Camping Spoons - My Choice
What is the best utensil for backpacking? It has to work, be light and easy to use. Ideally, you would like to do it all with just one utensil.
I have tried too many to count (actually I have no idea how many over 40 years), yet after thousands of kilometres on the trail, and thousands of nights in the backwoods, I have some thoughts. Lots of them.
Spork, spoon, long, short, folding or fixed, titanium, nylon or bamboo... so many things to consider.
Spoon vs Spork
I wanted to like sporks. They seemed like the perfect solution to taking only one utensil. After all, they are a blend of a spoon and a spork. Here is the thing, I found they did neither well. Frankly, with my camp cooking stylings, a spoon is all I need. In fact, it is the best choice for me. Spoon ?
Long vs Short
A long spoon is great for eating freeze-dried food right from the package. So if that's your thing, bring a longy. However, I generally replace my freeze-dried meal original bags with lighter and bio-friendly paper bags for the trail. I will either cook or soak my meal directly in a jar or cook pot. Lighter, easier and the bag can be used as a fire starter.
The shorter or folding spoons transport nicely in your cook set or cold soaking jar. Safe, secure and never lost! Short & Folding ?
Material
Both titanium and aluminium are strong and light but if the spoon handle is poorly designed, it will twist and bend. Bamboo is strong, light and doesn't bend, but is rough on the lips. Food-grade nylons are strong, light and comfortable on the mouth. Nylon ?
Bowl Shape
I want a small shovel with a flat-ish head to scrape all the goodness from the side of my cook pot or cold soaking jar. Ideally, the bowl of the spoon should be smooth or polished. Round with flat head + polished ?
Some of the many utensils tested over the years
VIDEO - My Favourite Spoon - Backpacking and Camping ▷
Conclusion
My favourite utensil - with over a hundred trail-tested days - is the HumanGear GoBits Click. It's light, strong, folds, has a perfectly shaped bowl and comes in cool colours. When you buy a spoon, HumanGear throughs in the matching fork FREE ? (actually they sold in a set - but I only bring the spoon and the fork is a bonus)
So after 40 years, I finally found my favourite utensil. It's inexpensive, light, strong, durable, stores in my cook kit and just works! Dudley's Choice!
"HumanGear GoBits Click spoon" and fork closed with a Vargo Bot 700
The HumanGear GoBites Click - spoon and fork opened - 100 days certified on the trail
What HumanGear Says…This ergonomic fork and spoon are collapsible to easily store in a small compartment and extend with a special locking mechanism to maintain stiffness and ease of cleaning.
From website >> HumanGear |
