GSI Pinnacle Soloist
GSI's ultimate, integrated cooking and eating solution.
Andrew Buskov
 Owner
Review:
October 1, 2014
Tester Biographical
Information:
| Name: |
Andrew Buskov |
| Age: |
39 |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Height: |
5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight: |
207 lb (94 kg)
|
| Email: |
Rescue(at)Corridor9(dot)net |
| City, State Zip |
Madisonville, Kentucky
USA |
Backpacking
Background:
I’ve been backpacking for nearly 25 years,
and have
slowly started
developing my ideal style. I’ve gotten my pack weight down to roughly
15 - 25
lbs (6.8 - 11.3 kg) before water, and am whittling it down every hike.
Day hiking is
nice, but
getting out over multiple nights is really what I enjoy. I like to take
my
time and view the scenery as opposed to hiking hard. I also like being
comfortable and insist on an air mattress. I usually tent or hammock,
but stay in shelters when needed.
 Product
Information:
| Item: |
Pinnacle Soloist
|
| Manufacturer: |
GSI Outdoors
|
| Website |
http://gsioutdoors.com/ |
| Year of Manufacture: |
2009
|
| MSRP: |
$44.95
|
| Listed Average Weight: |
10.9 oz (309 g)
|
| Actual Weight: |
9.95 oz (282 kg)
|
Product
Overview:
(From manufacturer's documentation and website)
The GSI Pinnacle Soloist is one of the various nForm integrated cook
sets offered by GSI. It includes a 1.1 L (37.3 fl oz) non-stick and
hard-anodized aluminum pot with integrated potholder / storage clamp, a
crushproof cooking lid that doubles as a cup top for use with hot
liquids, a cup / bowl with integrated insulating sleeve, a storage sack
/ wash basin that is welded and sealed for holding water, as well as a
telescoping spork and stove protection pouch. In essence, it is
designed for ultralight backpacking, while still having some of the
extra features that a true minimalist might be willing to give up.
Field
Information:
I have owned this item since roughly August 2009 and throughout that
time it has become my standard cook set for most of my backpacking and
hiking trips. Within that time frame I have used the Pinnacle
Soloist on approximately 18 different occasions ranging from family day
hikes and geocaching trips to multi-night distance hikes at high
altitude (well they were high for this lowlander). It has been
used in weather ranging from 15 F (-9 C) with blowing icy sleet and
snow to blistering temperatures over 100 F (37 C) with full sun, no
shade, and no
wind. In short, it's been used from one miserable extreme to the other
as well as all the pleasurable weather conditions in between. Altitudes
where I have used this cook set have ranged from roughly 375 ft (110 m)
around the western Kentucky area to over 10,500 ft (3200 m) at Thunder
Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
 Product Impressions:
Soon after opening and inspecting all instructions I washed the whole
set to get all manufacturing oils and detergents off prior to my first
real use. Immediately I noticed how well the pan was coated. Using
Teflon with Radiance technology (as mentioned on the manufacturer's
website), GSI has created a pot that almost repelled anything that
touched it. This was easily noticed during rinsing as the water poured
out completely with not a single little drop remaining inside. It
reminded me of the coating that I apply to my windshields; water
just doesn't want to hang around. This is seen in the photo of boiling
water. The water droplets on the side of the pot quickly form together
and roll back into the pot without leaving a streak. With the Infinity
(material the bowl, lid, and spork are made from) bowl the water also
didn't stick, though it didn't seem to be "repelled" as much as with
the pot. Either way, it was easily apparent how nice cleanup was going
to be with these items out on the trail.
 As mentioned above, GSI has developed the use of the nForm
storage
concept. This is truly ingenious as everything packs down into a nice
tight little package that is no bigger than the storage sack itself.
Everything "nests" either inside or on top of the previous item placed
in the pan such that it closes up nice and tight for packing. The only
caveat to this is when I use a large canister, which I will describe
further in detail below. This also allows me some extra room for a
lighter, salt / pepper shaker, and various packaged condiments if I
choose. I've even packed a few bags of herbal tea in there from time to
time just so I wouldn't have to dig through my food sack in the wee
hours of the morning.
The only canister stove I currently own, largely in part to the
exceptional quality and lack of need for another, is the Snow Peak Giga
Power stainless version. Because of this, it has been the only
stove I've packed with the cook set. I have, however, played around
with a friend's Snow Peak LiteMax Titanium stove. I mention this because
the packability of the GSI Pinnacle Soloist can at times depend on the
stove that is to be packed. For example; the Giga Power has four long wire
arms which pivot above the head into a tight package. However, the
LiteMax has three pressed aluminum arms that pivot around the shaft below
and above the head during packing. As such, the LiteMax is much easier
to pack inside the Soloist when using a large canister than my Giga
Power is. This is definitely something to consider when purchasing the
cook set.
