Svea Stove

Svea Stove - Marin County  2014

"Every time I look at the stout bamboo I used on my 1958 walk up California . . . [it] still generates echoes of warm affection (or soggy sentimentality)."

--Colin Fletcher, The Complete Walker

This Svea backpacking stove has been sitting in an out-of-the-way shelf in the darkroom for, how long? It's really hard to say . . . I can't begin to remember the last time it was used, certainly some time in the last century. I don't know what brought it to my attention, but I got it down the other day.

The tank, once the "filler cap" was taken off, still smelled of gasoline! In fact, there was enough fuel to prompt me to try and light it (in the back yard by the barbeque). It worked! (I tried to take a photo but the flame didn't show up against the background.)

You could use it for actual cooking, not just boiling water like I currently do with my MSR PocketRocket. I guess I'll keep it. It might come in handy some day! Or maybe it's just, yes, soggy sentimentality.

(And, you can still buy one.)