FIRST LOOK
Primus’ excellent Lite+ stove has received some upgrades. Do these tweaks and improvements make it the best backpacking stove yet?
New Primus stove
Over the past one-and-a-quarter centuries Primus stoves have been used everywhere from high-altitude Himalayan peaks to the frozen wilderness of the Poles. Designed in Sweden and manufactured in Europe at the company’s own factory, every single stove is individually tested before it hits the shop shelves.
In more recent times, Primus’ Lite+ stove has become a popular choice for all types of outdoor enthusiasts, from wild campers to wild swimmers. Indeed, the original Lite+ has been the only backpacking stove Trail’s editor Oli has used in many years. Now this bestselling model (the Lite+, not Oli) has been updated with a slightly eco-friendlier design and some new and improved features.
The essence of the Lite+ remains the same; it’s still a fast boiling, gas-sipping stove that can pack down into its own pot (including a 100g gas canister) for easy transport. But you don’t stay at the top of the stove game for over 125 years by just leaving things as they are, so Primus has been tinkering. Are the updates worth having, and is the Lite+ still the stove it once was? Let’s take a closer look…