Stir or sauté, flip or fold, we think the spatula should be one of the most used tools in the backcountry. A perfect spatula feels like an extension of your body—scrambling or scraping food as needed. But if it’s such an integral part of the wilderness experience, why is a good one so hard to find?
When we heard Black Diamond and Alex Honnold had teamed up to create an innovative new kitchen product, our ears perked up. Could this be the elusive, indispensable utensil we’d been searching for? In order to find out, we wiped our schedules (and cast irons) clean and headed to the wilds of the Pacific Northwest for a week straight, dedicated to subjecting the Signature Spatula to a slew of recipe tests, evaluating cut, stain, odor and heat resistance—all under the harsh indifference of the backcountry.
This affordably priced ($15), lightweight spatula is built for a wide variety of tasks, from turning delicate fillets to scraping the blackened remains off your skillet when your PocketRocket’s flame blasted the poor fish too fast (yes, we have packed out fish; no, we don’t recommend it).
This versatile utensil has just the right amount of flexibility and strength: the flex-tempered asymmetrical blade seamlessly slides under nearly-scorched oatmeal without a problem and although highly flexible, the blade can withstand the weight of a fireside steak without bending.
What’s more, after hundreds of hours of testing over the past week, we found the handsome Signature green handle (signed by Honnold himself) to be ergonomic and comfortable to hold—just like a crux-move crimper. That means your wrist won’t get tired from flipping exhausting amounts of hot dogs on the grill of your car camping spot after a long day on belay.
Since it’s made from one solid piece of platinum-grade silicone (BPA- and BPS-free) that’s heatproof to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, the spatula has no food-trapping grooves, which makes cleanup a breeze—just scrub it down with Dr. Bronners and that quarter of a sponge you so lovingly cut after counting the ounces of your pack.
The spatula’s small head is slight enough to fit into a wide-mouth Nalgene, making it perfect for extracting the last of the pancake batter. And the angled tip sweeps scraps up off cookware with ease—meaning you’ll have less swill water to swallow while practicing Leave No Trace principles and slurping up every last bit of food (you do do that, right?).
So whether you need an all-purpose tool to flip your fish or a hyper-specialized tool to frost your favorite dessert, this spatula stands up to the test. Black Diamond and Honnold have done it again!
Product Details:
- Proceeds support Honnold Foundation to promote solar energy for a more equitable world
- Flex-tapered asymmetrical blade for accurate and efficient cooking
- Solid silicone blade and handle prevent damage and won’t scratch delicate cookware
- Fiberglass core—provides better heat resistance and longer life
- Durable unibody design
- Grippy soft-touch silicone handle for heat resistance
- Features Honnold’s iconic signature and Honnold Foundation logo
- Honnold Signature Verde color
- Thanks to GIR (Get It Right silicone tools) for spatula creation