Swedish outdoor cooking brand Primus has been developing innovative, functional and premium products for 128 years. Like so many campers, I learned my outdoor cooking skills, such as they are, on a sturdy Primus paraffin stove. Its gas-fuelled FireStick stove has engaged the interest of the outdoor industry with its innovative, minimalist design. It gained the title of ‘Best New Gear’ from the Gear Institute and a ‘Best in Show’ Gear Junkie Award at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Show 2019.
This year, the tiny stove added a UK Outdoor Industry Award to its list of wins with the title of ‘Best Camping Equipment’.
Smartly engineered to make the stove as light and compact as possible, the three pot supports fold in around the burner and secure shut with a solid click mechanism to form a neat cylinder. This robust design protects the stove when packed and as there are no protruding parts, making it easy to slip into a backpack, canoe or bike luggage when exploring the great outdoors.
Primus UK’s Managing Director Ralph White said, “We’re very proud to be able to add an OIA Award to the FireStick’s host of other industry awards. The Primus design team wanted to challenge the standard thinking on what a compact, top-mounted stove should be and we’re thrilled that the resulting design has been so well received. The fact that this award was ultimately voted for by British camping and outdoor enthusiasts makes it all the more valuable.”
For precision cooking in varying weather conditions, the FireStick is equipped with the new Primus regulating valve. This adjusts the gas flow for optimum heat output in varying temperatures. As well as protecting the FireStick in transit, the clever design of the fold-out pot supports provide great wind protection when the stove is in use, as well as a sturdy structure for cooking.
The 2,500W high-performance burner also features a narrow flame which works well in windy conditions and is better suited for cooking with smaller, backpacking pots. It includes a custom-designed wool storage pouch that doubles up as a pot holder to protect your hands when cooking and comes with a separate Piezo igniter. Although the Primus FireStick weighs just 105g, a 16g lighter titanium version is available at just 89g.
Looking to 2021, a company statement noted, ‘ Our main focus is on performance and durability but we also look at how we can use more environmentally friendly materials in order to reduce our products’ impact on the planet. We’ve recently turned our attention to the popular Lite Plus stove and are proud to introduce a model for 2021 that’s more durable, efficient and eco-friendly.’
Developed for compact storage and transportation, the stove’s unchanged high performance burner, with patented Laminar Flow burner technology, along with a 100g gas cartridge and accessories fits perfectly into the aluminium pot, with a new, hard-anodised aluminium construction. The pot’s lid will now be made from an eco-friendly bio-plastic and the design itself has been upgraded so that it now doubles as a drinking cup.
The pot’s sleeve has also been improved and is now made from durable, G-1000 Eco Lite fabric with an insulation layer of cork underneath plus it features handy extras such as a pocket for a long spoon or the Primus Coffee/Tea Press.
Traynor On The Trail 