BackpackGearTest.org - GSI Outdoors 5 Piece Cookset Graham Blamey

The GSI Outdoors Hard Anodized Extreme 5 piece cookset consists of a large pot and lid, a smaller pot and lid and a gripper handle. All five pieces are designed to nest, one inside the other, with the handle stored inside the innermost pot. An elastic strap with hooks at either end, fits over the top and clips to the two small brackets on either side of the large pot, thus securing the whole set. Each lid can be used as such, or utilised as a frying pan. Each of the pots and lids has a small bracket on one side where the gripper handle fits. This enables the user to lift and move the pots on and off the heat source, or pour the contents out. The whole set comes in a mesh bag with a cord and cord-grip fastening around the top.

The core of the pots is aluminum which has been hard anodized. Hard anodizing is similar to anodizing and is the result of subjecting the aluminum to a chemical/electrical process. Hard anodizing produces a more uniform and smoother appearance than regular anodized aluminum. Aluminum processed by hard anodizing may take on a variety of surface colours ranging from dark brown to black.

Some of the benefits of using hard anodized aluminum instead of stainless steel are lower overall cost and weight. Hard anodized aluminum is also easier to work than a similar product made of stainless steel and yields a product resistant to harsh weather, salt sprays and abrasive processes. An additional advantage with cookware is that the hard anodizing process seals the aluminum from contact with the food being cooked. Some non-stick products can also be incorporated in the hard anodizing process and the GSI Outdoors cookware set has a triple coating of GSI's 'exclusive Extreme Non-Stick treatment' to the inside of the pots and lids.

The double-sided sheet of paper that came with the cookset has information on three of GSI Outdoors' cookware products on one side and 'Cooking safety tips' and some 'Outdoor recipes' on the reverse. For a more detailed description see my INITIAL REPORT.

Field Test locations and conditions

During the Field Test period, I've used all or parts of the GSI cookset on a couple of three-night backpacks and I've also used the smaller pot and lid, daily, at home in the kitchen. The backpacking trips were on part of The South Downs Way in the south east of the UK and The Mortimer Trail, which is in the English/Welsh borders.

The terrain of the South Downs is mostly rolling downland, leading down to the chalk cliffs by the sea at the English Channel. Inland from the coast is farm and grazing land and areas of deciduous and coniferous woodland.

The majority of The Mortimer Trail runs through farm land which is permanent pasture, with most of the upland areas covered with woodlands which are managed for timber. It's a high level route, crossing three river valleys and although the hills are rarely over 305 m (1,000 ft), there are some strenuous climbs on the trail. It's also an historically rich area, being named after the Mortimer family whose presence in the area can be traced back to medieval times. The area also abounds with Iron Age settlements and Roman roads.

The weather in the UK through October was relatively mild with average daytime temperatures around 15 C (59 F) and nighttime temperatures rarely dipping below 7 C (45 F). November averages were 10 C (50 F) during daylight hours and 3 C (37 F) during the nighttime, with overnight temperatures dipping to -3 C (27 F) on a number of occasions in late November.

Field Test

For both of the backpacking trips when I used parts of the cookset, I cooked on either my MSR Pocket Rocket or my MSR Superfly. The only real difference (in cooking terms) between the two stoves is that the burner and flame spread on the Pocket Rocket is a lot smaller than the Superfly. This can make a difference as, when using the Pocket Rocket and a large diameter pot, the smaller burner can create a hot spot in the centre of the pot. Conversely, with the Superfly the broader flame spread can burn up the sides of a small pot and waste fuel. Additionally, the Pocket Rocket has three pot supports and the Superfly four. None of these aspects has impacted strongly on our use of the cookset. All of the pots and pans heat up quickly and evenly and one of the few considerations is that it's marginally more secure to have the larger pot full of water sitting on the four supports of the Superfly.

When preparing for a trip, we decide on what meals we'll be needing to cook and pack the pot and/pan sets and utensils accordingly. For the first trip we took the smaller pot and pan lid and the Gripper handle. Whatever stove we're taking, it first goes in a small stuffsack. This then goes into a 0.6 L (0.6 qt) Trangia kettle and the kettle goes into another stuffsack. This then fits neatly into whatever pot we're taking without rattling or scratching the pot. With the GSI cookset I was then able to put this combination plus an MSR folding spatula and the Gripper handle, into the mesh carrying bag, keeping everything together. A similar packing sequence applied on the second trip, when we took the larger pot and pan lid.

When my wife and I are backpacking, we usually eat noodle or pasta-based meals that we concoct ourselves. Occasionally, if we're just having one or two nights away, we will take pre-packed or dehydrated commercial meals. For both of the trips mentioned here, we had our own noodle based meals. We also try to cook an evening meal that has been light to transport and takes minimal cooking time (so as to conserve fuel). On both of the trips when we used components of the GSI cookset, we had noodles and a mix of vegetables (dehydrated and fresh).

