Halulite MicroDualist by GSI Outdoors, review

Halulite MicroDualist by GSI Outdoors, review

Editor: Oregon Cory

Just the Facts:

Diminuitive, integrated cooking + eating solution item# 50147 MSRP $54.95
Crushproof, heat-resistant, nylon lid and silicone ring will not deform in packs and includes an integrated strainer. Convenient folding handle locks into place for cooking and secures entire set for transport. Unique bowl + mug solution with low center of gravity and Sip-It lid virtually eliminate spills while the insulating sleeve keeps your drinks hot. Ingenious, welded stuff sack holds set while traveling and doubles as a sink or wash basin in camp. Integrated nesting for ultralight stoves and fuel canisters (110 g).
Ultralight, hard anodized alloy
Sure, we’re a bit stubborn. Our marketing director once walked off a glacier on Mt. Rainier with a broken fibula. But that’s nothing compared to Halulite. As light as any other ultralight material, unyielding to scratches and abrasions, yet it performs like no other. It hates compromise.

Halulite says goodbye to scratches, burn circles and ounces. Supremely lightweight, Halulite is a proprietary alloy that also conducts heat better and more evenly than Titanium—so you can leave the extra fuel at home. Unlike competitors’ cookware, our hard anodized shells are fully formed before hard anodizing, creating a garnet-hard surface that fully encapsulates our even-heating aluminum core. This creates a base shell that boasts that withstands scratches and abrasions like nothing else. It’s ultra light without the sacrifices. Now that’s smart.

• major dimension
2 Person
Weight
18.0 oz.
dimensions
5.60″ x 5.50″ x 5.90″
Material
Hard Anodized Aluminum, Clear Polypropylene, Nylon 6-6, Silicone
Product Use
Ultralight Backpacking
Includes
1.4 L Pot, Strainer Lid, 2 14 fl. oz. insulated mugs, 2 14 fl. oz. bowls, 2 Sip-It tops, 2 Telescoping Foons, Stove Bag, Welded Sink

My Story:
Have you ever been out hunting and just wished you could have a hot meal or a hot cup of joe? I know the prepared hunter would never leave the house without a thermos full of hot coffee but the hot meal part can be tricky sometimes. The field is not the ideal place to stop and make a noontime fire to cook up some noodles or chili. But what if you are going to be out all day and you have a hankering for a hot meal? The GSI Halulite MicroDualist can help. Let’s try and look past the obvious backpacking use and think a little outside the box.
I sat on my couch staring at my ceiling fan. As it went round and round I was lost in the spiraling vortex it seemed to be making in my living room. I was thinking. The next day was going to be a challenge as it would be one of the last coyote hunting trips of the year and I was planning on making it a long one. Being that is was February I was already about sick of making my lunch out of granola bars and dehydrated fruit as I had been doing that since early September. I wanted a hot lunch and I wanted hot coffee. I had recently had the good fortune of receiving the GSI Halulite MicroDualist and I could think of no better time to test it out. The small two person cooking kit fit nicely into my coyote hunting bag and so the plan was set.

My good friend Tom and I got an early start to the day and as the morning sun came up we were already sitting in our first stand. The day trudged on and we walked for several miles stopping along the way to make a stand here and there. Our luck was proving to be as elusive as the critters we were chasing. Under the brightness of the mid-day sun my belly started to make some prehistoric sounds and fearing that it would only alert the already hard to find coyotes I decided it needed to be fed. Well, we found ourselves a nice little spot out of the wind and set down to make a hot cup of coffee before we cooked our lunch. It was time to pull out my new piece of gear.
The GSI Halulite MicroDualist is compact and comes with a boiling pot W/lid, 2 bowls, 2cups W/lids, 2 Foons, and a small case that can be used as a wash basin. So basically, it is everything you would need to cook up some delicious backpacking food. I poured in some water and got it boiling then in went the instant coffee. The Microdualist did its job and held that sweet nectar until it was piping hot. I transferred it into the cup and sat back to enjoy as we waited for the water to boil once more. After a meal of rehydrated beef stew we were ready to hit the hills again. I packed up the MicroDualist in a flash and was off.

The Microdualist is not however a one stop shop. If you are planning on frying bacon you will want to look elsewhere but let’s be honest who packs bacon? If you are a backpacker and looking for a simple boiling pot that will take care of almost all your needs this is it. It is designed as a dual set up as the name suggests. It would work perfectly for a trip to the hills with a menu of oatmeal, ramen, and any of the dehydrated products out there. It is simple, light, and durable and perfect for two. Most of my trips are with a partner so having the ability to share is a nice bonus. I highly recommend the GSI Halulite MicroDualist to anybody in the market for a great cooking set up at a great price.

What they could do better:
The GSI Halulite MicroDualist is an affordable and great piece of gear. It really is all you need for simple backpacking meals. The only really critique I have is on the Foons. They feel a little flimsy and I’m not sure how they will hold up over time. That however, is something only time can tell me and I have not been able to truly test that.