Alex and I were huddled around burners staring at cookpots waiting for water to boil on the inaugural night of a backcountry trip. It was my first opportunity to pull out the Gerber ComplEAT — I saw the look of derision on Alex’s face. I can’t really blame him because these utensils don’t look like hardcore gear. Can a spatula and tongs in backcountry cooking be taken seriously?
Gerber has pulled it off with clever, multitasking design. When you’re trying to cook birds with minimal cook gear on the trail, it’s shocking just how useful a pair of tongs can be. The whole set tips the scales at just 2.5 ounces. And the fork and spoon are long enough to reach the bottom of dehydrated meal pouches without getting chili mac all over your fingers.
Burnt bronze is the color for me — hopefully keeps the burnt out of my camp cooking — $27.
