Tag Archives: metal

Spoon

Just like a metal bowl, you actually only need one eating utensil.

The spoon.  It can pick up bite-sized solid food like a fork, eat soups and cereals, and can cut like a knife (in a bind).  Why carry three separate utensils when one can do it all without the sharp edges of a spork?  Plus, you are most likely already carrying a proper full tang fixed blade knife or folder, so the extra cutlery is not really necessary.

My preference is a shorter handled spoon, over a long-handle, because it is easier to pack.

The best cutlery set, that I’ve found is a titanium set from Titaner, although I really only use the spoon.  The simplicity of the set is perfect.  There are no fancy holes CNC’d out of the handles to weaken or lighten the utensils.

I found this particular set to be made out of a thicker titanium sheet that makes it feel closer to regular cutlery, but the shapes are downsized and proportioned just right.  It is not like the typical “stamped” super-thin titanium cutlery that litters ebay and outdoor stores.  The utensils do weight a little bit more, at 13g/0.46oz each.  All three pieces in the set are exactly the same length (154mm/6″ ) which is beneficial when packing them.  The picture above shows the spoon from this set.

APRIL 2021:  it appears Titaner has discountinued this cutlery set, but Amazon carries hundreds of other titanium or plastic cutlery sets for camping purposes.

If you want a very heavy-duty spoon, then consider the USMC issued spoons from the 1960’s, available on eBay.  They are military grade, and very solid.

Metal Bowl

I’ve been camping with just a simple metal bowl and no plate, for the past 20+ years.  The 800ml/27 fl.oz MSR Alpine Bowl is the the best all-around stainless steel bowl, and the bonus is that it stacks super efficiently.  It also fits perfectly in your hand.

You can go fancy with titanium, but the weight difference is minimal for this piece of equipment.

Steel is easy to wash, BPA-free, can be put into the fire or on top of the grill, and ALL foods will fit into a bowl.  You can also use a glove to hold and insulate the bowl if it is too hot.

A small pot is a good substitute, but a bowl generally has lower sides and rounder edges than a pot, which makes eating out of it more comfortable.

An 8″ folding handle skillet (also known as a “frying pan” with slanted sides) — from GSI Outdoors or Sea to Summit — also works well, just like the old cowboy movies showed ’em cowboys eatin’ beans.  (I carry the GSI Pinnacle 8″ pan as part of my cook set – the coating makes for easy  cleanup).

For those who want a very solid (but light weight) stainless steel option, and not worry about scratches, the 8″ Pathfinder pan is outstanding in terms of build quality and price, and comes with a lid.  Remember, you can make a stainless steel pot or pan “non-stick” by seasoning it with oil, similar to how you would season a cast iron pan.  This makes camping cleanup that much easier.