View Full Version : spork or foon?
I've carried a lexan spoon since the Boy Scouts. I'd always heard that the a knife and a spoon was all one would ever need. Now I've been gifted with a couple different models of titanium sporks, and a pair of LightMyFire spoon/knork/fife combo thingies.
Your choice? Why?
Is there anything a spork can do that a knife and a lexan spoon cannot pull off? Features or tricks not so obvious? :-?
mkmangold
12-29-2008, 01:35
I carry a bamboo spork (spoon on one side and fork on the other) and a multi-tool which has a knife. Quite enough for my needs. And light.
88BlueGT
12-29-2008, 03:47
I use GSI utensil set... the one w/ the spoon, fork and knife. Personally, I bring all 3 because they are so light theres really no reason for me to NOT bring one. I know, I know, for some people every gram counts but when it comes to WHAT im eating and HOW I'm eating it, I would make something uncomfortable or awkward or what not. Its like a 6 gram weight penalty.
earlyriser26
12-29-2008, 07:38
I carry a Lexan spoon and a very small knife with a 1.5 inch blade. You just don't need a fork and a spoon is better than a spork.
bigcranky
12-29-2008, 10:42
Sporks and Foons are the definition of a compromise -- that which does nothing well. Plus, they poke holes in the bottom of my freezer-bag breakfast, which is sub-optimal.
Plodderman
12-29-2008, 10:56
I carry and spoon and a small knife. Really do not have any need for a fork
Lone Wolf
12-29-2008, 11:00
knife fork and spoon for me. 2 pots and a fry pan too
3" folding knife and a spoon. never really needed anything else. i tried one of those lexan spoons with the fork on the other side and when i used the spoon side, the fork poked me in the hand. i didn't like that.
Tiny knife and a lexan spoon for me. Never needed anything else. Even got by with a small, flat, kinda spoon-shaped stone for one trip - long story.
Cool, and thanks. I figured that while I may be due a new spoon someday, technology surely hadn't passed right by practicality. :)
Maybe I'll get one of those long handled spoons for freezer bag stirring, then cut the handle off to save weight. I saw an insert for some titanium pot or kettle or something that showed that company's spork nestled into the drain hole in the pot's lid. Didn't think it looked like a good way to pack a utensil, but thought I'd ask the WB brain trust what eatin' may have evolved into while I wasn't looking.
Ruts are like that sometimes... hard to see out, 'cause ya don't know there's anything else to look at.
Ranc0r
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I have a spork, but i think a spoon is all you need. sometimes it's hard to scrape the pot clean of mash potatoes with a spork.
Blissful
12-29-2008, 21:01
We broke 2 light my fire sporks on our trip in '07. Not studry, IMO. I brought a lexan spork and it lasted me the entire hike, save one tine.
LIhikers
12-29-2008, 21:22
There isn't anything you can't eat with a spoon.
There isn't anything you can't eat with a spoon.
True, though spaghetti and its close cousins need to be broken up really small. Angel hair pasta cooks faster than almost anything, pasta-wise. If you don't want to spend all the time breaking it up, a fork would be nice. My kitchen arsenal consists of a Swiss Army Adventurer knife and a ti spoon. I have a spork but it does practically nothing well. At least with a spoon you can chop up bits in the bottom of a freeze-dry bag without worrying about poking a hole in it. You can use the edge of a metal spoon to cut some foods, and they won't break if you or a campmate accidentally step on them, so I haven't made the switch to the lexan implements - plus, the relatively new news that polycarbonates (Lexan, among others) can leach compounds mimicking female hormones (especially, I imagine, if exposed to hot liquids).
Tried the LightMyFire triple knife-fork-spoon thingy. Awkward but serviceable.
Spork is also OK, not great. Does neither fork not spoon well.
Settled on a long-handled Ti spoon which, along with a lexan fork---used infrequently yet very satisfyingly with the spoon for spaghetti---is da bomb for all my other cooking. Tho sort of awkward to pack.
Also carry a small folding Gerber knife, used for cutting cheese ;), bread, rope, moleskin, and whittling.
i'm currently using GSI's pirahna foon and like it pretty well. occasionally run into the problem mentioned by freeze04, of it being a little rough scraping the bottom of the pot clean.
i don't FBC (yet) so i can't comment on that regards. basically it's a big spoon w/ tiny little teeth on the end of it
Spoon, spork punctures my freezer bags. Last trip I lost my spoon and made one out of a plastic coke bottle and some duct tape. It worked pretty well!
I actually got a lot of crap before I left in '07 for taking a titanium spork, but I loved the thing. Never found a single thing I couldn't eat with it.
