REASONS TO BUY
Easy to use
Comprehensive features for a group of four
Perfect for base camp
Thoughtfully-designed
REASONS TO AVOID
Pot handle conducts heat
Heavy for backpacking
Expensive
Questionable durability in plastic lids and utensils
GSI Pinnacle Camper Review
This all-inclusive cookware set is thoughtfully-designed to maximize cooking performance and serving for a group of four without a ton of additional weight
The fully-featured GSI Pinnacle is a perfectly packable base camp set for four.
Credit: Trish Matheny
RELATED: Best Camping Cookware Sets of 2024
Our Verdict
The GSI Pinnacle Camper is one of the best cook sets we have tested, with a particular affinity towards cooking for larger groups. As a "one-stop-shop" product made of high-quality components, this set will get you 90% of the way to a gourmet camp kitchen. It provides excellent cooking performance, has many features, and allows you to easily parse out different items to customize smaller kits based on the needs of your specific backcountry adventure. The hard-anodized aluminum saves weight, while the Teflon coating makes for an easy cleanup. Use the entire set as your all-inclusive base camping set-up, or grab a pot and cup for your next overnight solo backpacking trip. Either way, this is one of the most versatile options within our review of the best camping cookware.
Editor's Note: We recently retested the GSI Pinnacle Camper and updated this review on January 2, 2024, to include new perspectives on this award-winning cookware set.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
GSI Pinnacle Camper | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | |  | |
| Price | $119.93 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $150.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $94.95 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $90 List $90.00 at Amazon | $25 List $24.95 at REI |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A comprehensive cookware set that is the perfect choice for your backcountry base camp | Though the thick and durable stainless steel cookware set is a little heavier than other options, the entire set easily nests into one large pot | A solid option for folks in the market for an efficient backpacking cookware set for two people | A wonderful stainless-steel set for the value-oriented car camper | A high value stainless steel solo cook set intended for the backpacker |
| Rating Categories | GSI Pinnacle Camper | Stanley Even-Heat C... | GSI Outdoors Pinnac... | Stanley Adventure B... | GSI Outdoors Glacie... |
| Cooking Performance (35%) | |||||
| Features (15%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (15%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Packability (10%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Specs | GSI Pinnacle Camper | Stanley Even-Heat C... | GSI Outdoors Pinnac... | Stanley Adventure B... | GSI Outdoors Glacie... |
| Measured Weight | 3.7 lbs | 8.2 lbs | 1.4 lbs | 4.8 lbs | 1.0 lbs |
| Material | Hard-anodized aluminum w/non-stick coating | Stainless steel | Hard-anodized aluminum w/non-stick coating | Stainless steel (pot and pan bottoms have additional layers) | Stainless steel |
| Components | 3 L pot, 2 L pot, 9" fry pan, ¹ strainer lid, ⁴ 14 oz mugs, ⁴ 14 oz bowls, ⁴ 7.5" plates, folding pot gripper, welded storage bag and sink | 4.75 qt stock pot, 1.8 qt sauce pan, vented lids, 8.5" frying pan, collapsible cutting board, ¹ spatula, ¹ spoon, trivets and locking bungee | 1.8 L pot, strainer lid, ² 20 fl oz mugs w/ insulated sleeves, ² 20 fl oz bowls, ² sip-it tops, ² folding sporks, welded sink | 3.5 L pot, vented lid, 7" 3-Ply frying pan, cutting board, ¹ spatula with extending handle, ¹ serving spoon with extending handle, ⁴ 6 in plates, ⁴ 22 oz bowls, ⁴ sporks, dish drying rack, heat resistant trivet, locking bungee | 1 L pot, ¹ folding handle frying pan, ¹ bowl, ¹ cup, stuff sack |
| Avg Boil Time (mins) | 4:18 | 4:00 | 1:18 | 4.12 | 3:56 |
| 3 L Pot? (>2.4L) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 L Pot? (1.5-2.4L) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 L Pot? (0.5-1.4L) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Frying Pan? | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Frying Pan Lid? | Yes | Yes | N/A | No | No |
| Packed Size | 8.5 x 4.6 in | 10.3 x 6.7 in | 5.9 x 6.4 x 5.9 in | 11 x 6 x 11 in | 6.7 x 6.6 x 3.5 in |
| Weight of Pot Closest to 1.5 L (With Lid and Handle) | 1.0 lbs | 1.78 lbs | 0.7 lbs | 1.9 lbs | 0.74 lbs |
| Cooking Surfaces | Pot and frypan have non-stick Teflon coating | Stainless steel | Hard-Anodized, non-stick coating | Stainless steel | 18/8 stainless steel |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Pinnacle Camper is GSI's top-of-the-line product. This set features a higher-end version of their Teflon-coating, making its cooking performance superior to other Teflon-based sets we've tested. Whether cooking on your tailgate or on a pack-supported base camping trip, this well-integrated set affords the option of whipping up gourmet meals for a group size up to four people. The all-inclusive set has everything you need for the essentials along with a few thoughtfully-designed extras for a more luxurious backcountry experience.
Performance Comparison
The Teflon coating of this cookware set provides an excellent non-stick surface that's easy to clean, making it a perfect option for your next base camp.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Cooking Performance
The Pinnacle Camper offers great cooking performance, thanks to a Teflon coating on the interior of the hard-anodized aluminum pots and frying pan. Two pots and a large frying pan allow you to cook an entire gourmet meal for a group – just as long as you remember to pack essential cooking utensils. The aluminum construction, with pot and pan walls thicker than average, distributes heat effectively and evenly, while the top-of-the-line Teflon Radiance coating releases all but the stickiest of foods. The lids fit securely, hold their shape, lift easily, and have strainer holes for draining pasta and steamed vegetables.
