Primus Gravity Backpacking Stove review

Scope note: This is a source-based assessment of Primus US SKU P327994 / UPC 7330033002010, not a field review. I did not set up, use, weigh or test this stove. Primus' US manuals index currently points the Gravity label to a MicronTrail file; I do not use that mismatched link as evidence. The manual-specific discussion below is limited to a Primus-authored Gravity document ID 3281 retrieved from a third-party host, so confirm the exact manual that accompanies the unit.

Designed around a hose-fed cooking platform

Gravity places the burner on four folding legs and connects a separate canister by hose. Primus emphasizes a broad flame, lower center of gravity and cooking with larger pots or frying pans. The distinction from a top-mounted burner is practical: the canister is not directly under the pan, and the four-foot burner base creates a wider platform. But that description does not establish a universal cookware limit or guarantee that a large vessel is stable on every surface. The reviewed US page does not publish a maximum pot diameter, so I do not infer one from the product image or the 151 mm diameter shown in its table.

The P327994 page lists a remote Piezo igniter, foldable windscreen, heat reflector and nylon storage bag. It also describes a preheating coil for colder conditions. Fuel is not included, and Primus' suggested Gravity MultiFuel Kit is a separate accessory. The product page says the burner is intended for one to four people; that is the maker's use description, not a promise about meal size, simmer quality or actual campsite performance.

Read the performance and weight numbers cautiously

Primus lists 3,000 W, 215 g/h and a 250 g weight on the product page. Its narrative says one liter boils in under three minutes, and the specification table distinguishes 2:50 with a heat-exchanger pot from 3:50 with a regular pot. The manufacturer page offers those figures as claims; they are not independent tests. The third-party-hosted copy of the Primus 3281 manual instead states roughly 2.7 kW and 195 g/h at one bar. Because the product's US manuals-index link is wrong, treat that manual bridge cautiously, inspect the manufacturer-authored 3281 document itself, and use the actual manual shipped with your stove. Neither the page's 250 g nor the manual's output is a verified minimum weight for a complete carrying kit.

Primus' exact page is more useful for package identity than for a strict numeric weight decision: it names SKU P327994 and lists the included controls, screen and reflector. A canister, cookware and food remain separate. Don't add the optional MultiFuel Kit's bottle or parts to the base SKU's advertised mass, and don't assume that a conversion feature means every fuel is approved without its own correct jet and instructions.

The included screen is not an enclosure

The Primus-authored 3281 manual says not to cover the stove or cartridge with a windscreen, stones or similar items, but also tells the user to use the windscreen that accompanies the stove. Those statements are compatible only when the supplied screen remains in its intended position and the canister and burner are not covered or enclosed. The exact US product page independently lists the foldable screen. This is a case for using the maker's included component—not adding a wraparound shield or treating a generic metal screen as interchangeable.

The same manual requires outdoor use and at least 500 mm from flammable material at ceiling and walls, with a level surface and supplied ground protection. It instructs users to fully extend the hose and keep the cartridge away from radiant heat. Do not leave a lit stove unattended, move it while burning or allow cookware to boil dry. These constraints are more consequential than the product's “stable in varying conditions” marketing. Before using a unit, match the physical model and manual, especially while the official manual index is misdirected.

When Gravity deserves a place on the shortlist

Compare Gravity if you want one remote-canister burner with broad-flame positioning, a four-leg stand, separate igniter and manufacturer-supplied screen/reflector. It is not a two-burner range; the wide burner is still one heat source. It is not an evidence-backed match for a hard pot-diameter or minimum-weight ceiling, and the performance claims should not be treated as field results. A buyer should verify the exact P327994 package, its included screen, manual edition, support surface and cookware balance before use. The manual-source limitation is also a reason to download or request the exact current instructions, not to guess from a nearby Primus model.