Gas canisters for campsite cooking have become hugely popular, but recycling them can be tricky as they need to be emptied of their pressurized and flammable fuel before they can be processed for re-use. Adventure gear startup Outdoor Element has taken to Kickstarter with a clever solution to this dilemma, offering a camp pot gripper that doubles as a device to empty and puncture fuel canisters for safe disposal.
Called Handled, the utensil looks and functions in part much like a pot handle you’d find at a camping store or in the box with your camping kitchen kit. Made from aluminum, the 2.2-oz (62-g) tool features silicone tabs at the end that latch onto the lip of a hot pot to prevent burnt fingers, along with scratches to your campsite cookware.
If you find yourself with an emptied canister, the Handled tool can then be disassembled in a few seconds to take on a completely different task. Removing the pin that acts as a hinge at the top end enables the tool to then be screwed directly into the valve of the fuel canister and release any gas that happens to remain.
The handle can then be leveraged to puncture a series of holes in the can wall, using the valve as a pivot point. With the canister properly depressurized and free of flammable gas, it can then be taken to a suitable recycling depot to be given a new life.
Outdoor Element is offering its Handled tool for early backers of its Kickstarter campaign for pledges of US$10. If everything goes to plan with the campaign, shipping is slated for July 2020.
Camp pot gripper also punctures fuel canisters for safe recycling [New Atlas]