User Review: Optimus Svea

This stove model debuted in 1955, so it isn't 100 years old, despite what you read on the web.

People like to obsess over gear weight, but do a few ounces more or less really matter? Maybe if you're out for a really long time without resupply, but the average backpacker is more likely doing 3 or 4-day weekend trips, or maybe a full week once in a while. If you're worried about weight, lose some body fat.

One reviewer complained that because this stove has slower boil time it will burn more fuel. This is like saying that if you drive 30 mph instead of 60 mph, the journey will take twice as long, therefore you will use twice as much fuel. The reality is that stoves with quicker boil times put out more heat by burning more fuel in less time. The amount of fuel to boil a quart of water is about the same either way, and is far more greatly affected by weather conditions and how well the stove is screened against wind.

This stove's strong points are simplicity, reliability, and nostalgic charm. It is not a 10k Btu volcano. This does not make it inefficient, it just means you have to wait a few more minutes for the water to boil. You got a train to catch or what?