The Primus Onja is an interesting entry into the picnicking market/Patrick Cone
Camp stoves come in all sizes and with a variety of fuels, from sticks and twigs to white gas and propane. A new one from Primus also arrives with a unique, over-your-shoulder look and handy cutting board that bears some consideration.
The two-burner Onja (MSRP $139.95), however, is not a backpacking stove, but rather comes into play for picnics and car camping. Its sleek size, when folded closed, makes it easily packable in your rig, and the built-in strap makes it easy to carry to your picnic spot. An oak slab that fits across the top of the unit both protects the burners from being damaged in transport and doubles as your cutting board.
Readily available propane canisters (we like MSR's versions), power the Onja, which can generate 10,000 BTUs of heat for your cooking needs. As the photo above shows, the stove is big enough to handle a 5.3-liter pot. Actually, it can handle two side-by-side if you're cooking for a crowd. It does not have a piezo igniter, so be sure to have a lighter or box of matches.
A lightweight, powder-coated metal housing, with a heavy duty textile cover on the lower half of the unit, provides a measure of durability. The upper housing provides some wind blocking, but it won't protect your flames from much more than a light breeze. For that reason alone you might consider a more expensive stove with better windscreens.
But if you're looking for a two-burner stove that can handle picnic outings and occasional car camping, the Onja should meet your needs.
Folded closed, the Onja is easily carried from your car to picnic table and back/Patrick Cone
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