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Reviews > Cook and Food Storage Gear > Utensils > Sea to Summit AlphaLight Spork > Owner Review by Brian Martel

Sea to Summit AlphaLight Spork
Owner Review by Brian Martel
April 25, 2012 


Tester Information 

NAME:                       Brian Martel
AGE:                           22
GENDER:                   Male
HEIGHT:                    6 ft (1.83 m)
WEIGHT:                   155 lbs (70.3 kg)
EMAIL:                     
brian.martel@maine.edu
LOCATION:              Orono, Maine, USA
 
I’ve been backpacking for about two years now.  I try to keep my pack light.  I go to school in Maine and during the winter I enjoy
getting out on winter hikes so warmth and water resistance and weight are the factors I look at when looking for new gear.  I’ve camped with different setups using hammocks tents and tarps.  I enjoy backpacking because it gets me away from the crowds.  I also like to make my own gear and I’m always trying to improve and lighten the gear I have.
 

PRODUCT INFORMATION


Sea to Summit Alphalight Spork
Manufacturer: Sea to Summit
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Manufacture’s Website: www.seatosummit.com
Spork

            Listed Weight: 0.3 oz (9 g)
           Measured Weight: 0.29 oz (8.5 g)

Carabiner

            Listed Weight: NA
            Measured Weight: 0.09 oz (2.5 g)

Total Weight

           
Listed Weight: NA
            Measured Weight: 0.38 oz (11 g)

Dimensions:
6.5 in x 1.5 in (16.51 cm x 3.81 cm)

 
    The Sea to Summit Spork is made from hard-anodized aircraft-grade 7075-T6 aluminum.  It comes with a small carabiner that I use to clip it to other utensils or my pack.  The spork has four tines. The inner two tines each measure 0.38 in (0.95 cm) in length.  The two outer tines measure 0.31 in (0.79 cm) in length.  It is 0.25 in (0.64 cm) deep and 1.63 in (4.13 cm) wide.  The combination of the depth and width of the spork make it easy to eat soup with. 

 
FIELD USE

            I have used the Sea to Summit Spork for all my backpacking trips and day-hikes for the past year. I have used it during a four-day backpacking trip in Yosemite California as well as a two-day trip in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  I also have used it on around 20 day-hikes when I bring a meal for lunch.  During the Yosemite trip it was sunny the whole time.  During the trip in the White Mountains of New Hampshire it rained one evening.  The rain did not affect the spork.  The texture of the anodized finish gives it enough grip that it does not become slippery and hard to hold.  During the winter I have used it on day trips while snowshoeing in the forest surrounding my house.  The cold does not make it brittle or weaken it at all and it performed fine.  After a year of use there are no dents, as the aircraft grade aluminum is extremely tough.  The anodized finish also helps to prevent scratches.
            After a meal I clean the spork with a camp towel and water and then store it in the top pocket of my pack wrapped with a camp towel, which prevents any damage from occurring while I am on the trail.  When I get home from a trip I hand wash the spork with soap and hot water.  I use it to cook and eat my meals.  I do not use this spork on nonstick pots because it could scratch the surface.  Typically my meals consist of rice, hot chocolate, oatmeal, and sometimes freeze dried meals.
            It can be difficult to eat the freeze dried meals out of the package with this spork because of the relatively short handle, however I usually roll the package down to shorten the sides, which makes it easier to eat.  The length also makes it easier to pack than a spork with a longer handle.  The spork is very strong and I have not had any problems with it bending at all.  The handle has a curve down the center of the handle, which helps to give it extra strength.  The fork does have its limitations because of the width of the teeth.  The fork struggles most with small pieces of meat.  The tines tend to split the meat so I end up using it as a spoon primarily.


SUMMARY
The Sea To Summit Spork is a great addition to my camp kitchen kit.
 

THINGS I LIKE

Lightweight

Durability

Included carabiner
 

THINGS I DISLIKE

Fork tends to split food

Too short to easily eat freeze-dried meals
 

SIGNATURE

--
Brian Martel --


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Reviews > Cook and Food Storage Gear > Utensils > Sea to Summit AlphaLight Spork > Owner Review by Brian Martel



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