Long handled ti spoons

[Dennis Park]

Is there any real differences between the Vargo and Optimus spoons?

[Franco Darioli]

Similar but not the same.
The Vargo (listed specs) is 5 g lighter and matte( typical Ti finish)
The Optimus looks like the old BPL version , looks/feels more like SS than Ti but it is TI.

[JP]

–

[Chad “Stick” Poindexter]

Another vote for the smooth, at-home, feel over the somewhat textured versions. I have an REI Ti-Ware long handle spoon that is my favorite, for this reason. I also have a Vargo long handle spoon too, but never really use it…

[Ken Thompson]

Sea2Summit long handled aluminum spoon is lighter.

[Vladimir Kucherov]

Toaks also makes a ti spoon – I have one with the polished bowl/matte handle. I really appreciate the polished end in terms of eating. My scale has it at 15g and it's on amazon for not that much

[J R]

I have the S2S aluminum as well, and really like it, but it does have a slight texture to it. Not rough, but enough to need a little more effort to lick it clean.

[Franco Darioli]

I think that all of those long Ti spoons (polished and not) are made by Kingsound titanium .

[Roger Caffin]

Toaks listed spoon price: $10.95 (ditto on Amazon)
Toaks listed spoon weight: 16 g
Origin: China (yeah, quite possibly all brands from Kingsound)

GSI Lexan (BPA FREE) spoon listed price $1.95
GSI Lexan (BPA FREE) spoon weight: 10 g
Reviewed at http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/gsi_lexan_cutlery_spotlite_review.html (but the prices are now very out of date of course)

So the Ti ones are heavier and more expensive. This is Backpacking Light, right?

Cheers

[Jesse Anderson]

Roger, if we're comparing apples to apples here, your numbers don't quite stack up as nicely. First off, GSI no longer sells the specific Lexan tableware you reference. Everything on their site is either an acetal material or aluminum. Also, the OP and others have all been discussing the long-handled titanium spoons. The only GSI spoon with a length roughly equal to the common Ti spoons is the "Pouch Spoon" which weighs .6oz or .03oz more than the advertised weight of the Toaks. Every other spoon they sell is at least and inch shorter.

While $9 is a fair bit to spend on saving .03oz those going the Toaks route are saving weight.
Also if you buy the unpolished Toaks, you save a buck, if that's important to you.

[Joe S]

Unpolished, works, often on sale.

[Vladimir Kucherov]

I got the spoon since I started eating quart sized freezer bag meals on the trail – so long handle is a must. I've also found it more rigid than any lightweight plastic utensil I've seen, and I like the idea of titanium being pretty non-reactive with food.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Jesse

> Roger, if we're comparing apples to apples here, your numbers don't quite stack up as nicely.

Sigh. See what happens when I look away for a moment? I am out of date. Sigh.

OK:
Toaks Long Spoon: Ti, 8 5/8" (220 mm), 0.57 oz (16 g), $10.95
GSI pouch spoon: acetal, 9" (229 mm), 0.6 oz (17 g), $1.95
GSI spoon grey: acetal, 7.1" (180 mm), 0.4 oz (11 g), $0.69

Cheers

[Jesse Anderson]

Roger,
Sorry if I came across a little holier-than-thou sounding. Wasn't my intent.

It's too bad that with the BPA scare great products like GSI's lexan were discontinued. I haven't seen any of this new stuff yet. Last year I did have a couple of times with my older lexan stuff where I melted the fork tines a bit while trying to flip some sausage I was cooking. Wasn't bad enough for me to quit using them, but certainly reminded me that there is a time and place for all materials.

The good news is that you can buy an REI brand acetal spoon at 8.5" that weighs .5oz. So you can have your price and your best in class weight!

[Roger Caffin]

Hey Jesse

> a little holier-than-thou sounding
Oh phooey! Well caught! Brownie points are awarded.

Yeah, the great BPA scare – driven by dedicated scare-mongerers and a mfr desire to sell lots of replacement 'BPA-free' bottle to the scared. Don't feel sorry for Nalge: they did very well out of it. A one-time marketing triumph.

> you can buy an REI brand acetal spoon at 8.5" that weighs .5oz
Do a close comparison between the REI spoon and the GSI spoons. They look extremely similar in every detail. I wonder where REI get their spoons?

Cheers

[Owen McMurrey]

MRE spoon, 7", 6g/.2oz
I use an older natural-colored GSI(Lexan?!? Oh, my..) that's 11g and 7.25", but just sayin'.

Doesn't matter eating out of a bag, but a ti spoon/spork makes a lot of racket when eating out of a ti mug or bowl. That scraping is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

[James Volk]

Has anyone used the Optimus Long Handle Folding Spoon?

This one… http://www.optimusstoves.com/deen/optimus-products/products/katadynshopconnect/optimus-kochgeschirr-und-besteck/optimus-titan-falt-l246ffel-lang/.

I really like the idea that it would fit inside my pot as opposed to being stored separate.

[BlackHatGuy]

"I got the spoon since I started eating quart sized freezer bag meals on the trail – so long handle is a must."

I fold the quart sized bag down when getting ready to eat, so I still use a shorter ti spoon.

[Cameron M]

"The good news is that you can buy an REI brand acetal spoon at 8.5" that weighs .5oz. So you can have your price and your best in class weight!"

+1. The REI spoon is pleasant, I do not like the sensation of titanium in my mouth.

[Gaute Lote]

The sad facts:
Rei Tiware long handled spoon weighs 16 grams

SeaToSummit long handle aluminium spoon weighs 10 grams

It's lighter and cheaper with the aluminium spoon…

Cheaper still: the knife you already have, your spoon or spork and Jörgens advice:
http://www.fjaderlatt.se/2011/10/long-handled-marketing.html

[jimmy b]

We had a couple REI plastic long handle spoons. Liked the length and weight. Had some texture to it though and didn't like the taste transfer from dinner to breakfast. Always took a good scrubbing to remove strong flavors. YMMV. Going with the STS aluminum or just some POS smooth plastic spoon from the dollar store that doesn't hold taste. Probably the latter.

jimmyb

[Matthew / BPL]

I do not like the advice above. I like to keep my bag intact so I can seal it up and pack trash out in it.

[IVO K]

Just an observation.

The discussion went in the typical fashion of online forums, which (I thought, erroneously) is not the typical fashion of BPL:

Only the first reply was on topic, answerring the OP's question.
The rest of them, with a possible (but not certain) exception for Franco Darioli's second post, went on the tangent and right into the abyss…

Which made me take a pause, reflect a bit, and re-evaluate whether I'm actually in good company here on BPL.

;-)

[Richard May]

>> … went on the tangent and right into the abyss…

That's how I know I'm in good company! :-P

I like my Toaks with the polished bowl. Cleans easy, no food transfer between dinners.

The McDonald's flurry spoon works well too. Long handled, cleans easy and comes with ice cream!

[jimmy b]

"Which made me take a pause, reflect a bit, and re-evaluate whether I'm actually in good company here on BPL."

Which was EXACTLY what I was thinking after I read your post. Hey BPL sarcasm. I'm learning eh?

jimmyb

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