The Primus PrimeTech Stove System offers versatility whether on foot, two wheels, or four wheels

Cooking outdoors is always a compromise when considering all the necessities one must bring along. With weather, storage during transport and often-uncertain cooking platforms, size, stability and efficiency are important factors, as are components that are durable and easy to use and clean. The Primus PrimeTech Stove is a breath of fresh air for the minimalist overlander. It’s a nice crossover between compact, lightweight backpacking gear and hardy set-ups made to stow in a vehicle that spends its life bouncing through the backcountry.

The Primus company has earned a name for itself since inventing their first, soot-free kerosene stove in Stockholm, Sweden in 1892. Their new 2.3-liter single-burner  PrimeTech System slips nicely into a form-fitting, insulated bag, displacing a 5×8-inch cylindrical space. Not bad for a cook set boasting two pots of more than two liters each and a 7,000-BTU heat exchanger. The nesting pots are both hardened anodized aluminum. The inner pot has a non-stick lining and the outer, a ceramic lining. Also included in the set are an aluminum heat reflector for the base, a T-handled piezo igniter, a crimp pot gripper, and an ingenious colander lid with a cut-out for the handle and silicone non-conductive tab to prevent burning the fingers. A nice polyester towel is also included and provides protection when used between the nesting pots during transport. A durable, stainless steel line connects the fuel canister (purchased separately) to the burner.

The burner itself is a tidy affair with a built-in wind guard and flip-up pan supports for varying sized pots or a skillet.

The outer pan has a built-in heat exchanger on bottom, which does an amazing job of distributing heat to the whole pan vs. the usual hot spots associated with aluminum cookware. The inner pan can be nested during use to further isolate and distribute heat or it can be used independently. We employed the nested arrangement to cook a nice plate of biscuits, a task I have seldom successfully completed without turning them into charcoal briquets. The super-efficient burner, combined with the ceramic pot with its heat exchanger, boils water so quickly as to be almost unbelievable. Even the insulated bag serves double duty as a warming cubby for food set aside while more is on the burner.

One issue we have had with other stoves is heat modulation. We found the PrimeTech stove’s gas valve to be extremely tunable. Even delightfully so, according to Susan, who has previously had to fuss with one that creeps up as soon as she looks away.

Set-up and use is fast and simple. Clean-up is equally so, with few nooks and crannies and the non-stick surface on pans. We found that the piezo works best after turning the gas valve at least a full turn, as per instructions, and placing the tip directly against the burner before setting on the pot.

Our biggest complaint was that two stoves should be purchased in order to have multiple burners, a common set-up for most overlanding kitchens. At the price, however, one could justify purchasing a pair. The space utilized would still be well within reason. All the pieces seemed robust enough, with the exception of the pot gripper, which folded inward and became loose.

Our overall impression is that the PrimeTech is a viable solution for anything from medium-weight backpacking to small-kit overlanding. We are constantly looking for ways to pare down our gear into smaller packages without succumbing to sub-standard equipment or doing without. The Primus PrimeTech Stove System seems to fit that niche nicely.

Likes:

• Cost is reasonable at only $159.95 for the 2.3-liter pot version.
• (A 1.3-liter version is available for $149.95.)
• Boiling water is always a test for small-stove efficiency. This one boils up a panful fast and the heat exchanger pan distributes heat evenly.
• Time will tell how durable this stove is but, sans abuse, it should last many years based upon early impressions.
• The set is tight and tidy, packing to a tiny, 5×8-inch cylinder.

Dislikes:

• If you are rough on equipment you may prefer something heavier.
• The removable handle can get loose with repeated use.
• One stove is barely enough. (A nod to its usefulness actually).

Learn more by visiting the Primus website at www.primus.us

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