GSI Pinnacle Pro 2 Review

The Pinnacle Pro is a sleek, compact, and attractive car camping stove. The rugged cooking grate folds open for easy cleaning, and it boasts several innovative design features. However, this stove boiled water the slowest in all our boiling tests. It is, sadly, an over-priced and underperforming model. Hopefully, future iterations will improve upon its design flaws.

Performance Comparison

Boil Time

To evaluate boiling power, we measured how long it takes to boil 1 liter of 58°F tap water in our windless lab (aka our garage) in the presence and absence of wind. Then we ranked our tested stoves based on their average between the two scores. The Pinnacle Pro had an average boil time of 10 minutes and 48 seconds. To simulate wind, we subject each stove to a constant 2-4 mph "wind" (as measured by a pocket anemometer) generated by a box fan on low. This stove surpassed the 15-minute mark without boiling, which is when we turn off the stoves to avoid wasting fuel. Then, in the wind-less test, it had a boil time of 6 minutes and 37 seconds.

Across both tests, this stove was the slowest in our review. The stoves with cooking grates situated closest to the burners almost always boast the quickest times; however, the rugged cooking grate of the Pinnacle Pro situates your cookware 1.5 inches away from the burner, and the 11,000 BTU burners are not powerful enough to overcome this gap. Couple this with poorly designed L-shaped (rather than rectangular) windscreens, and these design flaws are likely why it finished last in our boil tests.

Fuel Efficiency

In addition to measuring wind and windless boil times for each stove, we also determine their fuel efficiency. We do this by weighing a fuel canister before and after each test, then taking the average fuel consumption rate per stove. The Pinnacle Pro consumed an average of 1 ounce or 6.5% of a canister of fuel. In the windy test, it consumed 1.31 ounces or 8.34% of a fuel canister. Then in the wind-less test, it used 0.71 ounces or 4.46% of a fuel canister. We only consider the average between the two scores to determine stove rank, which positioned this stove in the middle of the pack in terms of fuel efficiency. That said, it was the third least fuel efficient in the wind test.

Simmering Ability

With the large gap between the burners and the cooking surface, the Pinnacle Pro simmers well. However, in any situation where we needed high-power output, this stove failed to live up to our standards. If you only need to simmer to prepare your meals, it will not disappoint, but if you need to cook quickly after a long day of backcountry adventures, you may want to look elsewhere.

Ease of Use

The Pinnacle Pro performed fairly average in this category. We found it easier to set up than tear down this stove. To set up, you flip open the legs, open the stove, click the windscreens in place, and screw the regulator onto the back. It is mildly annoying to close the Pinnacle, as it can take some effort to push the buttons to close everything, and the windscreens tend to get stuck in their slots.

We dislike the position of the regulator port, as it means that the stove will take up more space on your table or tailgate, but we appreciate that the regulator is easy to install without fear of cross-threading. This is an issue on stoves with internally-housed regulator ports, as they have soft brass threads, and it can be challenging to visually ensure the port aligns with the regulator before threading it. To protect the exposed threads, the savvy engineers at GSI included a thread cover on the back of the stove, which you flip closed when not in use.

To clean the stove, simply flip open the cooking grate and scrub the non-stick stove surface. We did find it a little finicky to unlatch the grate, and we were a little disappointed with how the metal components of this stove vibrate when stored vertically in a vehicle. However, as long as you store it horizontally, the stove is quiet in transit. Be fair-warned, the stainless steel exterior does attract fingerprints, so you will want to keep a scrubby on hand if you want it to stay shiny and clean.

Portability

With an impressively slim design, the Pinnacle Pro stashes easily in a car camping kit or the back of a vehicle. It weighs 11.71 pounds and is the most compact two-burner stove in our review, with dimensions of 20" x 12.4" x 1.4". However, it does not feature a carrying handle, and it is relatively heavy, so it is not as easy to carry as others. And, unlike some of the thicker stoves in our review, you cannot store the regulator inside the stove while in transit. To rectify these minimal issues, GSI offers a canvas carrying bag to transport and protect your stove, though this is, of course, an additional expense.

Should You Buy the GSI Pinnacle Pro?

To be perfectly honest, no, you should not buy this stove. The Pinnacle Pro does not live up to our expectations for a top-of-the-line car camping stove. We would expect a stove to boil fast, resist wind like a champion, and be fuel efficient for a price tag this steep. Instead, the Pinnacle falters in both of these crucial metrics. While it is aesthetically pleasing and boasts some innovative features, without design improvements, this stove does not provide the function we expect for the price.

What Other Camping Stoves Should You Consider?

If you need a trim and highly portable stove that has excellent design features, we recommend the JetBoil Genesis Basecamp. If you were drawn to the Pinnacle Pro because you love the stainless steel look, we recommend the Camp Chef Mountaineer. It may take up more space than other stoves, but it is the highest-performing stove in our review; beyond that, it is designed well and built to last.