Best Camp Cookware Set

The GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Camper cook set has the same components as GSI’s slightly cheaper Bugaboo Camper but features upgraded materials to improve its cooking performance and durability, while also slightly reducing the weight. This 20-piece mess kit has nearly all essentials for a camp cookout: it includes a 3L and 2L pot; two lids; a 9” frypan; four 7.5″ plates; four 14 fl. oz. bowls; four 14 fl. oz. mugs with sip-it lids; and a folding pot gripper, which all fit together in a storage sack that doubles as a camp sink. At $149.95, it’s a sizable investment, but if treated with proper care, should also be a long-term investment, which is why we named it our Best Camp Cookware Set.

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Cooking & Cleaning

The first major difference between the Bugaboo and the Pinnacle is the materials used for the pots and pans. Unlike the high-temp aluminum in the Bugaboo set, the Pinnacle Camper utilizes hard-anodized aluminum that’s slightly lighter while still thick enough to ensure that food is cooked evenly. The other major upgrade with the Pinnacle is the nonstick coating; while the Bugaboo are coated with Teflon Classic, the Pinnacle’s pot and pan use Teflon Radiance, a three-layer coating that enables the cookware to heat up faster and clean up quickly. While some claim that there is a significant difference, we only saw a 10-second differential in boil time when comparing the Bugaboo to the Pinnacle (3:55 for the Bugaboo and 3:45 for the Pinnacle). Regardless, the combination of high-anodized aluminum and Teflon Radiance makes the Pinnacle an excellent cookware set that’s not far removed from what you’d find in your kitchen.

Weight & Packability

At 3.63 lbs (1.64 kg), the Pinnacle Camper is clearly intended for camping. Its packed size is 9.1″ x 9.1″ x 5.8″, giving it the same dimensions as the Bugaboo at just a slightly smaller weight; you could probably match the weight of the Pinnacle by leaving behind one cup and bowl. The Pinnacle packs up very efficiently and leaves little interior space for additional items, but you could use one of the three cups not used to store the pot handle to stash some folding utensils and cleaning supplies, or possibly even a small backpacking stove.

Durability

The hard-anodized aluminum is reasonably resistant to denting, while the propylene plates, cups, and bowls are quite durable as well. Our primary concern with this set relates to the nonstick coating if not cared for properly. Although GSI alleges that the high-quality Teflon Radiance is incredibly scratch resistant and “safe for use with metal utensils,” we would not recommend putting this claim to the test. Once the Teflon is scratched, its nonstick properties will be compromised and it will continue to deteriorate with continued use. We don’t need to tell you about the inherent health concerns that come with ingesting flakes of Teflon. By utilizing plastic and wooden utensils, however, this should not be an issue; you’ll also want to avoid using the pots and pans as storage for any metal items unless lined with a towel.

Features

The Pinnacle features the same items as the Bugaboo, and we were impressed with all of the inclusions. We definitely liked the foldable pot and pan handle, which has a clever and easy-to-use locking mechanism. Another cool feature was the storage sack, which makes an excellent camp sink/wash basin. For some reason GSI elected to use a clear propylene for the plates rather than the opaque propylene for the Bugaboo, and we were not able to discern any clear advantage bestowed by this choice, although it might be more aesthetically pleasing for some. In any case, we thought these plates would benefit from more of a lip on the edges to keep more soupy foods from slipping off. The bowls are designed to nest with the mugs, and have the same triangular shape, which may even negate the need for a spoon. All of these items are colored blue, green, orange, and red so it’s easy to identify which one is yours.

The Bottom Line

We were very pleased with the capabilities of GSI Outdoors’ Pinnacle Camper cook set. Although its price tag of $149.95 makes it less budget-friendly than the Bugaboo, we felt that the upgrades to its cooking performance more than justified the higher price, making this the ideal cook set for a weekend of family car camping and the winner of our Best Camp Cookware Set award. If treated with proper care, it should prove a viable addition to your camping arsenal and the envy of your neighboring campsite.

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