I will have to agree with Murph - compromise of a tad more weight but sheer reliability on white gas would be the 502. Heck someone even said that if there was a bear attack, you could throw the stove at him and when he leaves, you can still cook your food afterwards. Which makes me curious if we could just torture test some of these stoves for the satisfaction that it will indeed work in the harshest of environments such as the one I mentioned....no bear... but say like your in a canoe and it tips over, you recover your stove, dry it out and see if it will work kinda stuff. Or perhaps leave different models of stove in the range and let the jets do their run and at the end of it all see which one still functions....me just being silly here but like would you not be curious. I know most stoves have successfully withstood mother natures rain and snow and weathered over time and still lights up after a bit of a clean. They withstood the test of time and human err and still does its very job. Ok no bear. How about leaving it in a monkeys cage and see....they might just brew a cuppa joe in time
There was a 502 at a flea market last weekend that looked like something heavy had been dropped on it. Dented burner, fount it was bad but it sill could hold pressure and the fuel that was in it sounded like it was coming out right. Maybe if I had the nerves and a lighter I should have tried it I am actually not a big fan of my 502 (maybe it needs a rebuild) so its usually a loaner stove, or just for making coffee when the camp site is not far from the car.
whatever stove it is the carrying case must serve as a part of the cook kit,a stove without a pot is like like a turkey without a------damm..now you have me doing it!!!!!..anyway i like the 99 with a pot as the case cover,and you need a case to keep the stove from being damaged.
Chancho; in that light the perfect stove is the next one. Maybe that's why i have so many, i'm always looking for the perfect one. Now a serious answer: For me the perfect stove is the M1942 or M-1950 military stoves, with their appropriate canisters. Multi fuel, cook kit, works in a wind storm, safe so long as you are, simple as dirt, and easy to fix if it goes "off". Comes with a proper repair kit and a wrench to fix it too. * lance * Ooh and it will come equiped with someone as beautifull as Ingrid to prepare my meals.
I'm curious why the Coleman 400 doesn't at least get an honorable mention. Does it have too many parts? Also, if you want multi-fuel, isn't the Coleman Exponent Multi-Fuel any good?
There is, and probably never will, be a perfect stove for everyone. In a way that's the beauty of it. For me, though it would be(as previously mentioned) an M1942 with good flame control, a silent burner cap(as an accessory) and a positive pump check valve. This one is actually doable with a bit of frankengineering. I'll probably take a lot of flack for this with all that's going on with the current recall, but for an existing stove, my Optimus Nova(early model) comes as close to perfect as I've seen. I don't own an Omnifuel, but put it in the same class solely from what I've read. Yes, a lot of parts on these, but my Nova has never given me a single(non-user induced) problem in all the years I've used it. Mike
I have a hard time embracing the M1942 or M1950 stoves since they don't have the safety on them. They're also quite heavy for what they are. I'll stick with the Svea. My criteria for a perfect stove: 1. Sturdy. 2. Reliable. 3. Controllable flame (from simmer to blast furnace). 4. Lightweight. 5. Efficient. 6. Low maintenance. 7. What maintenance there is can be easily done with a minimum of tools. 8. Multi-fuel (at least kero and Coleman Fuel). 9. Packs well; compact, not bulky. 10. Inexpensive. 11. Low carbon monoxide emissions. 12. Operates well in all wx conditions including high winds. 13. Easy to set up. 14. Easy to operate. 15. Boil time for 1L of H20 at 10C at sea level in good conditions is 5 minutes or less. 16. Safe (no 111B style fireballs!). 17. Not prone to fuel spills when depressurizing (or any other time for that matter). 18. Stable on uneven ground. 19. Good pot stability. 20. "Silent" operation. As you can see, I don't ask for much in a stove. HJ
The Borde Bomb looks pretty good. Maybe a multi-fuel version packed in a rectangular case/pot with wind screen, handle, spork and fuel bottle.
Now then HJ, if you went multi fuel, you could go meths or white gas in a 502, or burn a blend of 80/20 CF and kero, too. However, point #11 is a killer, literally, and I suspect the 502 doesn't cut it on that account. Murph
Point 10 is a killer for a lot of stoves. The Primus 41 would fit but $$$ The best stove I believe is the Trangia. On longer trips it becomes harder because of the more fuel needed. Jeff
Meths in a 502? Are you sure about that? I like the 502 very much, but I wouldn't exactly call it lightweight or compact/packable. Interesting choice though, and a good one I think. HJ
The Trangia's a good one. The thing I don't like the most about the Trangia is how bulky the darned thing is. I just can't get myself to pack that big of a bundle. I normally something quite that big unless I'm going out with three or four guys, in which case I won't use an alcohol stove because alcohol is a little slow for groups. But the Trangia is a good one. Nothing to go wrong unless maybe you melt the seal on the lid when snuffing the stove. No seals, pumps, jets, etc. I expect to pass mine on for generations. How did you like my little list? Pretty much a fantasy land list. I can't see how one could get all that in one stove, but the items on are something to think about when looking at a particular stove. HJ
Hmmm, tuffie. Ingrid holding a titanium 123 would take a serious effort to beat. That said, the stove I use most is easily the 77A. I like the pot set better than any Trangia and it's wind-ability is acceptable. THAT puppy in titanium would be fearsome!
