Primus EtaPackLite

Primus EtaPackLite
The key to the stove's increased efficiency is the heat exchanger which is an integrated part of the 1.2-litre pan with its titanium non-stick coating.

Our Review

Reviewed: 20 March 2009 by Jon
What's It For? The EtaPackLite is a fully integrated lightweight coooking system for two people that's aimed to score on two levels. First it's neat, compact and very stowable. Second, Primus claims that it's approximately 80 per-cent efficient compared to a more normal 40-50 per-cent meaning you need to carry less ...  Continue reading

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Reader Reviews

4 user reviews of Primus EtaPackLite See all

Overall reader score

I got this as a birthday present and was very pleased to open it. When I tried it out, the stove gave a satisfying roar and boiled the water very quickly - not sure how fast, but didn't have to wait long. It Continue reading...
I got this as a birthday present and was very pleased to open it. When I tried it out, the stove gave a satisfying roar and boiled the water very quickly - not sure how fast, but didn't have to wait long. It pa Continue reading...
I love this stove. Much prefer it to anything else I have used. Multi fuel stoves are two fiddly and messy for most UK camping, I can't stand Trangias, Pocket Rocket style stoves are fantastically small but t Continue reading...
I like it and would recommend it for two on prolonged trips Continue reading...

Discussions

I have recently bought a converter, produced by Markhill, that provides a connector to the gas cylinder, and a tube from that connector to a tripod. You can screw the Pocket Rocket onto the tripod bringing the stove closer to the ground and theoretically providing greater stability. 

I have yet to test it though .  And I still think the lower volume of the Pocket Rocket and tripod matches if not outweighs the fuel advantage of the Primus EtaPacklite. 

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:12

I guess that depends on how long your trip is and how much cooking you're planning to do.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:36

MC, can you give a reference or url to this converter please?  Could it convert any canister-top stove with a preheat tube to liquid feed for cold weather or almost-empty-canister use?

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:42

I've seen this sort of design in use, with the heat exchangers/ baffles, - and they have always seemed to rely on the 'specific' pans bought with it- part of the versatility of the likes of the pocket rocket are that you are not tied into the 'specific pan stuff', pocket rocket etc has always worked for me, -
like the idea of connecting it to a low tripod tho

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:45


http://www.vaude.de/hps/upload/cmi24/produkt_bilder/92489-0000.jpg


this?

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:46

saw one in George Fisher in Keswick, think it was about £25 though

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:47

Presumably anything that screws into a standard canister will screw into that tripod.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:52

Frum wrote (see)
MC, can you give a reference or url to this converter please?  Could it convert any canister-top stove with a preheat tube to liquid feed for cold weather or almost-empty-canister use?

No, Frum, it doesn't have a preheat tube, not that I have one but I did research it a while back with a view to getting one. I decided in the end that, for me, it wasn't worth the outlay.

Here it is.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:56

Mal, are there no canister-top stoves with preheat tubes then?

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 16:58

Yes that looks like it. I only bought it yesterday though, but the legs look as I remember  them. They fold up into each other to take up less room and everything goes into a little bag. There's no preheat tube though.  

.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 17:09

Colm and MC, I didn't expect the gadget to have a pre-heat tube.  I expected it to connect a stove to a canister in a way which would enable a pre-heat tube on the stove, if there was a pre-heat tube on the stove, to be used to allow the canister to be inverted.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 17:35

Ah,

Frum I understand, but can't answer the question in relation to the Markhill adaptor illustrated in Glyn's photo.

Here's your URL....

 www.hitchnhike.co.uk/acatalog/gas_stove_accessories.html

it's the top one. I think the picture is a little better than the one Glyn submitted.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 17:45

Thanks MC.  Thats convinced me that if I can find a pre-heat stove, and I lash up some sort of stand for an inverted canister I'm in business.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 17:49

Jon Doran wrote (see)
I guess that depends on how long your trip is and how much cooking you're planning to do.


I think that's it Jon.

I'm not sure why the Eta PackLite would be compared to the Rocket, as the Rocket 'system' weighs in at 500grams less, even allowing for 5 grams per litre difference (test say 4g) , you would need to be boiling 100 litres just to get to parity! Or a seven week trip for two? 

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 18:03

I just don't get it. The reason I have a pocket rocket is for its lightness. Using a converter triples the weight in which case I woud prefer a stove designed  for use with a 'remote' cannister  and hence would provide the required stability.

If I want an estate car for load  carrying  purposes I don't buy a Mazda MR5 and add a trailer !

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 19:08

What I don't get and I questioned it when the packlite was announced is that it's a 2 person set-up that only holds a 100 cart while the etaExpress is a solo set-up but capable of carrying a 250 cart. The reason given was that to make it hold a 250 cart while still carrying all the additional parts would have increased the size which is fair enough I suppose. 

The performance of 100 carts drops off rapidly, I'd like to see the boils times as the cartridge was used rather than simply on the 1st boil. That said boiling 1.0L of water in just over 3 minutes is no mean feat.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 19:21

Have any of you out there tried this ETAPackLite yet?

Presumably it screws into any threaded canister (of the relevant size of course).

I bought a (Karrimor) converter years back, that makes the non-threaded canisters into a sealed /reusable unit. Not very lightweight, but saves a bit on cost.

Use a Coleman F1 for lightweight ventures, bombproof & quick as.

Posted: 23/03/2009 at 19:31

I have a ETA packlite, got it for touring with mtb and trailer, think it's really good.

Looked at all the other all-in-one set ups, and decided this was the best package.

You can change to different pans and we use a small kettle with the wind shield on, though it does take longer to boil water than the OE pan.

Will be using it for backpacking too now some theiving little scroat stole my bike.

Posted: 24/03/2009 at 09:17


Going to give this a go with my jetboil, for winter use.

Posted: 25/03/2009 at 08:58

i just found this for 45dollars+7dollars shipping on clearance,i didnt check exchange rate to the f w/this~underneath(pounds?)this item has a MSRP of 130dollars,the cheapest regularly available is ~100 dollars

Posted: 25/06/2012 at 00:15

is this site in uk?

Posted: 25/06/2012 at 00:21

is there anybody out there?just not if you can hear me.roger waters 7/1 fenway park boston.primus eta packlite for 45bucks plus 7shipping!dicks sporting goods all over eastern us.

Posted: 25/06/2012 at 00:38

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