A mini review for a (really) mini stove.

The Primus MicronTrail Stove is a compact and lightweight gas stove that still packs plenty of power. It folds up small enough to slip into a pocket and produces a narrow high speed flame which has been specifically designed to work with Primus PrimeTech pots.

PROS

• Super compact
• Ultralight
• Powerful

CONS

• Not very good in windy conditions
• Unstable without legs

In the days of heat exchanger stoves where the pan and stove act as a single unit, is there a place for the micro stove? Maybe, the advantages would be the weight and space saving in the pack. The way heat exchanger stoves work means that they are bulky and often heavy. What you are compromising on weight you are gaining on efficiency. For the solo hiker however, the pot on these types of stoves is sometimes overkill so a micro stove together with a small titanium pot can serve to save a lot of weight and space.

The Primus MicronTrail fits this bill nicely, it’s super compact and uber lightweight. Weighing in at &&g it really is super light. It will take a variety of pot sizes with it’s foldable arms and will also take all standard canister sizes. It comes in both Piezo and without one if you want a cheaper and even lighter stove. And although we’ve always had issues with piezo stoves the Primus Micron Trail has performed in all but the most windy conditions. It’s looks a little Heath Robinsonesque but worked every time and it has proved itself and the wire has even stayed in throughout the test period – which is unusual.

One of the problems we encounter with stove systems is the instability, especially when the pot comes to the boil and begins to shake so as always you should always be vigilant unless you want to spill everything. I would always recommend buying canister legs as plastic ones really don’t weigh much and will solve that problem quite nicely.

Primus state that the Micron Trail will bring a litre of water to the boil in under 3 minutes. I would say that the stated boil times are pretty OK for optimum conditions which is something you rarely get in the outdoors. Stoves need very careful attention as to where they are placed in order for them to work efficiently and the Micron Trail was no exception. I used it with the excellent Primus Windshield which improved the boil times massively.

One great feature of the Primus MicronTrail is the regulator model which have great flame control for simmering. You don’t have to buy this version as the non regulator is cheaper but you some of the finer flame control. We tested the non regulator version.

The MicronTrail is also very compact – the clever folding arms make the stove small enough to sit in a pocket on your pack and if used with a small pot and 100g canister would be a very lightweight system. It comes in an oversized bag to keep it all tidy, the bag is big enough to keep a 100g canister in.

In conclusion the Primus MicronTrail is a great little, lightweight stove that would be easily suitable for a lightweight, solo trip and combined with a small 500ml titanium mug and a 100g gas canister would give you a complete system for under 250g.

SRP £35.00 for the basic stove, £40.00 for the stove with a piezo and £60 for the regulated valve version.

Available from our partner Facewest and other stockists.

The Primus MicronTrail was supplied by Primus.

Dave Sarkar has tested and reviewed climbing, mountaineering and outdoor equipment for over 10 years. He works as a qualified MIA both in the UK and Internationally: working as a mountaineering instructor and expedition leader for his company Wild Spaces. When he isn’t working in the mountains he’s playing in the mountains and enjoys all aspects climbing and mountain sports whether bouldering at his local crag or ice climbing; as long as he’s going upwards he’s happy!