A 3.2 liter (about 3.4 quart) pot in GSI's Halulite hard-anodized aluminum, with a lid, bail handles and a mesh stuff sack. The middle size, and the one most groups of two to four end up using for everything.

Halulite is GSI's hard-anodized aluminum. In GSI's words it “provides superior conductivity to titanium while still being incredibly light” — which in practice means water comes to a boil faster on less fuel than a titanium pot of the same size, for a lot less money. Hard anodizing is an electrochemical treatment of the aluminum surface, not a coating, so there is nothing to wear through.

The parts you will notice every trip: the aluminum lid has straining holes built in, so draining pasta or rinsing rice needs no second pot and no colander. Silicone thumb pads on the handles insulate your hands from the heat. The two stainless steel bail handles lock, so a full pot does not swing or tip when you lift it off the stove. And the base is spiral-turned, which grips a stove top or a set of grill arms instead of skating around on them.

Care

Hand wash with warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly; avoid abrasive cleaners. Wash it before first use with hot water and mild detergent and dry immediately. Let every part dry completely before storing — a damp pot in a stuff sack is how aluminum ends up stained.

GSI publishes no caution block on this pot, but the rest of the Halulite line carries one, and it is worth reading across: camp stovetop use only, not for microwave ovens, conventional ovens or open campfires, never boil it dry, never cool it rapidly. If you intend to set this pot in a fire, ask us first and we will get GSI to put an answer in writing.