Initial Report: Flatworld Orikaso Picnic Set

Personal biographical information

David Posalski
31
Male
5’11", 180 cm
265 lb , 120 kg
dposalski at msn.com
Aloha, Oregon, USA
05/02/05

I started backpacking as a kid in the Boy Scouts doing overnighters. In the last few months, I have had a desire see things that relatively few people have seen. This has drawn me back to backpacking. I have found it to be the most enjoyable thing I know. I have gotten my wife involved and we get out and hike at least once a month. I have my pack weight down to about 20 lbs (9 kg) when it is loaded for a weekend.

Manufacturer’s data

Manufacturer- Flatworld Ltd.
Website- www.flatworld.co.uk
Model- Orikaso Picnic Set
Color- Red
Weight- 6.7oz (190 g) as weighed,
MSRP- $24.00 from retailer, as mfr. Website does not list price.
Measurements: Included in report

Initial Impressions

When I got this set in the mail, I opened it immediately.  I had so many questions about it that I wanted to get started playing with these right away.  They arrived in a flat cardboard sleeve that I ripped into along a seam and only noticed afterward that it actually had a correct way to open it.  The cardboard carton had pictures on it and instructions on the back.  The folder also claims a lifetime warranty on the items.  I wondered if I would need the instructions to put the items together.

I then grabbed the bowl first, as it looked the least complicated.  I found myself looking at the crease lines on the bowl and was afraid of breaking the bowl due to the three tabs that hang off the edge of the bowl.  I reached for the instructions on the cardboard packing and went through the instructions one by one.  Within two minutes I had built the bowl and the plate.  The cup took another two minutes.  The first time that the items are put together, they must be folded in both directions in order to loosen the creases.  The instructions clearly state this, so just follow them.  The instructions have useful illustrations, as trying to do it from the text alone was confusing.

After folding the items a couple times and then unfolding them, I came to several realizations.  The first was that these items will never fit back in the cardboard sleeve, and it was thus discarded.  The second was that these are going to be harder to break than I thought.  Third, building these will be faster after a little practice.

After folding the cup a couple times, I realized that I got a fold in the wrong place and the cup showed a lightened area.  This was caused by my not folding the creases both directions enough before building the cup.  It is in a flat area and does not look like it will hinder the strength of the item.  Many of the constructed measurements are approximate due to the flexible nature of these items when constructed.

The Bowl

The bowl before folding is about 9 in (23 cm) across if the three tabs on it are folded under.  The three tabs around the outside of the bowl act like locks to hold the bowl in place once folded.  The tabs extend about 1 in (2.5 cm) out from the bowl rim.  If flattened all the way, this adds about 1 in (2.5 cm) to the diameter, as the tabs are located 120 degrees from each other around the rim.  The weight of the bowl as measured on a postal scale is 1.1 oz (31 g).  It is relatively easy to construct. 

When folded, the bowl sits about 3 in (7.6 cm) tall and the rim is about 6.5 in (16.5 cm) across.  The base is an equilateral triangle in shape and is about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) across. 

I am interested in evaluating the strength of the material and the durability of the tabs.  I will be interested in seeing the stability of the bowl when sitting on different materials.  Will the material soften considerably when hot liquids such as soup are placed in it?  Will the bowl insulate my hands from these hot liquids?  When full will the tabs really hold the bowl in constructed position?  Will the material be easy to clean when oily or greasy food is eaten in the bowl?

The Cup

The cup when folded for transport measures nearly 8.5 in (21.6 cm) across.  I say folded for transport because the section that folds into a handle is about 7 in (17.8 cm) long and extends from the side of the main portion.  When it came out of the box this portion was folded over to lay flat against the main section.  The cup has a metal snap that holds the side opposite the handle together when folded.  The snap passes through three thicknesses of the plastic and snaps into the fourth. 

When folded the cup is about as tall as the bowl, but the top .75 in (1.9 cm) of the cup is unusable.  There is a line on the inside of the cup that says “max” to designate the top of the usable area.  I will determine whether this is due to strength of the cup or whether it is due to leakage into the folded areas of the cup.  The cup bottom is almost square and measures about 2 in (5.1 cm) x 2.25 in (5.7 cm).  The handle on the side of the cup extends out almost an inch from the body of the cup.

I will be interested in how well the cup holds its shape when full.  Will the snap come undone while it is full of hot liquid?  If so, I would be wearing it.  The handle seems like it is comfortable in the hand, but will it be with more weight in it.  I am also concerned about the cup losing shape when full of hot liquid.

 

The Plate

The plate measures about 9.5 in (24.1 cm) across when open.  It has multiple crease lines running across it for various configurations.  It folds into shapes using small plastic snaps in the corners.  Two of the corners have four snaps and the other two corners have two snaps.  The first configuration that I folded the plate into was that of a bowl with wings.  The bowl sits about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) high and 4 in (10.2 cm) across.  The corners fold out and the snaps at each corner hold it in place.  Another configuration that I tried was of a plate.  It uses only the two extra snaps at the two corners mentioned earlier and then folds on creases a little closer to the edge.  It forms sides that are about 1.5 in (3.8 cm) high.

I was surprised when folding the plate into this configuration that the plat is missing a side.  It becomes a three sided plate.  This confuses me a bit because I would find the plate to be a useful configuration.  The plate also lies flat and can be used as a cutting board or snapped on one corner and used as a funnel.

The instructions also say to come up with some new ideas for use of the plate.  My 7 year old son already found another use for the plate.  He used it for a hat.  It looks like a cross between a colonial and a pirate hat when worn.  I’m not sure how useful this will be in the field.

I am concerned about the three-sided plate design and the durability of the plastic snaps.  I again will determine whether hot items will weaken the structural integrity of the plate.  On all the items, I will be looking for breakage along the crease lines.

Test Conditions

I will be carrying these with me for several overnighters in Oregon and Washington.  I will also be doing a four day hike around Mt. Hood this summer. These trips will be through the spring and summer months in the Cascade Mountains.  These will be used on these trips by me, my wife, and my 7 year old son.  He will not be joining us for the Mt. Hood trip.  We generally use backpacking food on extended trips and carry a little bit heavier fare when we have our son as the trips are shorter.  We will be cooking soups and eating them out of the pieces of this set and cutting prepared foods like salami and cheese on this set.  We drink cocoa and tea on our trips.