User Review: Optimus Svea

Summary

Great little stove that lasted forever, until I added a windscreen and overpressurized it!

I loved this stove and it worked pretty well for about 20 years -- very reliable. That is until a recent trip to Yellowstone. A friend had a spare windscreen and I placed it around the 123 and started cooking. After about 30 minutes we heard a loud popping noise and the stove became unstable. Apparently the fuel tank had overpressurized and popped out from the bottom.

Luckily the stove did not explode but is forever ruined, as the bottom will not pop back in. I talked to Optimus about this and they told me I was out of luck. I can only think that it was the windscreen that caused this stove to overheat so I would recommend neve using one with the 123.

They offered me a discount on a new one but honestly it is too heavy compared with other stoves on the market now.

Update: April 19, 2012

I bought my Svea 123 back in the late '80s and used it for backpacking for 25 years. Only once did I need some jet/needle adjustment that someone at REI provided for free.

I primed it in one of two ways

1. hold a piece of burning paper underneath the stove to warm the fuel, or
2. pour some fuel in the little cup and light it. 

Unfortunately, this stove died because it overpressured and the entire fuel tank popped out on the bottom. A friend gave me a windscreen and I was frying some fish when I heard a loud pop. The fuel tank had expanded and there was no fix.

Luckily the stove did not explode. The stove just got too hot — so don't ever use a windscreen with it. I was bummed to lose the old friend.