A big thank you to Pit Command for sending their Talons to be adored. No monetary compensation was received for this Rave Review.
If you’ve ever spent any time around a campfire, you’re probably familiar with the “Pit Command”. That’s the person whose job is it to make the fire just-so, stacking the logs in the perfect air-circulating cone, adding kindling, and poking at it with a stick pretty much continuously for the next few hours. This isn’t a chore, like weeding the yard or washing the dishes. This is *the* sought-after job at the campfire, and if the Pit Command hops up for a minute their job may be in jeopardy.
With the arrival of our new Solo Bonfire this winter, I knew that we were going to be spending even more time around the campfire from here on out. What we needed were tools that made the Solo Stove even more fun. Even better would be tools that were specifically designed with a smokeless fire pit in mind. That’s where the Pit Command Talons come in.
Talons by Pit Command
The ultra-efficient combustion of smokeless fire pits means that you don’t need to work the coals to get a roaring flame. What you do need is a more efficient way to control the fire that doesn’t involve imprecision poking. Ideally, you could reach inside the fire and move, remove, or add to your fire any time you wanted – all while carefully fine tuning your flame. The Pit Command Talons do just that, allowing you to effortlessly control your blaze while still staying a safe distance away.
Talons are essentially super-sized tongs or tweezers that have a whopping 24” of reach to allow you to fully control your fire. These lightweight but sturdy grabbers have sharp saw tooth edges that can hold just about anything, even crackling hot log or slippery items. Custom molded grips make for even easier handling, and a high-heat powder coat that won’t burn off in the fire makes them incredibly durable.
So easy a kid could do it – supervised, of course
At first glance, I didn’t realize how easy they would be to control. I was assuming it would take some good hand strength to hold them closed, similar to industrial spring loaded or tension tongs. Then I figured it would take brute strength to hold onto anything with any weight to it, like logs for the fire. What I found was that the design is perfectly balanced to make it easy to hold closed while awaiting your turn to Pit Command, and remarkably easy to lift up even heavy and awkward objects as needed.
It was so easy that our little one mastered it incredibly quickly, and was picking up her toys with the Talons, a site I never ever thought I’d see. Our older kids went on a hunt to find things to pick up and place, and they were able to get control of every single thing that they attempted to pick up. Of course, nothing was lit, but I do think the older ones could easily handle that as well, providing they were well supervised.
What I love is that it’s so maneuverable that you can lift up the Solo Bonfire screen, expertly raise the lid, and more all with the Pit Command Talons. No more switching between tools, or needing hot pads, the talons can go straight from adding wood and maximizing your flame to modifying the smokeless bonfire with ease.
Humans have been using a stick to move the log around the fire for more than one million years—finally evolving into the ubiquitous wrought-iron poker. Pit Command was born out of the simple idea that fire pit owners are tired of simply poking their fire—they want to command it.
Pit Command site
How to buy the Pit Command Talons
The Pit Command Talons are pretty much the coolest thing to happen to bonfires, campfires, and fire pits since the introduction of flame. With carbon steel construction and an easy-to-use design that makes them leagues better than a traditional poker, they will easily become your favorite fire tool.
These bad boys are made in the USA with pride, and are available in three colors: black, orange and green. They weigh 1lb5oz and are 24” x 4”, which makes them easy enough to pack up for bonfires on the go.
You can purchase the Pit Command Talons at pitcommand.com