Six Multi-Use Backcountry Eating Utensils

These eating utensils were designed with the backcountry in mind.

   05.06.20

Six Multi-Use Backcountry Eating Utensils

How many times have you plopped down by the campfire ready to cook up a nice freeze-dried dinner on your first night of a backpacking trip, only to realize you forgot to pack a utensil to eat your meals with. There are a number of luxury items we can go without in the backcountry – toilet paper, a hot shower, a comfy bed – but one you don’t want to leave at home is an eating utensil tailor made for the outdoors.

Here, we’ve compiled a list of six backcountry eating utensils that are compact, versatile, and definitely needed on all of your backcountry adventures.

Leave eating with hands to the raccoons!

1. CRKT Eat'N Tool

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CRKT Eat'N Tool

CRKT’s Eat’N Tool™ is the brainchild of New York City designer Liong Mah. At first glance it looks like the familiar spoon/fork “spork” combination, but Liong has used his ingenuity and computer-aided design skills to create a lightweight, high-tech outdoor tool. Yes, there is an ergonomic spoon, and a short-tuned fork. But in addition, there’s a handy bottle opener on one side. The right side of the handle is ground to provide an emergency screwdriver blade, which will also work as a pry for opening canisters. The large central hole is not only designed for finger gripping, but also keeps the Eat’N Tool weight down. Three metric wrench reliefs (10 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm) are useful for emergency repairs, and result in a tool weight of just 1.5 ounces

Pros/Durable and lightweight
Cons/The fork tines are short and it's a little flat for a spoon - which actually makes the tool more compact, and let's face it, you're just glad to not be eating off the end of a stick!
Bottom Line/CRKT's Eat'N Tool is a very versatile multi-tool that saves room in your pack and can be used in a variety of situations.

2. Gerber Devour Multi-Fork

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Gerber Devour Multi-Fork

At under an ounce, the Devour Multi-Fork is ideal for those who demand a lightweight, easy-to-use tool on the trail.

Designed to handle mealtime from start to finish, the Devour has 9 tools on hand for prep, eating, and cleaning.

The refreshed fork design doesn’t compromise function, and the detachable solid state tool offers 6 functions while keeping your multi-fork out of the dirt or pot with a unique kickstand design.

  • 6 Function Multi-Tool Mounts to the Back with the Kickstand Feature, Keeping the Fork Elevated.
  • Multi-Tool: Serrated Package & Can Opener, Bottle Opener, Pry Bar, Large & Small Flathead Driver.
  • Deep Basin Spoon & Offset Long Tine Fork.
  • Flat Cut/Scrape Edge
  • Textured Handle 7075 T6 Aluminum.
  • Length: 7.6″
  • Width: 1.6″
  • Weight: 0.83 oz
Pros/The multi tool when attached in one direction acts as a kickstand keeping the eating end off the surface when you set it down. In that same configuration you can prop it up in the lip of a cup or bowl without it moving.
Cons/Not dishwasher safe
Bottom Line/Lightweight and very well designed. I give this campfire utensil five stars!

3. Light My Fire Titanium Spork

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Light My Fire Titanium Spork

The Light My Fire Titanium Spork is a perfectly designed outdoor eating utensil. The polished titanium surface offers a high biocompatibility that is non-toxic and does not produce a metallic taste.

The fork end of this tool features a serrated edge for cutting, but some have found that using a pocket knife works more effectively.

Pros/Only weighing 19 gram your Spork Titanium is extremely lightweight. The spork can also withstand very hot temperatures making it perfect when you need to stir hot soup or even turn over something on the fire.
Cons/Serrated edge of the fork doesn't work great. But that's why you have a pocket knife, right?
Bottom Line/I like the simple design of these sporks. The spoon side is nice and deep and the other end is good for stabbin' foods!

4. GSI Outdoors Folding Spork

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GSI Outdoors Folding Spork

The GSI Outdoors Folding Foon is an amazing little utensil that reduces the Spork’s footprint from 6.1″ in use, to less than 3.7″. Perfect for storing in a shirt pocket, the corner of a cook set, under a fuel cartridge or in some other, little, unused nook. We know how precious every last ounce can be, and at a miniscule 0.6 oz., there’s no excuse not to carry it everywhere.

Pros/Rugged spork with stainless steel handle; unbelievably light and functions well as both a fork and spoon.
Cons/The mechanism part is made from plastic, which can withstand boiling liquids for short periods, but I wouldn't try much more than that.
Bottom Line/Overall it's a great tool, but if you're going on a serious backpacking trip, I would get something with a metal mechanism.

5. Full Windsor The Muncher Titanium Multi Utensil

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Full Windsor The Muncher Titanium Multi Utensil

The Muncher’s versatility makes it a must for every adventurer and traveller, be it camping in your back yard to backpacking around the world. It is the ideal companion on any trip where weight and space are a consideration.

The handly bottle opener found in the middle will not only bring you hydration and salutations, but it also functions as a very useful potato peeler. Next to this is a can opener and cord cutter. The end of the utensil can be used in a variety of ways, be it as a flat head screw driver, pry-bar for opening lids, or even a box cutter for opening food packaging. The handly bottle opener found in the middle will not only bring you hydration and salutations, but it also functions as a very useful potato peeler.

Next to this is a can opener and cord cutter. The end of the utensil can be used in a variety of ways, be it as a flat head screw driver, pry-bar for opening lids, or even a box cutter for opening food packaging. A hypalon pouch keeps the utensil safely stowed away.

Pros/Sturdy and well built. Will last for several camping or backpacking trips.
Cons/The flint is pretty inconsistent and the can opener works quite slow.
Bottom Line/This tool combines all the things you actually use most while outdoors.

6. Ka-Bar Tactical Spork

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Ka-Bar Tactical Spork

Okay, you probably don’t NEED a tactical spork, but when you see the clever design behind this Ka-Bar camping utensil you won’t want to go on a backcountry hunt without it.

Essentially, Ka-Bar took the design of a standard eating utensil and turned it into a sheath for a 2.5-inch separated blade. So if you haul meat back to camp while on a backcountry hunt, this handy little tool warrants consideration.

Pros/Made from food and water approved Grammid, Heavily serrated, Extremely light weight
Cons/A couple minor flaws users have pointed out are that the spoon is a tad small, and there's a little hole right near the head that traps food and liquid
Bottom Line/Excellent two-in-one design and super sturdy for a great price!
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