Reviews > Cook Gear > Cook Sets > GSI Outdoors 5 Piece Cookset > Arron Robinson > Initial Report

Initial Report - GSI Hard Anodized 5 piece cook set

Product information:

Product Description | Manufacturer's Website | Field Information
Test Plan | Initial Impressions | Reviewer Info

Product Description:[back to top] 

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 the strap.

The DiamondBack handle allows for the pots to be stored without fighting with handles or bales getting in the way. Using the handle is simple, a matter of opening the handle like a pair of pliers and slipping the end into the short loop riveted to the side of the pot. Hold the DiamondBack closed and lift the pot. Having caught a shirttail on fire while moving a pot off of the stove, I can appreciate this feature.

I inspected the finish of the parts of the cook set, finding only a few rough spots in the non-stick coating. The pots appear well made, light and tough.

Manufacturer's Website:[back to top]

The GSI website provides a good explanation of the benefits of hard anodized cookware as well as the Triple Coat non-stick surface on these pieces. The site was easy to navigate and intuitive to use. The site gave me a good understanding of the product and matched up well with the product delivered.

Field Information:[back to top]

• A number of 2-3 day trips into the Dahlonega Uplands in North Georgia. Temperatures will range from 40 F (4 C) to 95 F (35 C) and will most likely include some rain.
• A 3 day trip to Jekyll Island to Kayak. This trip will be a blast. We will take out a group of sea kayaks for the weekend and give them a run for their money. I want small, compact gear for this, and the GSI Cookset seems like it will allow for me to keep my kit small.
• 3 or 4 weekend shake-down trips along the southern terminus of the AT in preparation for a 70 mile (short) section hike. Small fast stops for meals will be required on these trips as I will need to get used to covering ground. Weather will get steadily colder throughout the test period, starting around 90 F (32 C) and dipping to around 35 F (2 C) by end of testing.

Test Plan:[back to top]

1. 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? Can the lid stand in adequately for a small frying projects like sautéing onions and the like? Does my alcohol stove fit inside of the unit? If so, this will be a nice compact system.
2. Durability: I like anodized aluminum for one reason it is strong. It is hard to dent and scratch. Does the boiler have the same properties as a home pot of the same material? Will it survive rough handling?
3. Overall Design: This looks like a simple, well designed product. Does the whole unit fit together nicely or is the fit sloppy and noisy? Is it well manufactured? Are the features well thought out, or just there to say they have features that are in demand?
4. Heat Transfer: How does cooking time compare to my old greasepot, or any of the stainless cookware I have camped with? Aluminum should be very good for this.

Initial Impressions:[back to top]

The GSI Hard Anodized 5 Piece Cookset looks to be a reasonably lightweight set that I will use in group camping trips as well as splitting the kit up and using just the smaller pot on solo adventures. It looks to be well made and straight forward in use.

Thanks to Backpackgeartest.org and GSI Outdoor Products for the opportunity to share my experiences!

Reviewer Info:[back to top]

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: 15 October 2005

Reviews > Cook Gear > Cook Sets > GSI Outdoors 5 Piece Cookset > Arron Robinson > Initial Report