REASONS TO BUY
Transforms into multiple utensils
Durable metal
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Poor ergonomics
GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Kung Foon Review
This spoon-fork-chopstick hybrid is sure to amuse while its bulky design renders it best for front-country fun
GSI Outdoors Kung Foon
Credit: GSI Outdoors
RELATED: Best Spork
Our Verdict
The GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Kung Foon is more than your average fork-spoon hybrid utensil. With integrated chopsticks, it doubles as an extra long cooking tool or disassembles into two independent pieces of silverware. While both clever in design and witty in name, this product is unnecessarily bulky and heavy. It does make for a funny gift, though, for your outdoorsy friends.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Kung Foon | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | ||
| Price | $15.00 List $14.95 at Backcountry | $9.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $12.00 List $11.95 at Amazon | $8.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While a bit too heavy for deep backcountry use, this witty utensil combines 3 pieces of cutlery into one | The best model for your on-the-go meal needs | This model has an exceptionally low weight and top-notch durability, making it the ideal backcountry utensil | A great option for the backcountry due to its comfortable and lightweight design | This sturdy plastic model offers the best price to performance ratio |
| Rating Categories | GSI Outdoors Glacie... | Snow Peak Titanium... | Vargo Titanium ULV | Toaks Titanium | humangear GoBites Uno |
| Eating (35%) | |||||
| Durability (30%) | |||||
| Cooking (20%) | |||||
| Cleaning (15%) | |||||
| Specs | GSI Outdoors Glacie... | Snow Peak Titanium... | Vargo Titanium ULV | Toaks Titanium | humangear GoBites Uno |
| Material | Stainless steel, wood | Titanium | Titanium | Titanium | High-temp nylon |
| Measured weight (oz) | 1.8 oz | 0.6 oz | 0.3 oz | 0.6 oz | 0.5 oz |
| Length | 10.7" | 6.5" | 6.5" | 6.625" | 6.5" |
| Dishwasher safe? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes - Top rack recommended |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
There isn't much you can't eat when armed with chopsticks, a fork, and a spoon. The GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Kung Foon packs a punch, or perhaps we should say a karate chop and delivers all three culinary tools in a single device. Weighing in at nearly 2-ounces and reaching 10.5-inches when combined, this was the heaviest and longest model we tested. While it's good for car camping and makes an amusing gift, it's not worth its weight in the backcountry.
Performance Comparison
Witty humor may earn an eye-roll from some, but we love the name of this product.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Eating
This product was designed for chopstick lovers. It handles food like any classic set and was wonderful to have when eating noodles. The stainless steel spork, on the other hand, was cumbersome. The metal handle curves to allow the chopsticks to be securely inserted, but the shape makes holding the handle without the chopsticks uncomfortable. The tines are also tiny and close together which impedes its fork-like function of stabbing food.
Chopsticks and ramen were meant for each other and this pair was no exception.
Credit: Nicky Bunn
Durability
The metal portion of this model is considerably hefty rendering it practically indestructible. The chopsticks, on the other hand, are quite the opposite. Thinner than traditional chopsticks, this pair is prone to breaking, particularly in a rugged backcountry environment. Unfortunately, the unique shape of these chopsticks is required for combining this product and the manufacturer does not sell replacement chopsticks.
Try as we might the robust metal portion of this product wouldn't break or bend.
Credit: Nicky Bunn
Cooking
Although we liked the added reach of the extended configuration, it felt flimsy in hand and occasionally came apart with vigorous stirring. A non-stick pan is no match for this competitor. One pass across the non-stick surface and it left a deeper gouge than any of the other models we tested.
The added length keeps fingers far above whatever's cooking.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Alone, the chopsticks excelled at cooking and made a great addition to a camp kitchen. They also won't scratch your non-stick pans. If you have space, try bringing a pair on your next backpacking trip, but opt for one of our other contenders as your accompanying utensil.
Cleaning
The smooth titanium surface of the spork made cleaning a simple task, but the wood chopsticks were a different matter. Food particles clung to the unfinished wood making them difficult to rinse clean. The teeny tiny holes at the tops of the chopsticks also accumulated food that we still haven't figured out how to remove without a needle.
The little wholes at the tops of the chopsticks are pesky to keep clean.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Value
Can you put a price on humor? If not, this is a great buy, but it's also one of the most expensive models of all of the products we tested. There are more other contenders that are a bit more practical and affordable.
You won't get an optimal price to performance ratio, but you will buy a good chuckle.
Credit: Leslie Yedor
Conclusion
We love the witty humor of the GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Kung Foon, but it's cutlery capabilities didn't exactly live up to its name. While it scored slightly above average in every category, it was just too middle of the road to take home any awards. GSI needs to head back to the dojo if it wants to be promoted to a darker belt after the next competition.
—
Leslie Yedor
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