ProView – Primus Essential Trail Stove Kit

The beginning of this year I somehow convinced some of my pals to make the trek to Moab for a weekend of camping. “No one else I’d rather freeze my butts off with than you guys,” was our catch phrase. January is off season in Moab. A lot of trails are iced over, there was a foot of snow in half the camp grounds, and it didn’t get above freezing all weekend. We cooked meals over the fire, but having the Primus Essential Trail Stove Kit kept us with hot coffee in hand at all times. I made my first cup of Joe still in my sleeping bag several mornings.

Since then I’ve been chucking the stove into my backpack for the eight day treks I do on trail for work. It does the job of making a good ole cup of rice and beans in an easy and straightforward way.

The Primus is simplicity at its finest. It’s small and has one simple value to control on and off. This gives the user easy control over temperature and flame precision. There are no foldling parts making set up as quick as pulling it out and screwing on a fuel canister.

Performance/Features

This little stove works well in all weather conditions. The pot supports are low, shielding the flame from wind. The supports are about four inches across, making the stove sturdy enough for a variety of sizes of cooking vessels. Cold temperatures didn’t affect the performance (tested in as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit). Boil time was three and a half minutes. I was bummed it didn’t have an auto-ignition. It’s obnoxious when working outside to remember which pocket you keep your lighter in.

Weight/ Packability

This stove isn’t packable as some I’ve used in the past. It weighs 4 oz, and is about 4 inches wide and 2 inches tall. Since it doesn’t fold down any smaller you need to keep it in a container if you’re concerned about it rubbing against a puffy jacket or sleeping bag. I found that while it was still small enough for backpacking, I wished it was more containable in size. As a backpacker I like to keep my things well organized, but the shape of the stove makes that less doable.

Durability/Construction

What it lacks in style the Primus stove makes up for in durability. Once you’ve screwed on propane canister the only thing you need to worry about is a flat surface. The stove platform doesn’t shake or wobble since it’s one combined piece. It’s three-pronged pot supports are built over the burner compactly.

Final Word

The simplicity of the Primus Essential Trail Stove makes it a great candidate for beginning hikers and people who want a no-fuss cooking gadget. While not made for long-distance through-hikers, the stove holds its own as a back-to-the-basics piece of equipment with simple usability.