I first boil up a full kettle of water. I put the dehydrated vegetables in one of our eating bowls and add some of the hot water. These take a little time to re-hydrate so we have a cup of tea with the remainder of the water. Later I boil another pot of water, we usually make a foil lid to encourage a fast boil but with the GSI cookset we were able to use the pans as lids. When this has boiled, I put it to one side while, in the pan, I fry some slices of chorizo (preserved sausage, it produces it’s own fat) and then cook some fresh, chopped onion and garlic in this.

Then I bring the pot of water back up to the boil and add fine noodles, these take only 3-4 minutes to cook and when done I add two minestrone instant packet soups and the chorizo, onion and garlic from the pan. This is quite a liquid supper, more of a stew but we quite like this, it’s filling and helps us re-hydrate too. The remainder of the meals on both trips were variations of this.

Breakfasts (when not pre-mixed muesli) were porridge or eggs; fried, scrambled or boiled. Porridge cooks and simmers perfectly well in the small pot and leaving the pot to soak with a little cold water in while I ate the porridge made it an easy matter to clean out the pot with a small nylon scourer. The small lid, as a frying pan, is ideal for one or two eggs; any more than that and I use the larger pan. Scrambled eggs cook really well in either of the pots or pans.

At home in the kitchen we've mostly used the smaller pot, on average once a day, to boil milk for our coffee, cook scrambled eggs, heat beans, soup or vegetables from a can and to cook smaller portions of vegetables. Over the duration of the Field Test it must have been used and washed clean at least sixty times. It washes out really easily, with only burnt-on food requiring a short soak and a scrub with a nylon scrubber.

Using the Gripper handle takes a little getting used to at first. It's very secure once located and it does get easier with practice, but initially it requires concentration and care, especially in poor light. It's not quite as convenient as a conventional rim-gripping grab handle, but as well as security, the other good thing is there is absolutely no damage to any part of the pan's non-stick coating. As it is sometimes a little fiddly to locate the handle in it's slot, there is a temptation to leave it in place but I've found that there's a couple of good reasons for not doing this. Firstly, when heating a pot, the handle (if left in place) gets hot and secondly, if there's nothing in the pot (or pan) it will almost certainly overbalance as the Gripper handle is a relatively chunky, heavy device. Frying an egg for example requires heating the pan and then cracking the egg into it. If I was holding the pan with the handle, I quickly learned to crack the egg one-handed on the side of the pan (not without one or two failures I have to add). A couple of times I nearly lost the lot when I let go the handle without thinking and it all nearly ended up in the grass. Rivet heads

So far, I've detected very little evidence of wear on either the inner, non-stick surface, or the outside of any of the pots and pans. I have, I should add, always used an MSR plastic spatula when cooking in any of the pots or pans, never anything metal. After using the smaller pot daily in my kitchen and regularly scouring it out with a nylon scrubber, the non-stick coating has come off the two rivet heads that secure the Gripper bracket (see photo right), but I suspect that this is because these rivets are the only part that are not Hard Anodized prior to having the non-stick coating. It certainly doesn't affect the performance of the pot at all.

Conclusion

Throughout the Field Test period, I've been really pleased and impressed with this cookset. The combination of pot and lid sizes gives me all the versatility I want and I can tailor my selection from the four pieces according to my needs. The Hard Anodized finish is very durable and there are no scratches, dings or dents showing anywhere, neither have any of the pots or pans deformed in shape in any way. The non-stick coating seems to be surviving equally as well and is certainly a great boon when cooking in camp. In one form or another this set has become a favourite of mine, despite being a few grams (ozs) heavier than what I'd been using previously.

Further Testing

Over the next couple of months during the Long Term Test period, I'll continue to use various combinations of the GSI Outdoors cookset on different stoves on a number of 2-, 3-, and 4-night trips in the south-east UK and the English/Welsh border area. The terrain will be mostly hill country through fields, down- and heath-land and some forested areas. Weather is most likely to be cool to cold (min -5 C (23 F)) overnight, with the possibility of occasional or more prolonged rain periods. Early morning frosts are likely, but sustained daytime freezing temperatures down to -10 C (14 F) or snow wouldn't be unusual at this time of year.

I am grateful to GSI Outdoors and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to test this cookware set.

Reviews > Cook Gear > Cook Sets > GSI Outdoors 5 Piece Cookset > Graham Blamey > Field Report

Reviews > Cook Gear > Cook Sets > GSI Outdoors 5 Piece Cookset > Graham Blamey > Field Report