Initially I thought I was buying an Optimus Vega and took a second look to see the burner head flipped over for stowage, like an Optimus Crux (at right in the photo). It's no longer in the Optimus product line-up I see. Decent output but no pre-heater vapourising loop like the Vega has, so it won't cope with a liquefied gas feed from an inverted gas canister, a definite strength of the Vega. Control valve has a piezo sparker incorporated, the insulated wire to the electrode on the burner head running down the outside of the gas hose, held in place by a black nylon mesh sleeve slipped over the hose. (The spring in the photo is an electrical ground connection to the valve body) Good solid construction of the stove frame in steel with a black finish (chemical blackening rather than paint I'd say) which is pretty tough. Stamped Optimus logo on each pot rest/leg component. Brass shims and a steel dished friction washer make for a smooth pivoting action that stays set at the correct degree of moveability without the adjusing screw loosening in use. Nicely done. Compared to the Optimus Crux, the Stella comes into its own in taking weighty, broad-based pots. Very strong and stable. Not a stove for cold conditions because of the lack of a pre-heater loop, but in warmer weather very functional and one I can visualise using as a proper camp cookery stove and not just a pot-boiler. John
Hi John, I got one of these Stella stoves and mine isn't in as good of shape as your's, but it does function well. I had to take mine apart because the jet was plugged. I tried it out on butane, butane/propane mix and straight propane with good results. This stove can be used in cold weather if one uses propane which will vaporize at -43°F or -41.6° C. Granted propane isn't available in some places and when it is it is very expensive. Cheers, Norman