Tritensil – a better spork?

[Rex Sanders]

UK’s Map Project invented a better spork, added a cutting edge, and called it a tritensil:

http://www.wired.com/2015/08/tritensil-spork/

http://mapprojectoffice.com/work/fortnum-mason-tritensil/

They even designed right-handed and left-handed versions.

However, the tritensil name is also used in the USA for a far less interesting product:

http://www.tritensil.com

And I can’t seem to find them for sale anywhere. Originally designed for Fortnum & Mason, perhaps a BPL member from the UK might enquire?

— Rex

[Jeff B]

Mr. Sanders, I am the President of JM Boom Concepts and the inventor of the “far less interesting”   Tritensil that you refer to.  Since we show no customer purchase records with your information, it is obvious that you have formed your opinion without ever actually using our product.  I would be happy to send you a complimentary sample so that you can do a proper evaluation at your convenience.  I believe you will find that unlike the Fortnum-Mason Tritensil, that our Tritensil is a fully functional fork, spoon and knife. As to your UK enquire, Tritensil is a registered trademark of JM Boom Concepts so I wouldn’t expect to find the Fortnum-Mason Tritensil for sale here in the United States anytime soon.

V/R
Jeff Busboom
President, JMBC LLC

 

[Eric Blumensaadt]

OOO! OOO! Dueling sporks!

Hey, thanks for the info Rex. I’d carry one (either US or Brit.) in my daypack for the occasional use but not in my backpack for daily use.

BTW Jeff, I hope your fork and spoon handles lock for no-slip use in deep food bags. I hate it when I get lasagna on my fingers.

[Larry De La Briandais]

Jeff, what I’d like to see is a long handled spoon on one end and fork on the other.  That is my opinion of the only usable “spork”.  No one that I know of makes one.

 

[Ken Thompson]

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[Jeff B]

Eric, the Tritensil does securely lock together for mess free pouch eating.  I also hate getting lasagna on my fingers!

Larry, when the Tritensil is configured as a spork, the length extends from 6.75″ to a very useable 10.5″, or anywhere in between.

Mr. Thompson, I understand your price point hesitation.  We are planning on retooling this year and expect our retail price to drop down into the 6$-8$ range.  Please understand two things.  First, our shipping cost is a flat rate fee whether you order one unit or one hundred.  Sorry we can not offer free shipping at this time but it will come.  Second, we are a small company trying to manufacture a quality product in the U.S.  While made in America isn’t important to some, it is important to my company.  The Tritensil is on the high end of the market price range (for now) but it is made in the United States and it does come with a lifetime warranty.  Since many people won’t think twice about dropping $15 for some coffee at Starbucks, I am always perplexed why it is such a stretch to spend the same on an eating utensil that has a lifetime warranty that you will probably never need to use.  Lastly, the Tritensil is impervious to freezing temps and is even dishwasher safe on the bottom rack with your regular silverware.

Mr. Sanders, my offer stands to send you a sample.  Just say the word.

Sincerely,  Jeff

[Franco Darioli]

There are several “sporks” on the market with fork/spoon/knife combos , for example the Lite My Fire version or just Google (google Images…) fork spoon combo

I like the idea of the US Tritensil, that happens also to address the long spoon /fork combo Larry is after.

[Nick Gatel]

 

Over 40 years ago, before there were Internet forums to guide us, I figured out that I only need a single eating utensil for backpacking – a spoon.

Today, and for several years, my spoon of choice has been a 8.5″ long Sea To Summit Alpha spoon that works well with freezer bag cooking or stirring stuff in a pot when I might actually cook something.

I tried a couple sporks a few years ago and they offer no advantage over a spoon.

YMMV.

[Ken Thompson]

.

[Jeff B]

No problem Ken!  I was actually discussing this thread with my business partner (Haha, my better half that is) and we would like to send everyone who has participated in this thread a complimentary Tritensil at no charge. So Rex, Eric, Larry, Ken, Franco and Nick, if you are interested, please send your mailing address to [email protected] and I would be happy to get a Tritensil out to you guys.

[Tony Wong]

Nice to see a civil and constructive conversation, even if there are strong or differing opinions.

Hats off to Jeff for taking the time to engage the community in the face of a perceived slight against his product, offer useful and enlightening information about his product, and then making the generous offer.

What better way to try to overcome the doubters by stepping up and offering them an opportunity to actually use their product?

Sounds like a man who believes in his product.

I do hope that people not only accept his offer, but take the time to post up a honest and fair review of their experience using them.

Tony

[Cayenne Redmonk]

I wouldn’t  want to use  a severely compromised spoon with a serated edge,  but it is interesting looking.

[Jeff LaVista]

While I do not have either products, the core issue with ALL “two-ended” utensils is a matter of hygeine.

If you want to use the knife, you have to grip the spoon. If you want to use the spoon, you have to grip the knife. Or put it in the fork handle, which you will still grip, and now you’re also gripping the fork.

Hands get dirty in the back country, and hand-to-food contamination is a common means of introducing dysentery causing microbes into your system.

Folks focus in on water purification and sterilization and then put their dirty hands all around their food and mouths.

For the US version, I would love a 3-piece version that locks together, but will never seriously consider any double-ended utensils for the reasons i’ve listed above.

[Nick Gatel]

@jkb58d

Jeff, thanks for the offer. Its good to see vendors participate in these threads.

I am happy with what I have, so I’ll pass. Good luck on your endeavor.

[Jeff B]

Jeff, I understand your hygeine concerns and absolutely agree with your observations. The concept behind the “US” Tritensil is to provide a fully functional fork, spoon and knife with an extension capability in a minimalist design. The intent is that if you need the knife, you will primarily be using the fork. If you need a spoon you will not likely need a knife. The intent of the spork configuration is only for those times when there is a need to eat out of a pouch, in which case you would either need the fork or the spoon end but not both.  We recognize that there may be times when an individual may want or need to use all three capabilities simultaneously but this would be the exception and not the norm.  As with many specialty tools and hybrid types of equipment designed for the back country, there are often some compromises that need to be made for the sake of size, weight and functionality.  We recognize that the Tritensil may not meet everybodies needs but the feedback we have received from actual users so far has been extremely positive. Thank you for your input. V/R Jeff

[David Thomas]

I’m glad these sectarian disagreements are being discussed in a civil manner.  As Jonathan Swift described in Gulliver’s Travels (1726):

Traditionally, Lilliputians broke boiled eggs on the larger end; a few generations ago, an Emperor of Lilliput, the Present Emperor’s great-grandfather, had decreed that all eggs be broken on the smaller end after his son cut himself breaking the egg on the larger end. The differences between Big-Endians (those who broke their eggs at the larger end) and Little-Endians had given rise to “six rebellions… wherein one Emperor lost his life, and another his crown”.

(which was an analogy for England’s transition from Catholicism to Protestantism not long before Swift’s time.)

[Ken Thompson]

I will gladly pass along Jeff’s Tritensil as a PIF. PM me if interested. Thanks again Jeff for the opportunity.

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