EPIC GEAR: FOLD-A-CUP

SWEDEN’S ULTIMATE OUTDOOR GADGET

Text: Jenny Wikman / Photo: Emelie Voltaire

Too ugly for Instagram, tainted by childhood memories of forced family and preschool outings: the folding cup may look unassumingly unsexy at first glance, but it has a special place in our hearts. In fact, it’s such a brilliant design that it’s been classified as a work of art by the Svensk Form (Swedish Design) association.

At the end of the 20th century, long before enamel mugs began trending on Pinterest and hipsters started dragging heavy wooden mugs out to the woods (read: the nearest nature reserve, a stone’s throw outside the city limits), a washable Swedish classic was invented. More Swedish than the band GES and getting drunk on schnapps, more Swedish than snus: it’s Wildo’s brilliant Fold-A-Cup.

Wildo was founded in 1979 when a minimalist outdoor enthusiast threw his lot in with a former soldier. Together, they developed an outdoor dining set that was functional and light – made for the harshest environments that hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts could visit. 35 years later, and this foldable plastic cup is still a bestseller and now even a copywrighted work of art.

In 2021, a Fold-A-Cup will be released for three to four euros, a modest outlay for its functionality. It weighs a mere 25 grams, which makes it one of those rare products that’s loved by weight-weenies, parents and comfort maximalists alike. It’s among the lightest and most flexible drinking vessels you can get for your money.

Fold it and it takes up hardly any space in your pack. It’s only 2.5 cmthick when folded up, so can even fit in a trouser pocket. For the minimalist, it replaces a water bottle when you’re guaranteed fresh water sources, as you can sip straight out of the cup.

When it’s folded up, you can store a few tea bags inside the cup for your upcoming break – always be prepared! If you have a classic Trangia kitchen, you’ll see that the cup fits snugly inside as a permanent part of the kit. At the camp site, it can happily serve as a bowl for peanuts and snacks.

If you hike with your family, you can effectively eliminate the kids whining about ”mine” and ”yours” because the cups come in all the colours of the rainbow. And if you want to avoid dragging around an extra water bowl for your four-legged hiking companion, serve the water from your folding friend. If you’ve got a big dog, or it becomes so fond of your beloved cup that that you don’t want to share anymore, then you can get a larger (600 ml) version, called the Fold-A-Cup Big.

But, since you can use the larger cup for food, a tasty goulash perhaps, it may be that your four-legged friend still wants to share your cup!