From: John Geyster (johngeyster@attbi.com)
Date: Thu Nov 14 2002 - 22:13:47 CST
Just catching up on my email and have been reading the stove history.
I started out backpacking doing 50 milers with my scout troop in 1970.
The gentleman or should I say woodsman who organized and led the trips
was Korean War Vet who knew the benefits of a good stove. He used a
Primus 123 in the tin can. Needless to say, about 6 or more of us
scouts purchased the same stove over the next 3 or 4 years.
I purchased my Optimus 123 (The Primus label was under the Optimus label
on the tin can). I have used that stove on countless trips over the
last 30 years and have never had to do any repairs or cleaning other
than cleaning the port with the needle. It has worked great for single
use pots up to 10 qt pots. The 10 qt pot on that tin can was a bit
tricky, so I bought a Svea nesting kit (about the same time it became
Svea 123) for better stability and still use that aluminum kit after 20
years. It appears that Brunton now owns the Optimus name since they now
have the Optimus 123 which is the same exact stove as I bought 30 years
ago except the tin can has been released by the round metal stand. It
always amazed me that the same hikers that commented how noisy the stove
was were the same ones that couldn't get there stoves to work or were
inadvertently torching the shelter during a flameout. The only stove
that I've seen that is more reliable is the alcohol can stoves the
through hikers use, but they don't put out enough btu's for more than
one person.
Anyway, I needed something that could put out a bit more BTU's for
large groups in the winter (ie., boiling 8 qts of water before everyone
froze to death waiting for dinner). That's about the same time that
Optimus released the Nova. What sold me was the weight (<= MSR stoves),
the stand was wide enough to support 10 qrt pots, the fact that you
could depressurize the bottle by turning it over, it had the same basic
vapor chamber as the 123 and the only moving part was the flame
adjusting handle. I have been using it for two years without any
problems in all kinds of weather and in all seasons here in the New
England. Moisture doesn't appear to be a problem since its worked
through some nasty down pours. Its also quieter than the 123. It's
expensive, but if it lasts as long as my 123, I'll never have to buy
another stove.
John J Geyster
SM Troop 15
Shelburne Falls, MA
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com] On
Behalf Of Johnlebl@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, November 03, 2002 4:50 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: Re: [Philmont]: stoves
In a message dated 11/03/2002 1:49:56 PM Central Standard Time,
BSARecLaw@Earthlink.net writes:
Option 2: There is a complicated system of lift the stove off the ground
and
turning it upside down, flame still going until no more fuel comes
through
the fuel tube. Then you have to bleed off the pressure then take apart.
It's easier just to spurt fuel.
Jim
I'll have to add a little jab here.
Since my SVEA123 and Coleman 533 have built in tanks, when I turn off
the valve, it's off. I don't have to disconnect anything, therefore
there is no spurting of fuel from the disconnected parts.
The ideal stove for Philmont would be somewhere inbetween the weight and
heat output of the above stoves. The Coleman 400 fits in there, but the
choice is yours.
The SVEA123 and Coleman 533 fill my needs quite well.
I looked up the Brunton Optimus Nova stove. What I like the most about
it is the price, $129.00. Staijnless steel you say? Hmmmmmmm!
Right next to it is the Brunton Optimus SVEA 123. What I like most
about it is it's dependability.
If only a manufacturer would make a SVEA 456 or even a 789, meaning a
larger model which put out more BTU's, then that my friends would be a
STOVE!
John LeBlanc
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