The Primus Classic Trail Stove
is an inexpensive and versatile stove. At a low price of $30.00 it
easily lives up to the standards set by stoves twice its' price. I've
used this from 1,500' to 6,000' and from 5°F
– 80°F with no issues.
I've been using this stove for over a year and would continue to use
it for years to come. The stove is lightweight, weighing only 8oz and
measuring a mere 5" x 2.26" fully assembled. It uses a
unique blend of fuel known as Isobutane-Propane. This type of fuel
comes in primarily two sizes of canisters 4oz or 8oz. These fuel
canisters are inexpensive as well, costing about $4.00 or $5.00 respectively. I personally carry two 8oz canisters during 3-day
backpacking trips. I use them for all my cooking as well as boiling
all my water while on the trail. The stove is rated to boil 6.8
liters of water per 100 grams of fuel. The 4oz canister has 113 grams
of fuel and the 8oz has 227 grams of fuel. This translates to about 7
liters of water boiled for the small canister and about 15 liters of
water for the large canister. The average person needs 3 liters of
water daily to stay fully hydrated. I personally have survived with
less but always try to keep as hydrated as possible. One small
canister would be enough for two days if you don't use it for
cooking. I use 8oz canisters only because they are only $1.00 more
and carry twice the fuel. An important note about the stove is that
its says it only works with Primus canisters
but they are hard to come by in the Pacific Northwest. I use MSR canisters
because of their availability. Also, nearly all Isbutane-Propane
canisters on the market today have universal threads. Another note
is that this type of fuel is recommended for 5,000 an lower and also
32°F or higher. A way to help keep your canisters warm is to throw
them in your sleeping bag once your camp is set up.
 |
| The MSR canisters (8oz and 4oz right/left) |
I
conducted an experiment on boiling times at home using 16oz, 1 liter,
and 2.5 liters of water. The water was 45°F in all three tests to
ensure uniformity. Below are the listed boiling times:
4.7 L
cooking pot w/ 2.5 liters of water – 16 minutes 22 Seconds
1.4 L cooking pot w/ 1 liter of water
– 7 minutes 40 seconds
18 Oz titanium mug w/ 16 Oz of water –
4.25 seconds
Its important to note that you should
test different pots that fit what you need because the times will
change depending on the type of metal, thickness, and color.
The stove has excellent stability
because it has a cross section on the top, just be sure you put your
can on something stable. It doesn't have auto-ignition like your
grill does so a flame of any kind must be used to light it. Once lit
you can control your boil rate easily by just turning the stove up or
down using the side knob.
The stove is also excellent for the
beginner because of its easy cleaning and maintenance. Here is a link
to my dis-assembly video. Other than a small O-ring in the bottom of the stove, the
rest is solid metal making it nearly fool proof.
All in all this stove is quick to
set-up and highly efficient for it price and size. I would recommend
this stove to anyone. I hope you enjoy your Primus Classic Trail
Stove as much as I do.Feel free to add your experiences with the stove in the comments section. What's your favorite outdoor stove?
Learn. Explore. Survive.
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