"I wonder if my Omnifuels or a Nova will have its longevity. Any opinions?" I have many opinions about many things but about this, i will only say, When i am solo camping there are only two stoves i trust my life too. A Svea 123 or R, or an M-1950 military type stove. Gaurentied to work or your money back. I know there are many who swear by the trieangia spirit stoves and while they are as simple as dirt and as easy to use, when i'm camping and my life is on the line, i'll take my 123 or M-1950 every time. Why? Because i know they will work, because i take care of them; before, during, and after my trip. I will be hunting up in Montana this year and a 123 or an M-1950 will be with me as my "damnit i got lost again" stove. I may take a spirit stove along as an, afternoon tea stove, but for dinner when i''m "out there" it'll be one or the other. Lance
With all due respect, but isn't the 123 just a bit overrated here? I've fond memories of my own, but just can't discard that it is rather cumbersome, with an upper part which is all too easy to dent and practically useless as windshield, potholders which tend to circulate in every direction except the one you intend, a preheating bowl which is too small and besides very hard to reach from outside, and this ridiculously small pan of which the only use in life is to get lost, together with its grip. Let's be honest, the 123's real charm is that of most very pretty girls nice to look at, but handling is a different matter. Jur (in anticipation of howling protests)
In a non-howling voice - Jur, I think you need to separate the stove from the windscreen. The stove itself runs like a dream. Put it on the shelf for 10 years with gas in the tank and it fires right up and burns hot. I'm not a fan of the brass windscreen, but the stove iteself is great. Trade out the brass windscreen for a Sigg Tourist Kit and you are cooking in great style.
Morning, Jur, Though I understand from where you're coming, I, respectfully, disagree. In all the years I've owned and used SVEAs, I have never understood why anyone would say that the preheating bowl is too small. I have heard it said, mind you, many times, but have never understood it. I guess I got into priming the SVEA the proper and best way, by accident, and it's kept me in good stead ever since. My first SVEA came to me with a plastic eyedropper inside it. So, that's how I've always primed SVEAs, and also 99's, 8R,'s 71's, and 80's, ever since. It never fails, and the amount of fuel you can place into the preheating bowl, with an eyedropper, is EXACTLY the proper amount for a guaranteed start, first time, everytime!! So, what's the beef about that preheating bowl being too small??? I must be missing something here.... As to the denting problems, I've never had that problem, either. The only dented SVEAs I've had, are those that came to me dented by their previous owners. And, even then, it wasn't too much of a problem to smooth out the very minor denting. The windscreen, like every single OTHER windscreen, with the exception of the MSR types, is certainly not infallible. But, as with every other stove that I own, I use an old MSR windscreen, in addtion to the regular SVEA brass one, and all works well. I use that same MSR windscreen with the 8R, 99, 111/111B/111T/111C, 80, 71, and many other stoves, too. [NOTE: The only stoves that are fully enclosed by this MSR windscreen, are the MSR's, my Nova, and my Explorer. For all the rest, I merely use a half-wrap, keeping the stove in the leeside of the wind, and thereby stay safe from overheating the stoves.] So, it's not bad rap on the SVEA that it's windscreen might not be totally effective. Most other stove's windscreens aren't either! The pot supports can get a little fiddly, over time, but that's seldom a problem with me. I've had much worse experiences trying to get my older MSR X-GK's pot supports to actually work for me!! Talk about a swirl-fest!!!! If the SVEA's supports get really bad, which few do, a little judicious pinching on the brass windcreen, with some needle-nose pliers, soon gets things a bit more tight. I'll give you one thing, though: that mini-pot is next to useless, unless you want the most tiny cup of tea, or merely a "sup" of soup!!!! Tried it a few times, and decided that, unless it was an emergency, I wouldn't waste my time with actually using it for cooking. But, it makes a nice cap for the stove, and keeps my cleaning needle, priming eyedropper, and mini-pump inside, nicely! I think that most wonderful thing about the SVEA is it's longevity!! Since it's appearance in , what was it, the 1940's, or 1950's, it's been going, and going, and going, in all weathers, at all altitude, and in many locations, all over the world!! While most parts kit lists, for more "wonderful" stoves, read like the Sears Roebuck catalog, all you really need for a SVEA are a few things in a tiny plastic bag. And, you really only need to keep a new fuel cap gasket with you. The rest of the parts are seldom, if ever, needed. So, while most of the newer, "wonder" stoves, will eventually fall by the wayside, and wheeze their last dying gasp, just as they always do, the little SVEA just keeps chugging along, making that wonderful "puttering" noise that we all love so well!! THAT is it's charm, and for that reason, I think it will continue to win friends, who trust their lives to it, for many more years!! My tuppence on the matter! