Real Man Tested: GSI Pinnacle Soloist

A few members of the Real Man Travels team recently went on a four day portage trip in Ontario's beautiful Massasauga Provincial Park. This was our first real portage trip together with no coolers, luxuries or special amenities, so we had to be smart about the items we packed. The decision to mostly use just add water food for our meals made the most sense for weight and convenience. Enter the GSI Pinnacle Soloist cook set to boil all of the water for my meals. I bought this set at MEC for $45.50 + tax and put it to the test. Here are the results I found:

1. What You Get

The GSI Pinnacle Soloist comes with a 1.1L pot with an attached handle that swings up and down, a lid with an integrated strainer and spout, a 590mL cup with a removable insulation strip, a “foon” (telescopic spork), a stove bag made for an MSR Pocket Rocket style stove (stove not included), and a stuff sack that can double up as a wash basin.

Included in the set: A 1.1L pot, telescopic foon, cup with insulating strip, a wash basin and a strainer/lid.

2. Look and Feel

When I first went to MEC and looked at this set my initial reaction was that it is small... much smaller than I thought it would be. After unboxing it at home and seeing how it all stacks up within itself I realized that this was a well thought out product.

The pot feels sturdy and light and the rubberized handle sits firm in its locked positions. The plastic bowl has a little bit of flex but not too much to be nervous about squeezing out your contents while holding it. The pot lid is a hard plastic and I was skeptical about it not melting when in use. The stuff sack has a rubberized interior which allows it to stand on its own making it believable for use as a wash basin. The stove bag was a generic pouch made of canvas material. The telescopic foon (spork) felt flimsy and cheap in comparison to the rest of the superior contents.

3. Ease of Use

Unpacking and packing up the stove is a breeze as all the components fit into each other perfectly. As for actually using the product, it’s as simple as: fill the pot with water, set it on a lit stove and let the water boil, add food, fill your bowl with your cooked food, eat with the foon and clean up.

Simple stove to boil water!

4. Actual vs. Advertised

The GSI Pinnacle Soloist is advertised as a trail solution for one person, but I found that if anyone else in the group has their own mess kit it could actually be beneficial for two people. 1.1L of water is enough to make two Knorr Sidekicks or two of most Mountain House meals, two cups of coffee in the morning etc. And if there isn't enough water in the first boil, it doesn't take very long to boil another full pot.

All of the included components work as advertised, my only gripe is that the telescopic foon is flimsy, cheap feeling and retracts itself under the pressure of you scraping the edges of the bowl for the last little morsels of food.

5. Value

Priced at $45.50 CAD at MEC, I believe this was a steal as some big box retailers offer crappier products that are bulkier and don’t include everything you need for a similar price. This complete storage system allows for a small fuel canister and a stove to be packed into it so the space and bulk savings in my pack is well worth the price tag.

6. Practicality

500mL of water took, on average, three minutes to boil, and a full pot took about five to seven minutes (under perfect conditions). This meant I wasn't waiting too long to eat my meals. I ended up sharing the pot with a buddy and it worked well for the two of us. This set is small and took up very little real estate in my pack. I’d say this is a perfect set for a backpacking or portage trip where the luxuries are left behind. It could also be used on a car camping or “glamping” trip where you would want instant coffee or instant oatmeal in the morning.

Ain't nothing like a bowl of noodles after a long day of portaging!

7. Overall Impression and Final Score

Overall I am very impressed with this set. The pot boiled the water quickly, the cup held a generous amount of food and was soft enough to grip yet firm enough to not spill contents. The foon, unfortunately, was junk and I would recommend grabbing something else that is a similar size to keep the integrity of the way the set packs up. I never used the stuff sack as a sink, but it is capable of the function, even if it seems a little small. The entire set packs up tiny, and is pretty cheap. I will definitely be using this set in the future for my adventures and would definitely recommend it for your next adventure.

A well deserved score of 4.5/5 for the GSI Pinnacle Soloist

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Real Man Tested: Broadstone Pop-Up Tent

Real Man Tested: Broadstone Pop-Up Tent

Last year while planning for our annual Man of The Year trip to the top secret "Isle of Man," I found myself in the market for a tent. The first year I shared with fellow RMT contributors Ed (@EdRealManTravel) and Scott (@SFRealManTravel), but due to a snoring incident they gently suggested we each get our own accommodations.

My criteria was simple:

• Two person
• Easy to set-up/tear-down
• Lightweight
• Reasonable price

A casual flip through the weekly flyers found the Broadstone two-person pop-up tent on sale for 30% off at Canadian Tire. I only found a few reviews on the item, but was sold on the idea of a pop-up tent. I pulled the trigger and, with a little practice, was a pro at setting up and tearing down in less than a minute. The only thing left was for it to prove its worth on the "Isle of Man." Here's what we found:

What You get:
The Broadstone pop-up tent came with a carrying bag that doubles as a backpack, and standard ground pegs that fit in an inside pocket of the bag.

Broadstone pop-up tent with carry bag and tent pegs.

Look and Feel:
The hoops that form the overall support structure of the tent, and provide the pop-up feature, feel strong and sturdy. Very important as without them your pop-up tent becomes a misshapen tarp. The tent material,  EverDry polyester taffeta, feels like most other tents I've owned. The blue and yellow isn't a colour scheme you will find on the hottest fashion runway this year, but it's a tent, not a purse.

Ease of Use:
Setting this thing up is a breeze. Simply remove the safety strap and look out; the tent bursts into shape at a rate that will startle any unsuspecting onlooker. Then, just secure your tent with pegs and look for your cooler - because its Miller time. Tear down takes a little practice and the instructions provided become a little difficult to follow when it gets to the folding stage. I suggest watching the video below to fully understand what exactly you are expected to do. But breathe easy, it doesn't require an engineering degree.

Actual vs. Advertised:
This tent definitely pops-up, so that's an easy check mark. The tent's waterproof fabric, treated with a Rainguard™ system, got an early test as a downpour caught us as we made camp. The ability to set the tent up quickly made it the hero of the day as it saved the rest of our gear from getting soaked. That said, the heavy rain eventually got the better of the tent, which allowed a very small amount of water in. It is also on the smaller side for a two-person tent. More like a 1.5.

Value:
I picked this little beauty up for $69.99. The benefit of not having to fiddle around with poles or guy lines does help maximize vacation time. While some conventional dome tents come in at a lower price point, this pop-up tent is more cost-comparable to the new "easy up" segment. This tent is worth its sale price, but it is a little small.

Practicality:
This tent is great for recreational camping, backyard camp-outs with the kids, as a sun shelter at the beach, or anywhere a quick set-up shelter would be appreciated. While its usefulness as a back country camping tent might be limited by its packed size if you plan to portage, you can secure the carry bag to your pack for easy short-haul treks.

Overall Impressions and Final Score:
Over a year later I still smile when I set this tent up. The fact that it's easy to store with minimal pieces ices the cake. If there's one thing that leaves me wanting, it's the waterproof level. That said, I've never had a tent I trusted enough to not cover with a tarp for additional confidence. I purchased two small tarps, one as a ground sheet and one for additional cover, and have never looked back. I just pop, cast a line, and watch the other guys struggle to make camp.

VERDICT: Real Man Tested, Real Man Approved. 3.5/5

3.5 RMT beers out of five

Have a suggestion of a product you would like us to put through its paces? Let us know on Twitter @RealManTravels 

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