Field Mag may receive a minor commission from purchases made via affiliate links.
Visit any outdoor gear store and you're bound to find a host of Gerber products, from camp hatchets and fixed blade survival knives to multi-tools. Now, 85 years into biz, the Oregon-based manufacturer is reconnecting with its roots in an unexpected place—the kitchen. In the early days, Gerber sold sets of kitchen knives to Abercrombie & Fitch back when that company was a renowned outdoor outfitter. Times change, and so do brands. With the new Gerber ComplEAT cookware line though, we see the best of modern design inspired by the age-old experience of cooking under the stars.
The new collection's name is a fairly literal read on how all-encompassing it is. The core of the line is in the ComplEAT Cook Set ($200), a 16-piece, group trip-oriented nesting doll made up of a 5.6-quart stainless steel stock pot, 2.6-quart stainless steel saute pan and lids for both, plus four plates, four bowls, and a mixing bowl.
Campers will have seen stacking sets like this before, but Gerber adds extra nice-to-haves with a detachable handle and silicone hot pad. It all stacks into an 11 by 7.5-inch unit that fits inside an included carry bag.
Gerber isn't leaving the forge entirely, either. There's another stacking set called the ComplEAT Cutting Board Set ($110) that includes two cutting boards, one bamboo, one polypropylene, two trays for mountainside mise en place, and a chef's knife-paring knife combo made of corrosion-resistant stonewash 4116 German stainless steel. Already have cookware covered? There's also the three-piece ComplEAT Knife Set ($85) made up of a paring knife, serrated knife, and eight-inch chef's knife too.
The ComplEAT makes it impossible to avoid that as-seen-on-TV adage; but wait, there's more! The more includes a campsite griddle ($65), a spork ($20), and the ComplEAT Utensil Set ($35), a handy little kitchen multi-tool that's been around for a few years and combines fork, spoon, spatula, peeler, and can opener. You can also snag a standalone bowl set or sauce pan.
If it all sounds like a lot, that's because Gerber is taking a toolmaker's approach to the needs of campsite cooking. The setup probably isn't one you'd bring backpacking—minus the spork—but if a fully kitted kitchen is what you're after, ComplEAT's got it covered.
Published 02-05-2024
