Observation:
I took the Halulite Minimalist on this trip for the first time of using it. We hiked a couple of miles each day and I knew I wanted to try breakfast with it first. I removed the sleeve to be able to boil water. The Minimalist fit perfect over my Snow Peak stove and the water came to a boil in less than 3 minutes. I poured the contents of the dehydrated eggs into the cup and followed the directions. The silicone pot gripper came in very handy when I needed to take the cup off of the burner. It stayed connected to the fuel canister unless I was using it. I really thought that it would be possible for it to be too close to the burner and possibly melt but with it being closer to the bottom of the canister, not much heat made its way that low. It was very easy to retrieve and put back.

After the eggs were ready to eat, I placed the cup back into the sleeve and was able to handle the cup without getting burned. The neoprene sleeve is a bit thin but was protective enough not to burn my hands but to actually warm them. This would come in handy on very cold mornings and nights. The telescoping foon worked great for this application. It was certainly long enough to reach the bottom to get those last few pieces of egg.

Since we were on the trail I simply put the lid back on the cup and didn't bother to wash it at that time. I waited until I returned to camp to do a thorough cleaning. Cleaning was very easy and even after the eggs had dried inside the cup, it was still cleanable and the cup came perfectly clean, just like new.

Area: Star Fort Ninety Six National Historic Site, Ninety Six, South Carolina
Temperature: 65 F to 80 F (18 C to 27 C) during the day. 40 F to 50 F (4 C to 10 C) at night
Elevation: 980 ft (299 m)
Conditions: Clear, no wind and no rain

Observation:
On this trip I wanted to use the Minimalist more as a drinking cup for hot and cold drinks. My first try was with coffee. That is my preferred morning drink and I was looking forward to using it as a mug for my coffee. I first poured the coffee in the cup without the neoprene sleeve which was a big mistake because immediately the cup became very hot. I set it down and used the pot gripper to slide the cup into the sleeve. I still used the foon to put cream and sugar in my coffee and to stir it with. I placed the lid on the cup and pushed down firmly to make sure it was completely sealed before I attempted to take a drink. The lid created a great seal and I never had any leaks from the edges.

After finishing the coffee I found it very difficult to remove the lid from the cup. I basically had to wedge the tips of my fingers and finger nails between the lid and lip of the cup and slowly work around the edge to pry it off. It's almost too good of a seal. Luckily I finished all of the coffee. When I pried the lid off, the cup shook pretty good and would have spilled coffee all over the place. The only solution for this for me was to make sure the cup was on a stable surface as I pulled the lid off. This would prevent the cup from shaking too much. I will monitor this along the way to see if this is too much of a hassle.

I used the cup during the rest of the trip as a simple drinking cup. For cold drinks and for hot, it makes a perfect little cup and is compact enough to take just about anywhere.

So far I have really enjoyed using the Minimalist. It is easy to pack and it doesn't take up much room, no more than any other cup or bottle. The sleeve is holding up pretty good but the threads have started to come loose at the top where it is sewn together. I will keep an eye on this to make sure it doesn't come completely unraveled. I did receive a new rubber ring from GSI to be used in conjunction with the lid. I will be using it during my last few trips.