In the end though, I am still able to get the Giga Power, a large fuel
canister, salt shaker, small lighter, as well as all Soloist items
packed nicely though it does take a bit more effort than when I'm using
a smaller sized canister. To get the package as small as possible not
only do I have to remove the protective cap from the fuel canister but
I also have to put the stove inside the cup a specific direction so
that it the piezo igniter can nest along the side of the cup rather
than on top of the canister valve. I must also pack the spork on the
bottom between the canister and the pot. This is the only configuration
I have found that, while still a bit bulky as seen by the gap between
the lid and pot body in the pictures, still allows the pot holder /
clamp to keep the unit together nicely for storage.
 The
time to obtain a boiling pot of water was extremely fast. I was able to
boil 16 oz (0.47 L) of
fluid in 1 minute 59 seconds, roughly 20 seconds faster than I was able
to achieve with my previous cook set. Granted, there were likely minor
meteorological differences that may have resulted in some of the time
differences, but the altitude and general location of the two
tests were very similar. I would definitely have to attribute at least
some of this decrease in boiling time to the coating that is used for
the pot itself. GSI states that the "secret lies in a
specially-formulated topcoat engineered to enhance heat dispersion and
virtually eliminate hot spots."
 Cooking
food in the pot just as painless as boiling water. I usually
stick to dehydrated food during my multi-night outings, but have taken
eggs, bacon, cans of soup, and even leftover chili to cook or reheat
inside the pot. At no time did any of the food stick to either the pot
or the cup, though I have at times had some of the powdery ingredients
cake up around the rivets for the handle that are inside the pot. This
caking of powdery ingredients is also very noticeable around the
telescoping guides for the spork. I've even burned eggs slick up inside
the pot and not had them stick. I know it may sound funny, but this
actually made my food taste better and my dining experience happier.
Maybe this was just because I knew I wasn't going to have to slave over
the wash bin scrubbing for hours, but either way it was
enjoyable. Cleanup is easy with a small sponge and a couple drops of
detergent just to loosen up the food particles.
The durability of the cook set is superior. There is some minor
scratching on the inside of the pot bottom from the base of large fuel
canisters. This has not affected boiling or the non-stick coating that
I've noticed though. There is also some scratching on the side of the
pot where the outside edge of the cup sits when it is placed in the
bottom of the pot and a small fuel canister is carried. I attribute
this scratching to various utensils, salt / pepper, and other items
getting lodged between the cup and the pot during transport. This has
also not affected the non-stick properties.
The included storage sack / sink is made from thick durable nylon. It
feels very thick as it is completely coated inside with a waterproofing
material. The seams are also sealed with additional waterproof tape. At
the top of the sack is a thinner nylon band that has a thin nylon cord
running through it to cinch up the sack. The clasp is a small orange
spring clasp that grips the nylon cord very well. Although the clasp is
relatively small, it is easy to grip making opening and closing the
sack
simple. Getting the pot inside the sack is not as easy as I'd like
though. As the pot is very snug within its sack, the pot handle
"clamp" tends to get hung on the nylon band when stowing. Having the
nylon band a
bit wider, while still being allowed to cinch down to the top of the
pot, would allow the pot to slide inside the stuff sack more smoothly.
 The
other negative aspect that I have with the set is the lack of
various measurement graduations. The only measurements found are inside
the cup. There is a graduated line that has milliliter measurements on
one side and ounce measurements on the other. While this works for a
good majority of the pre-packaged food on the market, I have found a
few brands that use cup or quart measurements. It would be nice if the
other side of the bowl had additional measurements on it. This would
eliminate the need to remember conversion tables and ensure that the
proper amount of liquid needed is not miscalculated.
In closing, and to be quite honest / blunt, I don't see myself
purchasing another cook set any time soon. While it may be titled the
GSI Pinnacle Soloist, it has enough items that I can comfortably feed 2
as long as we have bottled or sacked water. Until items start
sticking, the handle falls off the side of the pot, or the plastic
materials break this will remain my main cooking set for the types of
trips I generally take. In addition, I would definitely recommend the
GSI Pinnacle Soloist cook set to my friends or others. In fact, I have
done just
that multiple times.
Noted Positives &
Negatives:
- Compact & Durable
- All necessary mealtime essentials in a singular package
- Nested packing style eliminates additional pack space for stove
and canister
- Exceptional non-stick coating
- Simple to clean
- Needs additional graduated measurements inside cup
- Narrow stuff sack opening hampers ease of packing
Read more reviews of GSI Outdoors gear
Read more gear reviews by Andrew Buskov
|
