from consuming with chopsticks. The 8.6-inch chopsticks present good attain however are noticeably lighter than commonplace chopsticks. The chrome steel spork covers the entire scooping and shoveling. The 2 utensils cleverly nest collectively to kind an enormous, foot-long tremendous spork for reaching the deepest depths of backpacking meals or stealing out of your neighbor’s plate.
Out of the remaining utensils which have common performance, the Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished and Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno are our favorites due to their spoon shapes which can be completely designed to scrape the partitions of prepare dinner pots.
DESIGN
One would possibly argue that design is the car that drives all the opposite metrics. A considerate design creates a satisfying perform, appear and feel. The Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished and Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno are our favorites on this class, due to their easy and efficient design.
The polished bowl of the Toaks spoon gives a floor that’s comfy to eat with and straightforward to wash. It’s not too huge or too small, and the deal with is comfy for probably the most half, though typically the perimeters really feel slightly sharp. The Bio-Uno, however, feels very gentle and comfy within the hand, with the one draw back being that it’s important to maintain onto both a spoon or a fork. Not like different plastics, Humangear’s plant-based materials is way smoother, non-porous, and straightforward to wash. It additionally lacks deep, pesky brand stamps, which are inclined to lure meals.
We will’t discuss design with out mentioning the Outside Edge ChowPal. Though it has some annoying quirks, just like the wobble from the free spoon-to-fork connection, the design is clearly somebody’s beloved brainchild. The hefty chrome steel development has a satisfying weight and the polished floor gives a snug mouth really feel. Though we do have issues in regards to the knife blade folding into the spoon deal with, it latches securely, and we haven’t had any mishaps to this point.
The GSI Open air Glacier Spork and Sticks is one other cleverly designed utensil set. The chrome steel spork is the extra comfy of the 2 utensils, with an ergonomic deal with, substantial weight, and polished floor. The sticks lack a bit in heft, however are clean. Though it’s not probably the most steady, the 2 utensils nest collectively for an unbeatable 12-inch attain.
Lastly, the Toaks 3-Piece Cutlery Set impressed us with its likeness to on a regular basis silverware regardless of its ultralight development. Its handles and ends are comfy and simply as useful as residence silverware. The textured, grippy end on the handles stops simply in need of the utensil ends to keep away from any gritty mouth really feel.
CONSTRUCTION
Out of the three commonest backpacking silverware supplies – plastic, chrome steel, and titanium – titanium provides the very best steadiness of sturdiness, power, and weight. Our prime decide for this metric is the Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished. Its titanium development, bolstered by a deal with ridge, is extraordinarily sturdy and light-weight. The deal with, with its matte end, is gentle but grippy, whereas the scratch-resistant, polished bowl is simple to wash with a pleasing mouth really feel.
The Snow Peak Titanium Spork falls barely behind the Toaks Spoon because of its lack of a elegant spoon bowl. Though the matte end is smoother than most, it’s not as comfy or as straightforward to wash as a elegant end. It’s additionally susceptible to scratching.
One other titanium possibility from Toaks is the Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set. Just like the lengthy deal with spoon, it has matte handles and polished utensil ends. Nonetheless, the handles aren’t as bolstered, and the included mini carabiner could be very fragile.
Stainless-steel is akin to titanium in power and abrasion resistance, but it surely doesn’t have almost the strength-to-weight ratio. That stated, the Outside Edge ChowPal represents a really sturdy, well-built utensil that’ll final a very long time with correct care. The entire meeting is thick and substantial, with few weak factors in its development.
The ultimate chrome steel silverware choices earlier than transferring to significantly much less sturdy plastic are the Ust Klipp Utensil Set and GSI Open air Glacier Spork and Sticks. The weak factors are the carabiner included with the Ust Klipp Set and the bamboo chopsticks within the GSI Spork and Sticks. The stainless parts in each units, nevertheless, present a considerable really feel and wonderful cleanability.
WEIGHT & PACKABILITY
Though a minor consideration for the typical consumer, weight and packability could be a deciding issue for these seeking to shave each gram. Plastic utensils come out on prime right here with titanium following carefully behind. The MSR Folding Spork represents the very best steadiness of weight and packability on our checklist. It’s the lightest utensil at simply 10 grams and folds right down to a really packable dimension of 4.25 inches – sufficiently small to suit into most prepare dinner pots.
