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SANDY — A local business owner is making outdoor cooking a little easier with his new, consolidated utensils.
"Sprongs" can be used as the spoon and the fork that they are, but they can also hook together to become tongs, according to creator Mikhail Merkurieff, also founder of MerkWares.
Merkurieff said he has never liked the camp cookware utensils on the market because they were unfamiliar, so he used the dimensions of the IKEA silverware he had at home to create the Sprongs.
He then added a longer handle, adding to the functionality of the Sprongs, which can reach to the bottom of dehydrated meals without getting food on your hands, mesh together for storage and have a lanyard hook attached so they can be hung up.
"Utah, we have a huge outdoor heritage, you know, camping and outdoor activities is really a part of the Utah culture," Merkurieff said. "And these Sprongs are … designed to enhance the outdoor experience, just make it more convenient and more fun and more enjoyable to cook and eat something outdoors."
Having been to REI, Cabella's and the Outdoor Retailer Show, Merkurieff said he hasn't seen any cooking utensils that also turn into tongs.
Made of nylon 66, the Sprongs are durable and robust.
"It's an excellent addition to 72-hour kits," Merkurieff said. "They offer a lot of functionality for very little bulk and very little space."
Merkurieff launched a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of raising $15,000 for the Sprongs. In just the first few days, he has raised more than $12,000.
They offer a lot of functionality for very little bulk and very little space.
–Mikhail Merkufieff, Sprongs creator
He previously asked for $15,000 on Kickstarter for his Emberlit stove, a foldable camp stove, and raised $70,000. The Sprongs, he said, have a bigger response at this point judging by the numbers of backers they have so far.
Following the nylon Sprongs campaign, Merkurieff plans a launch for stainless steel and titanium Sprongs so campers can pick up hot coals with the utensils and have a more permanent option.
Merkurieff said everything he makes has a forever happiness guarantee, so if anything he makes displeases his consumers, he will make it right.
"...I will do whatever it takes to keep my customers happy," Merkurieff said.
Sprongs cost $10 on Kickstarter, and there are less-expensive options when you buy in quantity.
Merkurieff hopes to ship the nylon Sprongs by November.
To learn more about the rewards available to backers, which include other MerkWares products, visit Kickstarter.
