Orikaso Review

What is Orikaso? Fold-flat dinnerware (bowls, plates and cups) made of plastic, for camping. Put it together like origami and eat or drink. Highly recommended.

A while back I saw an Orikaso display at EMS. It was nifty looking, but appeared a little flimsy and very gimmicky. I used to have an official Boy Scouts of America collapsible cup, and that was more useful as a prank than an actual drinking cup. Surely, this couldn't be any better. My lexan plate and bowl work well, anyway.

I recently decided to try it, though, and bought a Solo Set, which includes a bowl, plate and mug. They come in a flat package, and you fold them together to use. It's easiest to just watch the video instructions but the pictures help, too.

I used the Solo Set a few times around the house to test it out. Orikaso is not a gimmick and it's not flimsy. The stuff is made out of a strong but flexible plastic. Before using, bend the hinges back and forth many times. This will help the bowl, plate and mug stay together because there will be less pressure from the hinge trying to push the assembly apart.

The bowl and plate fit together and maintain their shape well. The plastic doesn't seem to get softer or more flexible with hot liquid in it. In other words don't worry about the bowl splitting open and seeing your soup all over the ground. The mug is a little awkward to use as a mug because there's no opening to slide your fingers through the handle. Wrapping my hand around the whole thing is natural, however.

During last weekend's Klondike Derby my Orikaso plate and bowl really shined. The large, deep bowl held lots of moose stew, and when there was only juice left I could squish the sides of the bowl together and guzzle it down. The plate served double-duty as a cutting board (confirmed by the Orikaso people, BTW: it can be used as a cutting board). Sunday morning at 7:00 am it was only 3 °F, and everything was frozen. There were several brittle bowls in camp that cracked pretty quickly; the Orikaso had no such problem. Since the mug is uninsulated, it didn't keep my hot chocolate warm for very long, though that is to be expected. When packing up, I simply wiped the Orikaso off and shoved it back into its pouch and squished it into my backpack.

To summarize, the Orikaso plate and bowl will replace my lexan ones--they pack easier (read: fold smaller) and can do double-duty as a cutting board. The mug works well to drink out of, but hot liquids won't stay warm long so it'll likely only get used in the warmer months.