Orikaso Fold Flat Camping Bowl
There was a time when I would never have considered bringing a bowl on a backpacking trip. But now that I’ve tried the Orikaso Big Bowl, I’m going to start bringing this on my longer trips. Eating freezer bag meals and drinking recovery drinks out of a quart-sized ziploc bags gets old after a few days.
You’ve probably seen these bowls before. They lie flat in your pack or you can curve them inside your food bag. When you want to use them, you simply fold them up into a water-tight bowl shape and pour your food in. It makes eating hot food a little more civilized with a very small weight penalty.
On my digital scale, an XL Orikaso Bowl with a 22 fluid oz capacity weighs just 1.4 oz. In addition to serving as a camping bowl, you can also use them in their flattened state as a cutting board, serving tray or working surface to assemble other meals.
Here’s a nice video that shows how to use them.
Unfortunately, the Orikaso product line seems to have disappeared from widespread distribution in the US. I’m surprised because they were all the rage for a while. They are still available however on Amazon and at Wilderness Dining, which is where I scored mine.
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I have been using one of these for the past couple of years. At first I was worried that the tabs would tear-off after repeated use, but that hasn’t been the case at all. Holds up fairly well to hot water used to make Top-Ramin – although I have never tried boiling water. It has successfully replaced my Ziploc bowel. Its’ being able to fold flat has been an even trade for not having a lid. Come to mention it – I haven’t seen them in the stores anymore either. Glad I bought two when I did.
Bring the bowl every time for the same reasons you stated. Last summer, they closed out the Orikaso at my local outfitter due to lack of interest and I picked up a bunch of bowls, plates, and cups for my children and I for a $1 a piece. The current(last year) design was a great improvement over the original one that came out a few years earlier. They clean up so easily too. Highly recommend the big bowl over the regular size bowl. Regular size is perfect for small kids but too small for an average adult male.
I use these.
http://www.ziploc.ca/en/products/containers/snap-n-seal.aspx
They are disaposable so they are not very green but they have worked out extremely well for instant mashed potatoes, oatmeal, soups.
Don’t know but the clone from Fozzils might be easier available in the US. They copied the idea but incorporated some snap fasteners into the design.
Good call – they are available at REI. Never heard of them before, but they are, as you say a clone.
I read that the new bowls, cups and plates from Orikaso aren’t as good as the old ones were. The new ones seem to wear out already after a few uses, while the old ones literally work forever. I might pick up one of the bowls if I see them for cheap.
Not sure what generation I have, (purchased in July 2007)but my bowl is holding up great. It also makes a great cutting board.
I have not tried these yet because I don’t mind the weight penalty of carrying my silicone squishy bowl but you can also get the orikaso set on steep and cheap for around 6$. You have to wait for the product to be cycled onto the main page but its a serious discount. http://www.steepandcheap.com/
Like Valgard stated, SAC is a good place to pick up the set some times for cheap. At TheGearHouse, we’ve got some of the mugs and plates, but you won’t find Orikaso in any normal outfitter stores anymore I dont think.
I haven’t tried them myself but have heard good reviews similar to this one for them.
The Fozzils hold up a lot better – due to the snaps. We carried them for a couple years in our store, I still have a few left in the Bargain Bin.
Being an Ultralighter, I can’t see the need for this item. I try to ensure each item I carry has multiple uses, such as cooking in and on and eating out of. This would be just more weight added to my pack that I don’t need..
I didn’t use it the one time I took it on a trip. You CAN live without it.