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Good afternoon from here, Doc! (Well, you sure need a lot of words to defend your cherished 123 ...) Just teasing, because surely the 123 is a true icon of stovedom; mine I'd hold on to at any cost (well, almost any ...). And of course all those wishy-washy modern stoves are not even worthy to stand in its shadow. But even then my criticisms didn't come (wholly) out of the blue. Lately I've been giving a lot of very careful thinking about which stove to take on a 3-week solo motorcycle camping trip to Spain, 5000 km v.v. I considered especially the Borde, Optimus 8R, Phoebus 725 and Primus 71 - finally deciding on the latter (for reasons I already gave in the recent pump-topic you started). The 123 didn't even make the short-list, for all of those reasons I gave just now, being (in comparison) the sort of handicaps which I'd rather do without when on the road. Jur
Hi, Jur, Hey, I was just answering some of your thoughts on the SVEA, with some thoughts of my own. I have to be truthful, however. Though I love the SVEA, very much, it's probably not the stove for which I would reach, if heading into the forest. I would rather take along my Nova, the Explorer, the Trapper 81, a 199, my best 71, or, now that I have one, my Ranger #10. I was just letting you know why I think the SVEA remains a popular stove with those of us that love stoves. And, if all other stoves disappeared, overnight, I would be quite happy using my SVEA 123! I think your choice of a 71 for your trip, is a very good one. I would, however, include a small additional windscreen, just in case. Of course, you can always use your tent, bike, or anything else, as a wind-blocking device, too. Sorry for the length of my posts!! I've had that fact pointed out to me by many of our Stove Mates. I plead guilty, but cannot, in all truth, help myself!! For most of my years as a Stove Junky, I truly thought I was "the only one"! Now, even after having been a member of the CCS site for more than a year, I still cannot dampen my delight at having found all my new Stove Mates!!! \ =D> \ They say that "brevity is the soul of wit", and I guess that's true. Must mean that I am, without question, a raving, drooling, lunatic, with too many words, for too few thoughts of substance!!!! Sorry, but I can't promise that things will probably ever get any better in that regard. Short posts just don't seem like my calling..... Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark (Verbose to a fault!!!!)
Is a stove's design-priority it's longevity? Thought not. I'll take performance for a couple of years, then replace (if your prophet-of-doom predictions come true). Nova/Omnifuel rules. (Especially my titanium one).
I can agree with you up to a certain point, Paul, but if you know your stove only has X number of uses in it, A: How do you tell when it's time to toss it and get another one, and B: Like car tires, would you succumb to trying to wring one more trip out of it? I must confess the size and complexity of the MSR annual overhaul kit does leave me wondering just a bit. I suppose if I were a complete Luddite I'd always use a Trangia/ Opt 77-91 and accept the enthusiastic fuel consumption and casual perfomance as payment for perfect reliability.
if im honest i have to admit that the 123 holds its ground helped by a dose of nostalgia, however in a scottish winter storm it has without a doubt served me well many a time ..of course the primus omnifuel is waz and most probaley a better expedition stove ..but when im freezing my tits off and my hands are too cold to connect the omnifuel toghter all i have to do is pour a load of fuel over the svea and let it burn to prime ..then whoosh the reasurring whoop whoop that sounds like a heli is coming in is a lifesaver itself ..the 123 does require rather frightening primimg techniques but it follows the acroymn KISS keep it simple stupid ..here endeth the lesson
I have one old 123, and one 123R(un-used) I will have a few more of these beutiful stoves. 123 was new to me when I first met you people of this site. I just love the little thing, easy to use, and with nearly no moving parts. Rune( 123 owner, and proud of it)
