Primus ETA PackLite anyone?

Posted by: 300winmag

Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/16/09 12:19 AM

To me a cook system is part of the "Big 4" of backpacking gear. Getting it right has been a quest of mine. And I mean getting it light, efficient, simple to use and durable.

Been reading reviews of the new Primus ETA PackLite
stove system that may fill those qualifications pretty well. It's claimed to be 80% efficient. i.e only 20% of the heat is "wasted" into the atmosphere.

It is a total system, much like the JetBoil PCS, only the PackLite is for 2 people, if desired. It has a 1.2 L. Ti pot W/corrugated bottom heat exchanger, plastic lid/collander, adjustable ring windscreen, specialized burner and plastic dish (which protects the pot's inner coating when packed for travel). A standard butane gas canister fits inside also.

"Supposably" it weighs 12 oz. complete, W/O the gas canister I'm assuming.

This system is smaller and lighter than the first ETA system and it MAY just be the most-efficient-for-the-weight system yet. My one "desire" is that Primus makes the burner so it's compatable with liquid fuel as well - oh, and a way to invert the gas canister for colder weather cooking.

Anyone out there scored this little system yet?


Eric
Posted by: acronym

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/16/09 09:23 AM

""Supposably" it weighs 12 oz. complete, W/O the gas canister I'm assuming."

according to the website it's 21 oz.

http://www.primuscamping.com/product.php?id=122
Posted by: Rick_D

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/16/09 01:11 PM

It's a little confusing to me what they're weighing, but I'm presuming the higher figure is with the extra plastic bowls. I'd like to know what the burner, pot, lid and windscreen are.

I haven't seen a comprehensive review, but it looks interesting for winter. I have an eta Express system and while it's handy and easy to use, a performance to weight advantage isn't really there compared to a light burner, foil windscreen and Ti pot.

Cheers,
Posted by: 300winmag

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/16/09 11:08 PM

With the remote canister I'm wondering why an MSR foil windscreen wouldn't be not only lighter but more thermally efficient than the skinny Primus windscreen when sized to fit the pot.

My JetBoil 1.5 L. pot(W/ bottom heat exchanger & side cozy), MSR windscreen and Brunton Flex burner is a very fast cook system. I really doubt the ETA PackLite system could be that much more efficient.

Eric
Posted by: Jimshaw

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/17/09 12:20 AM

Bill

I don't think so.

Like I have a 7 ounce home made stove with a primus burner and a built in windscreen made from the bottom of a 1 liter stainless steel pan. It is very efficient and it weighs 7 oz. The next size down Ti pan that fits weighs 5.2 oz. So far I got 12.2 oz. If I wanted to add a plastic bowl, I have one that weighs 1.5 oz.

It seems to me that the ETA is just a modern version of the 3 pand cookset of yesteryear. Its a package designed to separate campers from their money.

Not light. Not cheap. Piezo? Small burner heat output, makes me wonder in extreme conditions whether its big enough for snow melting, but then since it has an upright canister, its not gonna work really well below 40 degrees anyway.

Nope - you know who made almost the same exact stove system 20 years ago was that german or Swiss company company Markill. Anyway the fuel line off it the first time I lit it. It seemed so cool, but was such a marketing hype. AND the ETA is BIG, even if it folds up.
Jim crazy
Posted by: wandering_daisy

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/17/09 07:20 PM

I was given the Primus ETA solo as a gift. The stove, wind screen and pot with the heat exchanger and lid weigh 15.4 oz. The size of this "solo" set is awkward - almost too much for one person, yet too small for two.

The solo set up that I use: titanium solo pot, lid, SnowPeak stove and 1 oz home-made wind screen is 8.8 oz. If I instead use the small Evernew pot the set up is 10.3 oz.

The ETA solo set is 6.6 oz. more than my current solo setup. I have not used the ETA stove yet so cannot comment on it's efficiency. When I added my 1oz. windscreen to my Snow Peak stove, I got about one more days from a medium sized cannister.
Posted by: 300winmag

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 06/18/09 03:05 AM

Daisey,

As I suspected, our own canister cook systems are very efficient once a windscreen is used.

Seems Primus needs to eliminate the plastic dishes and lid and use an aluminum lid. They's get the weight down to more tolerable levels - and the price.

Also Primus REALLY needs to look at Coleman's inverted canister setup and reduce the fat in their stove's base. Back to teh drawing board.

Eric
Posted by: WallDiver7

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 08/06/09 09:38 AM

I own this stove: The weight is 21oz if you omit the bottom bowl and the liner bowl (designed to protect the pot coating). I bought this the minute it hit the market and have never been disatisfied with it's performance. It is big in size and takes up a little too much pack space.. I consider it to be heavy at 21oz. Here's the good part though: It boils two cups of water in under 1 minute 15 seconds using less than 4.2 grams of fuel (I did the test and I can't find my exact figures on this at this moment... so working off memory!). This was achieved with the can inverted.

Like many posters above have commented, Primus could cut the weight of this stove in many areas. I hope they do.
Posted by: Tango61

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 08/06/09 11:14 PM

Greetings WallDiver and welcome to the forum! It's good to see newbie's reading old posts and contributing their experiences.

How about filling in your profile and letting us know a little more about you and your experience.

Tango
Posted by: Graham

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 04/10/10 01:39 AM

So, I see more questionable reviews of the Eta Packlite, than outright positive ones. I've used the Eta Express, and like Primus stoves in general, but you guys are the experts when it comes to doing more with less.
So, I have two questions...
1. What is the word on the new Eta Solo?
2. Has anyone used the Bush Buddy? I mean, if you want to pack light, ditch the fuel cans... right?
I look forward to hearing your comments.
- Graham
Posted by: Pat-trick

Re: Primus ETA PackLite anyone? - 04/10/10 02:43 PM

I've never used the Bushbuddy, but the instructions that come with it talk about getting all the conditions just right for this stove to work properly. I take that to mean it's finicky and difficult to use. But I have never used it. I decided to not consider it for a stove because of all the emphasis on using it correctly, learning how to use it, etc.