During our egg frying tests, we couldn't help but notice how effectively the Teflon coating prevented eggs from sticking to the pan, requiring very little cleanup. And though the Pinnacle Camper didn't offer the fastest time for boiling water – an average of about 3 minutes and 47 seconds – the capacity is sufficient to boil enough water to serve a party of four at base camp. If you're not averse to using Teflon-coating, this could be the perfect cookware set for your next backcountry adventure.
The small pot offered a competitive boiling time during our performance tests.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Features
The Pinnacle Camper has almost everything that you could ever need at base camp. While not fully comprehensive, it includes one 3 L pot, one 2 L pot, one 9" frying pan, two vented lids, four 14 oz mugs, four 14 oz bowls, four 7.5" plates, one collapsible handle, as well as a welded storage bag that doubles as a dish bin.
Though you will have to add a few extra items to complete this cookware set, such as cooking utensils, knives, and sporks, the Pinnacle Camper is a mostly all-inclusive start to your base camping cookware kit.
This set has everything you need to cook and serve a group of four at your next base camp. Just don't forget the cooking utensils and sporks!
Credit: Trish Matheny
Ease of Use
GSI does a good job of optimizing the usability of all its cookware sets. The parts all nest well together, work well individually, and complement each other well as a full set. Our testing team appreciated the attention to detail, such as the plastic tabs on top of the lids and the handle that could easily swap between the pots and pans.
Though the handle is light, compact, and secure, it does conduct heat when left attached to one of the pots or pans and requires extra protection for your hands. The weight of the handle can also tip the frying pan off a small backpacking stove, so be careful. Overall, this cookware set is intuitively designed and easy to use.
Although this handle is specific to this set of pots and pan, you can choose between a compact or fully-extend handle depending upon the cookstove you're using at base camp.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Durability
Our testing team is happy to report that we experienced no major issues with the hard-anodized aluminum nor the Teflon coating on the Pinnacle Camper. For what it is, the aluminum is quite thick and wasn't dented, even when packed onto the side of a mule string during transport.
It is worth mentioning that the Teflon coating can be damaged if not properly cared for. We recommend minimizing any contact with metal. Metal to Teflon will not only damage your cooking surface, but can also release dangerous chemicals into your food. We also recommend taking extra care of the plastic lids, which aren't as durable as the aluminum of the pots and pans and can be damaged if exposed to high heat.
The plastic lids leave a little something to be desired, and we question their ability to last as long as the Teflon-coated aluminum.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Packability
The Pinnacle Camper is one of the largest cookware sets we've tested. Considering that it includes so many parts, it's rather amazing that all of them can easily be packed into the largest pot. Because this set will require as much space in your backpack as a compressed down sleeping bag, we recommend utilizing it for pack-assisted trips into the mountains rather than human-powered adventures – that is, unless you parse it down into smaller sets.
The positive side of the packability equation with this cook set is that it is quiet and fully self-contained. The components all nest together such that "metal-on-metal" contact is virtually eliminated. It is all held snugly together by the included storage bag, which also doubles as a water reservoir or dish basin. Overall, the Pinnacle Camper is cleverly packable and perfect for car camping, base camping, or boating trips when you're feeding a crew of friends.
This design is securely fastened thanks to the carry bag and cinch strap.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Weight
While the Pinnacle Camper is not the heaviest cookware set that we tested, it is certainly heavier than your average backpacking cook set. At 3.7 pounds, the Pinnacle Camper is still lighter than other all-inclusive sets that offer enough features to cook and serve a party of four.
When considering this cookware is geared towards pack-supported base camping trips or boating adventures where weight isn't as much of an issue, the weight of all the additional features is entirely justifiable.
The GSI Pinnacle Camper only weighs 3.7 pounds for the entire set.
Credit: Trish Matheny
Should You Buy the GSI Pinnacle Camper?
The GSI Pinnacle Camper is for the avid base camper who wants an extensive camping cookware set that can certainly fill most of the needs for cooking and serving a party of four. Compared to other base camping sets, this one is compact and light. It's ideal when additional weight and bulk aren't as much of an issue, which makes it perfect for base camping, pack-horse or mule-supported trips, or your next river trip. Though it is an investment, our testing team is confident that this camping cookware set won't disappoint.
Whether cooking for a group at base camp or parsing down for a party of two, this is a thoughtfully-designed cookware set with a Teflon-coating that can't be beat.
Credit: Trish Matheny
What Other Camping Cookware Should You Consider?
If the price of the GSI Pinnacle Camper is a bit daunting, the Stanley Adventure Base Camp is a fantastic bargain for a base camping set, though it weighs more than the GSI Pinnacle set. For backpacking, it's hard to top the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Dualist HS. The pot included with the Dualist HS set has a heat exchanger ring on the bottom that practically zaps water. If you're planning a solo backcountry adventure, the Snow Peak Ti-Mini Solo Combo 2.0 weighs next to nothing and is ideal for boiling water and preparing basic dehydrated meals.
This all-inclusive cookware set is perfect for those looking to set up a proper base camping kitchen. However, when committing to a human-powered experience, there are other more suitable options available.
Credit: Jediah Porter
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Amber King, Jediah Porter, and Trish Matheny
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