Who's with me on this one? There was a practical reason why individual spoons & forks were invented.

I'm with you here-- assuming you mean those old-fashioned things that at essentially spoons with narrow slits nipped into their holding pools. Pointless, IMO.

Now those Light My Fire things? I'm sold. A separate spoon and a fork on the opposite ends of one implement, with an admittedly gawky knife on one of the fork's tines? It's the MacGyver of sporks.

Edited by carpenh on 12/26/2012 21:15:57 MST.

I will play the contrarian here. I love my ti folding spork!

I suspect much depends on what we eat when we're out there... that, and a bit of personal preference.

Only a spoon can be found in my pack. I do keep spaghetti and steak off my menu list.

If your actual goal is to troll ;) I think you picked the wrong topic. There's plenty of folks who don't like sporks (myself among them).

"If your actual goal is to troll ;) I think you picked the wrong topic. There's plenty of folks who don't like sporks (myself among them)."

Actually, I've always found this site useful in terms of getting new ideas and learning different ways of doing things. But once I've confirmed and adopted what works for me -- I care not at all about how many people do it "my" way or some other way.

And methinks you should feel the same as well. :)

I have found that most Sporks sucks because the fork "teeth" go too deeply into the spoon section making it ineffective as a spoon. I also really don't like the double sided Light My Fire things because I have seen them break in cold weather and if I want to use both sides I ended up with food on my hand.

I was going to say I do like Foons (more spoon than fork)... but oh no, it turns out what I am using is called a MSR folding spork. So I guess I do like sporks.

--Mark

Verber:

Great minds think alike. My spork is also much more spoon than fork. Indeed, it has "just enough" fork to spear and hold food chunks. Below is a comparison of your MSR and my Brasslite (Tibetan brand) sporks:

Sports are more fork than spoon and are passable for thicker stuff like oatmeal. Not as good as a spoon for getting to the corners of a container like yogurt tubs. Great for thin noodles like ramen.

Most of the Ti spoons are too small, which I don't understand. BTW, you can get a Ti version of the Light My Fire double-ender, but I didn't like trying to pack one--- too sharp in a pack.

I found folding anodized aluminum spoons from China on eBay that were good and eventually found Ti ones that weren't too pricey. It amazes me that you can't buy folding Ti spoons in the US. You might find single Esbit folders in the UK and Europe.

REI has two lengths of plastic spoons with big enough bowls to really slurp your soup :) Cooking supply stores have small wooden spoons, but I have yet to see one with a bowl sized for eating.

Until recently, I would only bring a spoon, since sporks are not the best forks and are miserable spoons (don't hold enough). However, I found this sea to summit full aluminum utensil set for 1.2 oz ("Sea to Summit Alpha Utensil Set"). Eat just like you do at home!

http://www.rei.com/product/782238/sea-to-summit-alpha-utensil-set

Mark

+1 on the MSR Folding spork! One of the best I've actually found after a little 220 grit and steel wool to remove that cheek slicing knifey mold seam. ...hmmm...did I remove a feature? :O) Turns out you can polish a turd into a diamond!

Comfortable to hold long and short and only 0.5oz. ...in orange of course.

KJ

Edited by f8less on 12/26/2012 23:03:31 MST.

I just carry a ti spoon, and feel no need for a device that does a poor job as either a fork or a spoon! If I need to stab something in order to get it to my mouth, I always have my knife, And even though I'm old and decrepit, my fingers still work!

I have gone spoon-only on the trail for nearly 40 years now and have never felt tine envy.

I'm using fork for eating almost everything except soup (at home). Spork will hold much better than fork (not for pasta).
The downside of a fork is that you can't get food out of pot corners. Spork has same disadvantage on this regard.

Maybe best combo is spoon + chopsticks. So you easily eat pasta, oatmeal, soup ...

Soups I do like a lot and I drink them like tea. No spoon needed. I can use the same fork for getting pieces of food after I drink all the liquid from bowl.

Ben,
I was just poking fun at the OP's username. No ire intended. :)

If I really need a d@mn fork I'll whittle one.

Otherwise I'll use my long-handled Lexan spoon and little lockblade pocket knife for outdoor dining.

... and my plastic measuring/drinking cup and Cool Whip bowl. No froo froo ti stuff here. Just my anodized 3 cup aluminum pot and a Crux canister stove (or my Sidewinder)finishes off the cook set.

OK, OK, OK, the Sidewinder IS ti but only B/C it's necessary to withstand the heat of a wood fire. (Picky, picky.)

Really, I read a few of your posts where you making same statements. But really what is the reason? I know, Ti is a bit overrated, even some folks BELIEVE that Ti is lighter than aluminium :)

But, it is stronger. If I only boil water and re-hydrate meals? It's perfect!

I gave up on sporks after poking a hole in yet another freeze-dried meal while stirring. Switched to a long Ti spoon four years ago and love it. If I am planning something that could really use a fork I just bring a lexan one for that trip.

Ti spoon only

I've been using anodized aluminum Sea to Summit spoon.

I never eat anything that requires fork.

It weighs 0.2 ounce. Theoretically a Ti spoon could weigh a tiny amount less but not significant.

A pot is bigger so Ti makes a little more difference so maybe worth extra cost.