GSI Outdoors Pinnacle 4-Season Stove

Field Notes: While testers loved the GSI Outdoors Pinnacle top canister stove, a hose took it to another level. A lower level, actually, as the Pinnacle 4-Season Stove allows for a similarly designed heating element to be stretched out on the ground based upon its remote-canister configuration rather than flowering awkwardly out of the canister itself. 

Pros: The hose is a huge plus. It provides this camp stove with infinitely more stability, allows you to deploy a windscreen and fosters better cold-weather performance by enabling flipping over the canister to increase the flow of isobutane through the hose. The foldable arms are similar to its canister-top counterpart but GSI Outdoors’s design team really killed it with this hybrid design. It’s notably smaller than similar models from other brands, such as the MSR WindPro II.

Cons: While this stove was a winner for our testers, several concerns remain. The stove’s weight is more than twice that of the Pinnacle Canister Stove and the Micro Rocket. Also, while this GSI Outdoors stove is lighter, the MSR WindPro II boasts a more durable design. One final point: GSI Outdoors claims this is a 4-season stove but, even with a hose design, our testers still prefer white gas options for cold weather, including the MSR XGK and Primus Omni-Fuel.

Favorite Feature: The hose adds versatility to this backpacking stove, allowing for a lower profile and the ability to manipulate canister position for optimal fuel output. And bringing along a windscreen dramatically increases the stove’s cooking situations while optimizing fuel use. 

Tester Commentary: “It’s a bit bigger than the other GSI Outdoors model tested, but I definitely prefer the hose option. This was the team’s unanimous favorite ultralight backpacking stove, even over longtime stoves we’ve had in our arsenals for years.”

Bottom Line: One of the best ultralight stoves you can buy; an ingeniously designed little flame spitter that’s as versatile as it is tiny. 

Best for: Ultralight backpacking, use in windy or colder climates when stability and fuel flow are important. 

Key Attribute: Versatility