Some of the most overlooked outdoor tools are the ones you use for camping. That being said, you only need to forget your tool once or use one that breaks when you try to open a jar of frozen peanut butter on a cold morning to know how important they are.
There are now a lot of different tools, and each one is shaped and made for a different type of trip, from RV base camping to ultralight hiking. If you pick the wrong product, you might end up with a broken tool, a difficult time packing it, or a bad taste that takes away from the holy experience of the in-camp feast. Pick out the right tool, and each bite will taste even better. These are the best camping tools we could find for any purpose.
Best Multi-Function Utensils: Outdoor Edge ChowPal
This folding camping utensils for compact storage set of a knife, fork, and spoon is better because it comes with a bottle opener and a can opener. The knife in this set scored very high on the test. Even though it looks strange, the Outdoor Edge ChowPal is a well-designed tool that is small and can be used in a variety of ways. It’s safe to store the knife and fork when the two pieces lock together, but they’re still easy to use when you need them. And for a real meal, the knife/spoon can be taken apart from the fork. The knife, which is more like a small knife than a normal table knife, is great.
The only real flaw is the spoon, which is much shallower than others. It works great for eating mashed potatoes, but you might be disappointed if you want to use it for a lot of soups in the winter.
Lightweight Camping Utensils Made from Titanium: Snow Peak Titanium Fork & Spoon Set
If you want to camp in your car and go hiking with the same set of tools, the Snow Peak Titanium Set is the best choice. It is made of titanium, but it is a little thicker than others. This set win in longevity only added 0.2 ounces to the weight of the Snow Peak over my top backpacking choice.
The spoon came in second place, and its nice angle makes it easy to slurp hot soup on a cold day. The fork won the pasta hold test among the lighter camping tools. The only real thing I don’t like about this set is that it doesn’t come with a knife.
Best Minimalist Utensils: GSI Pouch Spoon
The tourists (most likely thru-hikers) who have been raving about the cheap spoon they found at the last gas station on the side of the road after losing their titanium one in the Sierras are you. That’s understandable—I know the feeling—but here’s the thing: that’s just a temporary fix for when you lose your spoon, not your new UL hiker trash gear plan.
I was shocked at how long it lasts and how easily it returns to its original shape, no matter how much I try to bend it. Even that piece of white plastic is shorter than this one. You can eat it without worrying about BPA, BPS, or BPF, which means that each bite won’t contain as many chemicals that can harm your body.
Ultralight Duo: MSR Titan Fork and Spoon
This tiny set is just a bit lighter than my top pick overall, and I liked how the slightly longer spoon helped me get food out of the pot. The Snow Peak set did better than the MSR Titans in every test, but I know that’s not what you gram counts care about. This means that if you want to get your base weight below 10 pounds, the
Titans will help you get there, saving you.2 ounces while still giving you plenty of functionality and durability for that big trip (the spoon I took on the Colorado Trail is still working after several years). Plus there’s a plus: the spoon is a little longer than the Snow Peak, which makes it easier to get the last few Idahoans out of the bag.
Heat-resistant Camping Utensils for Cooking: Ust Klipp Utensil Set
The Ust Klipp is a great option if you want to buy tool sets for the whole family without having to buy them twice. For a quarter of the price of other sets like it, it’s durable and only slightly bent during the test. Both the fork and the knife got “good” ratings for the pasta and sausage tests. The spoon, on the other hand, was one of the best for slurping up soup because it held a lot of liquid and had a good angle on the handle.
The only problem I found is that it weighs 1.2 ounces more than what the maker says it does. These aren’t the best choice for backpackers—the MSR Titans, the Snow Peak, or the GSI Pouch Spoon are better choices—but they’re a great, low-cost choice for car campers and picnickers.
What to Consider When Choosing Camping Utensils
Durability
Metals like titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel may be better than plastic or nylon if longevity is important to you. When it comes to price and weight, metal tools are usually more expensive and heavier than plastic ones. You can find a good balance between titanium and polished aluminum, two lightweight metals. Be aware that titanium can be pricey and that metal tools might bend more easily when they are used too much.
Weight
Weight is important to ultralight backpackers, but it’s also something that all campers should think about. If you want to take your camp kitchen with you on long hikes, you might want to bring one tool that weighs less than 0.5 ounces. If you’re car camping or base camping, you might want to get a bigger model. It will feel better in your hand and have a better balance.
Packing Ability
Whether you’re going on a short overnight trip or just trying out lightweight camping, if you’re using a smaller backpack, you’ll probably want a gadget that is thin and easy to fit into the top lid or one that folds in half. In particular, folding tools are great. Organizing and packing up your camp kitchen will be easier if you can fit your stove, fuel, lighter, and cooking tools into your cook pot.
A camping tool’s only job is to get food into your mouth. If you’ve been carrying this thing around all day in your pack and then it breaks when you’re really hungry, you’ll be very upset. That’s why I stress on how long something lasts in my review. Even though clever patterns and light materials are cool, they don’t help when your spork breaks in three. Pick out the best camping utensils with insulated handles for hot beverages and put durability ahead of everything else.
