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Field
Report - GSI Hard Anodized 5 piece cook set
Name:
Arron Robinson
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9.5" (1.77 m)
Weight: 230 lb (104.3 kg)
Email address: mouserar-at-gmail-dot-com
City, State, Country: Dallas, Georgia, USA
Date: 25 January 2006
Backpacking
Background:
Camping and hiking since age 11, I've been
in a constant search for the perfect balance between usability,
durability and weight. These days my camping is generally a mix of Boy
Scout style crew camping, kayak or canoe camping or light to mid weight
hiking. I generally carry 20-25 lb (9-11 kg) and sleep in a hammock
system.
Product
information:
Manufacturer: GSI Outdoor Products
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Published Specifications: |
Measured Specifications: |
| Weight
- Total (packed) |
1 lb 9.1 oz (711g) |
1
lb 11 oz (777 g) |
| Weight
- 1 quart pot: |
Not available |
5 5/8 oz (160 g) |
| Weight
- 1 quart lid: |
Not available |
4 1/4 oz (120 g) |
| Capacity - 1 Quart Pot |
32 oz (900 ml) |
32 fl oz (900 ml) |
| Weight
- 1.5 quart pot: |
Not available |
7 3/4 oz (219 g) |
| Weight
- 1.5 quart lid: |
Not available |
5 1/4 oz (149 g) |
| Capacity - 1.5 Quart Pot |
48 fl oz (1350 ml) |
56 fl oz (1675 ml) |
| Packed Size: |
Not available |
8.25 in x 4.75 in (21 cm x 12 cm) |
| MSRP: |
59.95 USD |
| URL: |
http://www.gsioutdoors.com |
The GSI Hard
Anodized 5 piece cook set is an aluminum cook set consisting of a 1
quart pot with matching lid/fry pan and a 1.5 quart pot and matching
lid/fry pan. Included along with these is a DiamondBack clamping
handle, a mesh bag and a strap to hold the set together. The pots nest
within each other and close securely with the assistance of a strap. The set includes the
DiamondBack handle which allows for the pots to be stored without fighting
with handles or bails getting in the way.
I've used the GSI
Cookset on two outings as well as a few meals at home. The first trip
was 4 days in conditions of 70 F (21 C)
dropping to 40 F (4 C) overnight with no rainfall. During this trip
meals were boil-and-eat types, including noodle dishes with pouched
chicken and dehydrated veggies as additives.
The second trip was
in mid December with highs in the 50 F (10 C) range and lows the first
night dropping to 15 F(-10 C) and the second to 28 F (-2 C). This trip
was a car camping trip and cooking was a bit more involved, as there
was little in the way of time constraints. Sausage and egg burritos for
breakfast and the like were standard.
I have been
pretty impressed with the cookset thus far. Using just the small pot, I
have replaced my greasepot in my backpack. One side benefit of this is
that the GSI pot has rounded corners, which means that as my gear
shifts, I don't end up with a corner wedging its way into my spine
while going down the trail. I have found that food is less likely to
scorch in the middle of the pot than with pots of thinner material,
which has been a bonus.
I must say that when used as a set, the Hard Anodized Cookset gives a
lot of latitude in a base camp situation. two small pans and two pots
have made cooking a lot easier, with less shuffling of items before
serving. During the last trip, temperatures dove, and the stoves I'd
brought were having difficulty generating enough heat to stay burning.
In desperation, and expecting the pots to warp, I created a spot in the
campfire to set the pots, that allowed for the bacon and eggs to be
served as opposed to breakfast bars, much to my companions' joy. In the
end, I wiped off the soot and was happy to see that the pots were no
worse for the wear.
I have used the
cookset for over 2 months now, and I can report on the following
questions that I'd hoped to address at the beginning of the test:
- Adaptability:
- The set seems to be fairly versatile. While I do mainly cook boil and
eat meals, I will, occasionally shake things up a bit. Will the cookset
have a large enough capacity for my style of cooking? Easily.
The cookset had room to spare for one and two person boil-and-eat
meals, and when used together, they allow for a full base camp style
menu.
- Can the lid stand
in adequately for small frying projects like sautéing onions
and the like? That
has been the case for many meals. I have done some wonderful things
with apples and brown sugar. One morning I was having difficulty facing
another oatmeal packet breakfast. In desparation, I scrounged my pack
and found an apple and some brown sugar from a previous trip in my food
bag. I cut up the apple, and cooked it, along with the brown sugar
until the apples were just softened, and the sugar had melted. I have
found that there is little that is better than hot apples and brown
sugar syrup over oatmeal on a cold day.
- Does my alcohol stove fit inside of the unit? If so, this
will be a nice compact system. With
the coating concerns, I have been putting my stove and accessories into
a stuffsack and nesting that into the pot. It has worked out pretty well.
- Durability:
- I like anodized aluminum for one reason; it is strong. It is typically hard to
dent and scratch. Does the Cookset have the same properties as a home
pot of the same material? The
aluminum itself has been really durable. The coating as well, for the
most part, aside from some spots where it looks like rubbing has caused
the coating to flake a bit.
- Will it survive rough handling? So far so good...
- Overall
Design:
- This looks like a simple, well designed product. Does the whole
unit fit together nicely or is the fit sloppy and noisy? I
nest the unit together with paper towels sandwiched between, and so
this buffers any noise that may be happening. I have not heard any noise and I have not had any
complaints from others I've hiked with.
- Is it well
manufactured? All rivets are holding up well, and there are no apparent thick or thin spots.
- Heat
Transfer:
- How does cooking time compare to my old greasepot, or any of
the stainless cookware I have camped with? So far, cooking times are not markedly different than with my other systems. I will try to get hard numbers for the next report.
Impressions After Field Testing:[back to top]
The
GSI Hard Anodized 5 Piece Cookset has held up to not only various stove
use, but also use over open campfire without adverse effect. No warping
or damage from the high heat was found, and the cookset cooked evenly,
without hotspots, regardless of the heat source.
Aside from a bit of
the nonstick coating scraping loose across the top edge of the smaller
cookpot, which I believe was caused by the DiamondBack rubbing against the pot, these pots and pans have held up very well.
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Excitement:
- The set packs well
- It is lightweight
- Seems to be pretty tough
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Concerns:
- The nonstick coating seems to be scraping off of the edge of one pot, possibly due to friction while hauling it.
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Thanks
to
Backpackgeartest.org
and GSI Outdoor Products for the opportunity to
share my experiences!
Read more reviews of GSI Outdoors gear
Read more gear reviews by arron robinson
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