I like a BIG Spoon and a BIG fork so I am lost at what to get, right now I have the old miltary surplus three pack!
theinfamousj
01-06-2009, 23:08
Tiny knife and a lexan spoon for me. Never needed anything else. Even got by with a small, flat, kinda spoon-shaped stone for one trip - long story.
You think that's bad, I once forgot eating utensils entirely. And thus, I rediscovered chopsticks.
Now a days, I either bring mostly-noodles and thus plan to find/make my own chopsticks, or I bring along a bamboo spoon/fork combo that I got at Southern Season (https://www.kitchenworksinc.com/itemDetail/26615/3.5%22-BAMBOO-SPORK). The combo is like the Light My Fire thing, but without a handle in between. It fits in the palm of my hand and is about as long as a chicken egg.
The trick to not getting poked by a Light My Fire combo (or my bamboo combo) if you are using the spoon, is to hold the fork part flat, with your thumb on top, and the rest of your hand underneath. Hold it so that it is a shelf with a spoon way down on the end. You cannot pencil-grip it like you can do with home silverware.
Tipi Walter
01-06-2009, 23:15
I have a spork, but i think a spoon is all you need. sometimes it's hard to scrape the pot clean of mash potatoes with a spork.
Sporks are almost useless cuz they can't really scrap out a pot like a spoon. I use to take an old standby stainless steel spoon, now I always carry two lexan spoons. I've broken two lexan spoons over the years(melted back together with a lighter--works okay), as I like to have a backup just in case. One time a stray dog took my spoon behind my back and chewed it up good. They break fairly easily, especially at around zero degrees. Try pulling out honey from a tub at zero with a lexan spoon. Snap. I keep a few spoons buried at different areas where I backpack as I like to know there's an extra(along with a few extra tent pegs). Don't like eating and cooking with a small tree branch. Can be done, though.
Chopsticks or a Ti spork or both. Can always use a knife for ANYthing.
I used -- and still use -- a World War II era, army surplus, stainless steel, extra large table spoon, mostly because it was what I had around the house. It worked for digging cat holes, measuring ingredients, digging worms when I experimented with fishing, strirring concoctions in my pot, and eating.
It's a little bent from 60 plus years of use, but otherwise indestructible. Total weight, 1.5 ounces.
Weary
Johnny Swank
01-07-2009, 10:53
Just a lexan spoon and small knife for me. I rarely even use the knife for much of anything these days.
I also carry a small folding jack knife.
The only thing I don't like about the Light My Fire spork is that the spoon part is quite shallow. Stews or thicker foods are fine, but a soup or something with a thinner sauce is harder to scoop.
$.89 buy a Lexan spoon and be done with it. :rolleyes: Buy a couple and put one in your bounce box. Small Swiss classic for a knife.
Small Swiss classic for a knife.
Leatherman micra is an excellent option too.
Spork? .. hmm, I carry a fork/spoon from a set and use my knife outta my micra ...
Leatherman micra is an excellent option too.
Spork? .. hmm, I carry a fork/spoon from a set and use my knife outta my micra ...
Yeah, I've had the Micra. Twice as heavy and twice as expensive.
lol, 1.75 ounces is hardly considered heavy ... and at $18.99 ...
link me this swiss! =P
i'm interested.
lol, 1.75 ounces is hardly considered heavy ... and at $18.99 ...
link me this swiss! =P
i'm interested.
I said twice as heavy as the Swiss Army and twice the price..
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Classic-Pocket-Translucent-Sapphire/dp/B00004YVAJ
I guess with that humongous pack (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=27223&catid=member&imageuser=15185) you carry (at times) a half an oz doesn't matter.
Rockhound
01-10-2009, 11:50
I go with a foon and a knife. The problem with the knife/spork all in one is you cant use your knife with the spork
knife fork and spoon for me. 2 pots and a fry pan too
I think like Lone Wolf on a long trip I would want to live the way I would want to live everyday if I could. On my regular short hikes its usually just a mug and a pot and a spoon, but I think on a long hike I would carry much more, and they would be comfortable and functional and even aesthetic. I've taken to drinking my scotch out of a ceramic shot glass. I might bring something like that along also. If it broke I might try and make or find another. I wouldn't rule out a bowl either, out of wood maybe, or maybe learn to make stuff out of birch bark. Depends a lot on the food and drink you like, but personal sentiments also. It can still be light if you want it to be, but aesthetics are important, especially for eating.
I said twice as heavy as the Swiss Army and twice the price..
http://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Classic-Pocket-Translucent-Sapphire/dp/B00004YVAJ
I guess with that humongous pack (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=27223&catid=member&imageuser=15185) you carry (at times) a half an oz doesn't matter.
I had no doubts you were serious, thats why i asked for a link sly ...
No need to attack my poor helpless pack tho lol ... its 5000cu at 3 lbs 9 ozs ..
