Owner Review of
Snow Peak Titanium Spork
By Michael Jay Lissner
Written: 27 June 2003
Updated: 16 February 2004

Contents of Review:
1. Tester Biography
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Review
5. Summary

Tester Biography:
Name: Michael Jay Lissner
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Weight: 190 lb (86 kg)
Email Address: yourmothership@hotmail.com
City of Current Residence: Depending on time of year: San Diego, California / Saranac Lake, New York / Claremont, California

Backpacking Background:
I was first introduced into backpacking through the Boy Scouts, and it was my love of backpacking that made me stick all the way through and get my Eagle. After becoming too old to continue in Boy Scouts, I had trouble motivating myself to plan my own trips, and did not backpack for a few years, until I realized that I should thru-hike the PCT. I am currently in a multiyear training program, practicing techniques, studying backpacking literature, getting in shape, planning the many wee details and perhaps most importantly, converting my ultra-heavy Boy Scout techniques into ones more suited to ultra-light thru-hiking. My current style is a minimalist one relying on more intelligence and discomfort and less on safety gear and toys. I would describe it as nearly ultra-light status, but not quite there yet. My usual stomping grounds are the Laguna Mountains (when in San Diego), the San Bernardino Mountains (when in Claremont), the Adirondacks around Saranac Lake, and occasionally- when gas prices allow- the southern Sierras.

Product Information:
Manufacturer: Snow Peak
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Manufacturer’s URL: http://www.snowpeak.com
Listed Weight: 0.6 oz (16 g)
Measured Weight: 0.71 oz (20 g)
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price: $10.95 USD

Review:
I purchased this spork from my neighborhood REI a few months ago, and since then I have been lucky enough to be able to use it many times. In so doing, I have come to know both its merits and its weak points, as it has both. I have used it on several backpacking trips, both in the San Bernardino Mountains and in the Adirondacks. Also, when without clean dishes, I have prided myself on my resourcefulness, and have used it at home. I have used it to eat soup, pasta, cereal, macaroni and cheese etcetera.

The first thing that ought to be mentioned in this review is probably the weight savings gained through the use of this product. As mentioned above, it weighs a mere 0.6 oz (16 g). The only competition for it are polycarbonate (commonly known as Lexan) utensils, with the average utensil weighing in around 0.5 oz (14 g). Although they are indeed lighter utensils, it should be noted that one would have to carry both a spoon and a fork in order to wean the same capabilities that a spork provides, for a net weight of approximately an ounce (28 g).

While we are on the subject of weight, it should also be noted that titanium (with an atomic mass of about 48 amu) is not lighter than aluminum (with an atomic mass of about 26 amu) or polycarbonate (Lexan), and should not be thought of as such. Titanium saves weight through its incredible strength, allowing a manufacturer to use less of it to accomplish the same task as other weaker materials. This works great for items which can be made thinner and smaller while still serving their intended purpose (e.g. a stove), but not so well for things that cannot (e.g. a pot or perhaps a spoon). Indeed, gear that cannot be made smaller or thinner often weighs more when made out of titanium than it does in other materials (a polycarbonate [Lexan] spoon and an aluminum pot both generally weigh less than their titanium counterparts).

That having been said, weight aside, the concept of the spork is still not without its flaws. The last time I used a spork before purchasing this one was probably about a decade ago when I last ate in the public school cafeteria. At the time I did not realize the flaw in the concept. Rather, I reveled in the combination of utensils, amazed in a similar way as one might be when pondering the concept of Spam. I did not realize at the time that although a spork does offer the functionality of both utensils, it does not serve flawlessly as either. To wit, a spork is not a fork, nor a spoon, and serves poorly as both and either. When trying to eat cereal for instance (a spoon function), one cannot very well consume the milk, as it leaks out the tines. Same applies for the broth of soups. Furthermore, when attempting to stab a chunk of meat to pick it up (a fork function), it generally turns out to just be easier to spoon it up instead as the tines are far from sharp enough for that function. I suppose however that the material removed to turn the spoon into a spork should not be disregarded. Snow Peak does save some weight there in the form of removed material.

The other important thing that I look for in cooking utensils is the amount to which it conducts heat when I am using it to stir hot foods. As far as I have noticed, titanium is not a very good conductor when compared with stainless steel or aluminum, but certainly conducts heat better than polycarbonate (Lexan). Thus, using titanium to stir a hot meal is not too bad an idea, but polycarbonate (Lexan) would serve better.

The other three things that I should note are that 1) I have not noticed any taste in my food from the non-corrosive titanium as one would when using aluminum or iron; 2) unlike polycarbonate, the texture of the titanium is pleasing to the tongue, and cleans easily and well; and 3) the durability of the spork is not something to worry about; it will hold up indefinitely.

Summary: The Good and the Bad:
The Good:
- The spork is lightweight, and offers weight savings when compared to carrying both a Lexan spoon and fork.
- Titanium is not a good heat conductor, nor a poor one.
- Titanium is durable, pleasing to the tongue, and cleans easily.
The Bad:
- Sporks do not hold liquids, nor do they stab meats.