WE TAKE STOVES VERY SERIOUSLY. GET YOUR STOVE RIGHT AND YOU NAIL A BIG CHUNK OF YOUR CAPACITY TO STAY ON A MOUNTAIN LONG ENOUGH TO GET THINGS DONE. GET IT WRONG, AND AT BEST YOUR WASTING TIME, OR AT WORST YOU ARE STARING INTO THE BARREL OR MORTALITY WITH NO HEAT, WATER, CALORIES, OR REST.
FOR YEARS WE HAVE BEEN CRAZY ABOUT THE FIRE MAPLE BLADE 2 STOVE AND ADVOCATED IT AROUND THE WORLD AND WE STILL THINK IT IS A MAGNIFICENT BIT OF GEAR. THE FACT IT TOOK UNTIL 2021 TO BE SURPASSED SAYS IT ALL, AND IN A FEW WAYS IT STILL HOLDS IT OWN (TITANIUM, YOU CAN’T BEAT THAT IN A STOVE).
BUT EVENTUALLY THINGS CAUGHT UP, AND IF IT WAS GOING TO BE ANY COMPANY TO DO IT WAS GOING TO BE THE JAPANESE, IN THE ARMS RACE BETWEEN SOTO, SNOWPEAK, AND PRIMUS, AND BASED OFF PRUMUS’ PREVIOUS ‘BEST IN CLASS’ STOVE BEFORE THE BLADE 2 – THE EXPRESS SPIDER – IT’S NOT SURPRISING THEY GOT THERE FIRST.
THE PRIMUS ULTRA SPIDER BURNS WITH ABOUT 7% MORE POWER, PACKS DOWN BETTER, FEELS A LITTLE MORE ROBUST, HOLDS LARGER POTS WITH MORE STABILITY, AND IS A BIT EASIER TO USE WITH THE ORIENTATION OF CONTROL KNOB. WHAT USE WE HAVE HAD SO FAR FINDS IT WORKS IN INVERTED LIQUID FEED MODE BETTER, AND WE WILL CONFIRM THAT AFTER THE WINTER.
IT IS A BIT HEAVIER, THOUGH NOT WITHOUT REASON OF BEING MORE ROBUST AND HAVING FOUR LEGS, BUT THE MAIN NEGATIVE IS IT IS NOT TITANIUM, WHICH MEANS IT DOESN’T COOL AS QUICKLY. THIS MANAGEABLE, AND IN FACT NORMAL, AS TITANIUM AS PER THE BLADE 2 IS THE ANOMALY NOT THE NORM.
THE PRIMUS ULTRA SPIDER USES A MUCH SMALLER BURNER HEAD, WHICH WITH A FLUX POT CATCHES MORE GAS TO BURN THAN THE BLADE 2’S WIDE SPREAD, BUT WITH A REGULAR POT BASE MAY CREATE A HEAT SPOT THAT NEEDS ATTENTION IF DOING MORE THAN BOIL WATER.
WE LIKE THE EXTRA BTUS, FEELING THE ADDITIONAL POWER ACTUALLY ADDS TO EFFICIENCY BECAUSE IT INCREASES AMBIENT HEAT IN A TENT SPACE THAT DOES MORE FOR FUEL EFFICIENCY THAN ANY OTHER MEANS AND MAKES UP FOR ANY EXTRA FUEL SPENT.
IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THAT ALL COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE STOVE HANGING KITS ARE FOR THREE-PRONGED STOVES, IN WHICH CASE THE ULTRA SPIDER CAN BE RIGGED AS SUCH BY KEEPING TWO LEGS TOGETHER. INDEED IF PRIMUS WAS EVER TO GET SERIOUSLY ULTRA ABOUT THE ULTRA SPIDER, THEY COULD MAKE IT A THREE-LEGGED STOVE WITHOUT ANY ISSUE WE CAN SEE.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW THE PRIMUS ULTRA SPIDER IS UNHEARD OF OUTSIDE JAPAN. TRY RAKUTEN.
