Traditional thinking dictates you get the slimmest, lightest outdoor gear you can for backpacking, packrafting and other light, fast endeavors but don't worry much about weight and bulk when it comes to car or RV camping. Problem is, eventually that thinking can result in running completely out of space, no matter how big a rig you're driving and no matter how many roof boxes and hitch carriers you've bolted on. So, it can pay dividends to opt for slimmer, lighter gear for car camping, too. And you'll have trouble finding a slimmer, lighter camping stove than the all-new GSI Pinnacle Pro, a near-laptop-thin dual-burner with plenty of cooking power.
GSI Outdoors has an interesting lineup that's split between simple, non-flashy accessories sitting quietly on the miscellaneous camping gear shelves of local outfitters and smart, innovative tools pushing the gear industry forward. The last time we looked at it, it was elbowing its way to the front of the relentless stampede of ultra-portable coffee brewing solutions from gear manufacturers and startup crowdfunders. Now it's on to expanding the limits of ultra-portable camp stove design.
The Pinnacle Pro is the slimmest dual-burner portable car camping stove we've ever seen, a title we would have previously conferred upon the Kovea Slim Twin that impressed us in 2016. The Kovea stove measures 2.4 inches (6 cm) thick when snapped closed, but GSI manages to rein the Pinnacle Pro's thickness in a full inch from there, putting it at 1.4 in thick x 20 in x 12.4 in (3.6 x 51 x 31.5 cm) when closed. An integrated carry handle makes it easy to transport. GSI has not yet set a finalized weight but estimates it will fall around 10 lb (4.5 kg).
At camp, the Pinnacle Pro lid pops open, held up by two wind-blocking side supports; the burner plates lift up to cooking height; and the legs flip out to create a stable cooking platform. Each burner offers up to 11,000 BTUs of cooking power and flames to life at the push of a piezo ignitor. The nonstick drip pan provides for faster, easier cleanup.
If you're still wondering why you need to worry about an extra inch or pound when car camping, an example: Last summer, I had my family camper kit dialed right down to packing soft bags below my children's feet and a bag of snacks and sundries up front. Not three months later, I got a new 85-lb (39-kg) dog that's raring to go on every camping trip. Needless to say, she blew up the entire equation. So far, I've been able to pack the family, the dog and all necessary gear into the SUV plus a hitch carrier, but I shudder to think what happens when the kids' legs stretch all the way to the floor and their appetites outgrow the current cooler. A stove body so thin I could slide it between boxes or maybe under a seat will be a selling point worth pondering the next time I'm shopping camping stoves.
GSI showed the Pinnacle Pro at the recent Outdoor + Snow Show and plans to launch it in June for US$169.95. It'll be compatible with 16-oz propane bottles and will work with larger LPG tanks when using an adaptor.
Source: GSI Outdoors
