User Review: Optimus Svea

This is a good stove and the design has been around for 100 years, but let's face it there are much better choices out there today!

The Good:
- Reliable and Durable. I've had mine 30 years and with minimal maintenance it works just as good as it did when it was new.
- Inexpensive. You can find this stove for under $80 on the net.
- Built in wind screen. Much nicer than the roll up aluminum screens.

The Bad:
- Heavy. Stove is 4-6 ounces heavier than competitors. Not much maybe but those ounces add up fast!
- Slow boil times. Stove took 3:30 to boil one cup of water. That was 75% longer than my MSR. I don't know about you but I don't want to carry 75% more fuel around especially on a multi-day hike! That kicks the stove's weight penalty up to 2 pounds or more for a week long hike.

The Bottom Line:
Great stove if you want a piece of hiking history, but if weight and efficiency mean anything to you then get something else.