For its CU to weight, its hard to find better ... It carry's a comfy 35 lbs with food/water ... Thanks for the link! =]
Back to the subject.
I like a BIG Spoon and a BIG fork so I am lost at what to get, right now I have the old miltary surplus three pack!
Light My Fire's spoon, fork, knife thing comes in larger sizes.
The regular one has a decent depth spoon, but is a little on the short end for Mtn Hse bag type meals.
SMSP
MuffinMan11
01-07-2011, 21:59
Had a light my fire spork once, stirred hot chocolate one morning on a really cold day and as soon as it touched the hot water it snapped. I bought a titanium spoon when I got home.
I was about to start a new post titled, "Do you Spoon, Fork or Spork?" But I did a quick search and found this discussion.
I have used the following:
MRE spoon. It works pretty good. It has a good length, but it will break and melt/bend permenantly in hot soups. But, it's cheap and free after one eats their MRE meal.
JetBoil Spoon, which I like alot. It's long and has held good in hot soups. Not the deepest spoon though and it reduces its size by sliding into itself.
Light My Fire Spork, spoon-fork-knife combo. A great idea and I have a few. I leave one in my desk at work and have a couple in the kitchen. They will break in the middle. I had one in the front pouch in a pack and with the pressure of the contents pushing on it, it snapped. The knife edge can rub the edge of mouth raw a little if not careful and the knife part isnt that good of a knife. Maybe I could sand the knife edge some and make it more smooth since I'll always have a pocket knife of some sort available. At home and work, I do use the fork side at times, but in the woods, I dont really recall having a need for the fork side much. A good product overall.
Snow Peak Spork, which I just obtained recently. I like the concept and the fact that's titanium. The fork portion is small in comparison to the spoon part. The spoon part seems to have some depth to it for liquids.
Others I have considered, but have not used yet are the REI Ti Long Handle Spoon, and the Sea to Summit Ti Spoons that come in Short and Long Handle versions, and any of the Lexan stuff.
Wow, lots of choices for eating utensils. I suspect I will settle on a spoon only utensil in the end.
SMSP
Oh, I forgot about the GSI Spoon that comes with their Kits. I recently purchased the GSI Kettle Kit that came with that spoon. I am not impressed with this spoon. It is harder to clean that the JetBoil Spoon.
SMSP
REI Long Handle Ti Spoon. All day long.
http://stick13.wordpress.com/gear/kitchen/cook-pots/rei-long-handle-ti-ware-spoon/
Sporks are almost useless cuz they can't really scrap out a pot like a spoon. I use to take an old standby stainless steel spoon, now I always carry two lexan spoons. I've broken two lexan spoons over the years(melted back together with a lighter--works okay), as I like to have a backup just in case. One time a stray dog took my spoon behind my back and chewed it up good. They break fairly easily, especially at around zero degrees. Try pulling out honey from a tub at zero with a lexan spoon. Snap. I keep a few spoons buried at different areas where I backpack as I like to know there's an extra(along with a few extra tent pegs). Don't like eating and cooking with a small tree branch. Can be done, though.
Oh, I was wondering why I found a spoon where I was digging to poop!
Nah, just kidding.
SMSP
Rocket Jones
01-08-2011, 00:27
I carry the Sea to Summit Alpha Spoon (long version) (http://www.rei.com/product/782241). Aluminum and very sturdy, light weight and long enough to not have to get my hand into my freezer bag o' vittles. For cutting, I have my Swiss Army Knife.
3 pages of spork verse foon verse fork verse spoon verse knife verse some combo of these utensils opinions?
This must be winter with a GREAT MANY who aren't going outside. Holy shart! We have way too much time on our hands. I'm no better because I'm here commenting on the commentators!
I'l be on the Big Island in less than a week doing multiple cross island(Mauna Kea, Mauna Loa) and remote valley bushwacks. Planning on staying away from WB for a while. I need to! Internet addiction setting in!
You don't need both but some things I like to eat with a spoon, some things I like to eat with a fork..
Panzer
i like a spork. i've heard a lot of people here say that a spoon is all you need and i tried a long handled spoon for awhile, but i found it lacking. i think it was a big bowl of spaghetti that did me in. now i prefer the little tines of a spork...
here is the exact model i use. it really is a nice deep spoon part, much better than the light my fire spork...
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/3103J_GSI-Outdoors-Piranha-Foon-Utensil-Lexan-Polycarbonate-Resin.html?utm_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=PaidShopping&utm_term=GSI_Outdoors_Piranha_Foon_Utensil_-_Lexan_Polycarbonate_Resin&utm_campaign=PCGOOGLEBASE11&codesProcessed=true
.....Is there anything a spork can do that a knife and a lexan spoon cannot pull off? Features or tricks not so obvious? :-?
Not a thing!