The Humangear GoBites Bio-Uno and Snow Peak Titanium Spork tie for second, with the identical packable dimension of 6.5 inches and a principally negligible weight distinction (14 & 16 grams, respectively). The collapsible Humangear Bio-Spin, nevertheless, packs right down to a miniature 3.75 inches, making it probably the most packable utensil we’ve examined.
Rounding out our ultralight picks is the Toaks Titanium Lengthy Deal with Spoon – Polished. At 20 grams, it’s solely a few grams heavier than its rivals, with a slim deal with that tucks neatly amongst your different gear. The tradeoff is the 8-inch deal with size, which gained’t slot in most cooksets.
The Toaks Titanium 3-Piece Cutlery Set, whereas light-weight contemplating what you get, is cumbersome to pack, and its 48 grams provides up in case you select to hold the entire set. As a bonus, the set comes with a carabiner to hyperlink the utensils collectively and even hold on the skin of your pack if you would like.
The remaining choices on our checklist are all made from considerably heavier chrome steel. Of them, it’s value noting that the GSI Open air Glacier Spork and Sticks and the Outside Edge ChowPal are probably the most packable due to their collapsibility and included nylon luggage.
The best way to Select a Backpacking Utensil
MATERIAL
Plastic
Usually talking, plastic is the lightest and most cost-effective possibility. Plastic sporks can normally be purchased for beneath 5 {dollars} and weigh virtually nothing. The downsides they will soften, they will snap, and they are often annoying to get clear.
Plastic additionally comes with the danger of chemical leaching in case you plan to stir scorching meals or espresso with it, and a few of it’s porous sufficient to harbor micro organism. Some plastics additionally are inclined to cling to pasty meals like peanut butter greater than others, so all the time you should definitely try consumer accounts (or opinions like ours) on particular plasticware.
Not like chrome steel or titanium, plastic snaps beneath strain slightly than bending. It’s unlikely you’ll break most moldable utensils beneath regular use, but it surely’s one thing to think about.
Stainless Metal
Stainless-steel provides the very best steadiness of sturdiness, cleanability and affordability. It’s probably the most much like restaurant or residence silverware that everybody is accustomed to. Stainless is hard as nails, tremendous straightforward to wash, and normally comparable in value to plastic. The draw back is it’s by far the heaviest utensil materials, so ultralighters beware.
Titanium
Premium supplies supply premium efficiency however at a premium value. Titanium is rather more costly than the opposite supplies and is greatest reserved for individuals who need wonderful efficiency with minimal weight. It’s simply as sturdy and useful as stainless and almost as light-weight as plastic.
TYPE
Sporks and Combo Utensils
The spork is the multitool of mealtime. It provides the very best of each worlds between a spoon and a fork. It might probably scoop and it might probably stab, however the spork prongs create some unlucky limitations. It makes the spork much less efficient for slurping liquids and cleansing the perimeters of a pot.
Combo utensils (a fork on one aspect and a spoon on the opposite) supply slightly extra real-world performance with a totally enclosed spoon and a more practical fork. The draw back is having to carry one of many utensil heads because the deal with.
Spoon or Fork
You possibly can as a substitute select to decide to both a single fork or spoon. Most individuals go along with a spoon for its potential to wash the partitions of a pot and scoop heaping parts of chow.
Set
For these unwilling to sacrifice the consolation and practicality of regular silverware, full utensil units full with a fork, spoon, and knife are an possibility that permits you to eat like a civilized human being within the backcountry. A full set will weigh your pack down slightly greater than a spork, however you possibly can all the time depart a part of the set at residence.
lENGTH
For us, size has all the time been a consideration when selecting the proper consuming utensil. Lengthy utensils (8 inches or extra) are perfect for reaching each morsel within the backside corners of a giant pot or dehydrated meal pouches whereas maintaining your arms out of the muck. Most of them are slightly trickier to pack – poking on the partitions of your backpack or getting soiled on the skin.
Consequently, some of us go for shorter utensils that simply slot in a meals bag or mess package. In case you’re fortunate, you would possibly even discover a utensil that you simply like, which has good reachability and collapsibility – the very best of each worlds.
Conclusion
Selecting the best backpacking silverware may appear easy, however the particulars make all of the distinction if you’re chowing down within the backcountry. At CleverHiker, we take a look at each product with real-world expertise and one eye on high quality, sturdiness, and practicality.
Our purpose is that can assist you discover the gear that matches your fashion—whether or not meaning ultralight minimalism or comfort-focused camp setups. With years of subject testing and hands-on experience, CleverHiker is right here that can assist you make assured, knowledgeable selections for each meal open air.
