Laterally Stiff, Vertically Compliant: A Titanium Spork Story

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the "stuff" we carry on bikes. There is a specific kind of joy found in gear that doesn’t just perform a function, but actually feels like it belongs in the woods. It’s the difference between a plastic widget mass-produced in a sterile factory and something that looks like it was designed by someone who has spent a few nights sleeping under the stars.

Camp and Go Slow has always occupied that particular niche for me. They’re likely best known for their woven handlebar tape—which I’d argue is the best in the business—but their final product drop of the year feels like a masterclass in "useful handsome-ness."

The Art of the Roll

I’m a sucker for organization that doesn't involve rattling plastic cases. The new Scout Rolls, made in collaboration with Farewell in Santa Fe, are exactly what I’m talking about. They’ve used X-Pac fabrics (which are basically indestructible and waterproof) but finished them in patterns inspired by Eastern and Western Rattlers, Brown Trout, and Great Horned Owls.

It’s a clever bit of design: three mesh zippered pockets held together by a magnetic buckle. It’s the sort of thing you use for a first-aid kit or a camp kitchen, but it's nice enough that you’ll probably find yourself using it to organize your electronics in your "normal" life, too.

The Big Cargo

Then there are the Goldback Bags, built by Jay at Bags By Bird. At 27 liters, these aren't just "shove a tube in there" bags; these are "I might not come home until Tuesday" bags.

What I appreciate here is the material choice. They’re using things like deadstock Ochre and X50 Black, lined with UltraGrid. They look heritage, but they perform like modern technical gear. In a world of neon-bright bikepacking bags that look like they belong in a nightclub, there is something deeply grounding about a bag in "1000D Rust" or "Ranger Green."

The Small Necessities

Even the smaller bits feel considered.

• The Socks: Wool-blend, made in the USA, and patterned to match their bar tape. It’s a bit of "cycling kitsch," sure, but when the cuff is 6 inches and the footbed is padded, it’s functional kitsch.
• The Spork: A 14-gram titanium utensil made by RatKing Frames and laser-etched by Forager Cycles. I loved the description: "laterally stiff and vertically compliant." It's a classic cycling trope applied to a spoon-fork hybrid, but the fact that it’s sturdy enough to stir deep-jar peanut butter is the only spec I actually care about.

There’s a philosophy at work here that I find myself gravitating toward more and more: buy things that are made well, by people you’d probably enjoy having a beer with, in colors that look better the more dirt they collect.

If you’re looking to finish off a build or find a gift for someone who prefers a fire pit to a podium, this is where I’d start.

Camp And Go Slow

Camp and Go Slow makes woven handlebar tape and limited runs of customized bike bags, apparel and accessories.

Camp And Go Slow