To date with my girl scouts I have used propane as the girls were rather young and I wanted to be extra cautious. The girls will be in grade 4 this fall and I am going to start using white gas. This will mostly be in the form of coleman two-burners and likely some 111's. Ed is correct that kero never really caught on here. I have a handful of kero burning stoves, but nothing suitable to cook for large groups. As the girls get older I hope to use a larger variety of stoves with them. In time we will do backpacking and canoeing trips and will use smaller white gas stoves. I can see trips with alcohol stoves also. The girls will learn about kero burners as well, everything in due time. I'm hoping to give the girls a well rounded education before their time is up in scouts.
On the price of stoves this side of the pond: Most of them end up heading to the east and I know a lot of it is me being the big arse that I am. I love collecting and everytime that I see folks that I know to be re-sellers bidding stupidly for them then I try and make them pay. If I note a fellow member bidding I will usually stand back. I too was watching like a hawk at both stoves #1 and #2 and somehow that thing called life got in the way and I missed the ending but admit I was a tad delighted to see who had won them. Congrats gents on two nice scores at decent prices. Evil
Up here in Canada, the local Cub leaders tend to use propane while Scout Leaders and the Scouts use White Gas Stoves. Lanterns are more group dependent with the both being used. Keep in mind that the Coleman propanes can use a 1lb disposable propane bottle or the 5lb/10lb/20lb with adapter. Add a distribution 'Tree' and you have 2 takeoffs plus one on top that will accept a lantern. Iain
I was rather surprised that 199 no. 1 went to me for that price, but apparently I was lucky that the 'competition' had other (better?) things to do. My limit wasn't much higher and I wouldn't have minded at all if the stove went to one of us who genuinely wanted it more (so not a merchant!). In the long run it works fine & is more fun to me (and cheaper) trying to pick up a bargain stove now and then, preferably in need of thorough cleaning and fettling, which'll make it more truly mine then any NIB-stove ever could be. Besides the 199 I've recently thus scored a Campus nr 3 for a similar price, and last weekend at an otherwise completely uninteresting flea market the chrome tank 111B I posted about earlier - for only 10 Euro. Like Doc says, it's just a matter of knowing what you're after and then doing it often. Re the use of kero vs. petrol while camping here in Holland traditionally camping was mainly done with keroburners (regardless of brand all called a 'primus'), with petrol stoves reserved for a small minority of motorcyclists, mountaineers and such. Nowadays of course kero has been succeeded by CampingGas and the like. Petrol is still there for the same minority, however with the smaller Colemans and MSR-types now as marketleaders in this field. Jur
Jur & Ian, I agree with Doc Mark that you'll love the 199. Mine has (almost) overtaken my Svea 123 as stove of choice for backpacking. I just need to get a suitable cookset for it. I have a large set that it fits into perfectly, but is more of a car camping proposition. For the size of stove, it puts out a cracker heat. We were staying in an apartment a while back, with a useless cooktop that wouldn't heat a wok properly. "Honey, have you got a stove in the car?" Silly question. and the result:
Praise indeed! Meanwhile I was trying to find Optimus instructions for the 199, but found none here on CCS (and thus don't expect to find them elsewhere on the internet). Anyone?
To be perfectly honest, after waiting twelve months and more for one to come along at a sensible sort of price, I don't like it. It seems to be too much, too small. If I want that sort of oomph I have plenty of 111s which will suffice and if I want a small stove, an 8R or preferably a small 71, Radius 42 and lately Primus 70 fit the bill very nicely thank you. It also strikes me as being somewhat 'bitty'. I think it will be finding a new home before so long.
Morning, Jur, I will be very happy to copy a set of instructions for the 199 and then send them to you. Just let me know, and if you want them, I can send them today. I will need your full name and mailing address, which you can PM to me, if you want. Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Ian, if you must I might be interested - after I've checked out mine !!! (which still has to arrive from Germany).
Hey, Ian, I'm somewhat surprised that you would give up on the 199 so quickly. While it may not be your complete cup of tea, it is a very interesting design, and worth owning, "just because", if for no other reason. I know that you do not backpack, or at least not much, and that car camping is more your fort?. For this, of course, you have all the wonderful stoves you will ever need. But, I would advise keeping your 199, just for a bit more, and playing with it a while longer. I really think it will earn your respect, even if it's somewhat grudgingly given! You are absolutely right, I believe, when you say that the 199 is a somewhat "bitty". But, so what? It's still a wonderful design, and as a multifuel, it gives you lots of options in a very small stove, that many of your larger stoves cannot give you. Just my opinion, and your mileage may, indeed, vary. If nothing I've written has convinced you, and you still want to give your 199 a "new" home, I will be happy to buy it from you. Or, maybe you can relist it on fleaBay, and make a few shekels from it's sale. It would be nice if it could "stay in the family", however, so please keep my offer to buy it, in mind. I'm sure there are others in our family, who do not have a 199, that would make a similar offer, should you be convinced that you wish to part company with this fine little stove! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark P.S. Your comment that "it seems to be too much", makes me smile, with images of your new flame-thrower melting away the night at the recent Gathering!!!!
Morning, Don Tom, Outstanding photos of your little 199 saving the day in the kitchen!!! Sweet Bride took a look at the end result and said, "Ummmm, that looks good"! Well done, Lad!! Please give Mrs. Don Tom our compliments, too, for her deft handling of your 199, in creating a sumptuous feast! 8) Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Doc, I've just emailed Jur a scan of the instructions. Sent Ian a copy too, although he does not deserve it for not liking the 199
Hey, Rik, Thanks for letting me know that you guys have covered the instructions that Jur needs. Well done! Yes, you're right about Ian and his dislike of the 199! When Sweet Bride and I finally get to visit you in the UK, you and I will head for Ian's and beat him like the dirty rug that he is!! Yes, we will beat him like a toy drum!!! We will spank him like the errant child in need of correction!!! Then, of course, we'll have to get him to bake us some wonderful goodies in his ovens!! 8) Looking forward to our visit, and both Sweet Bride and I hope that we can see you, and quite a few other of our Stove Mates, when that happens!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
Don't worry about Ian Doc, he loves the stove really, in fact he is in Egypt just now over it . . . . . . . Sorry, poor nursing humour, "gone to Egypt = in denial"
That is an admirable electric pre-heat/priming tool. I'm sure that Ian can think of some creative and entertaining way to dispose of a surplus 199.
Me, me, me, me, me !!!!! Over here ... look ... yooohooooo !! Over here ... HELLO ..I'm over here !! Yoohooooo !! No .. Not there .... Here ! Yooo hooooo Oh why doesn't he see me ? Hello .. I'm over here ... Yoohooo ! Ah nutz ! spudz
Hey, Ian, I think that Brother Spudz, with his creative, and hilarious post, has earned the right to buy your 199!!! Please give him serious consideration, when you decide to pass it along! Spudz, funny as all hell, me Lad!!! Sweet Bride and I were both chuckling over your neat post!! We hope you are the Lucky Lad that ends up with Ian's much-disliked 199!! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc Mark
