I bought my 8R in 1977. 28yrs ago and LOT's of use. It's been many places like Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, Capital Forest ... all over the place. Still works like new and has never ever failed me. I've used HEAT, Coleman fuel, kerosene and even mixed dirt bike fuel once in a pinch. Hands down BEST little stoves money can buy. You take care of it and it will take care of you....
Yes, you did supply us information to “make up our own minds”. That’s a brilliant conclusion. Thanks. Your video is well done. Your enthusiasm shines right through.
I have been using a 111C for about 15 years. Its an expedition grade stove and so bulking and heavy for backpacking, but I use it during geological field work. These stoves are now off the market so I bought one of the last ones I could find for $218. I appreciate the video as it shows me that it was worth the price. The new version is better than the 111C. Best of all these things run on just about any fuel
Enviro Geologist I have a 111C Hiker also. The quiet burner is nice although it doesn’t blast out as much heat on the highest setting. The entire 111 family of stoves are more similar than different and people have their favorite. I posted a video comparing the various Optimus stove range. We have day hiked with our 111 but for longer multi day hikes I use an old Optimus 99 with the 8R burner in an aluminum case. These stoves last decades with care and have developed a cult-like following.
Enjoyed your video, I am about to rebuild an older version, I choose the older style because I love the shiny brass fuel tank, now your video teaches me that the new version has a brass tank as well I would have only had to spray it down with paint remover and hit it with brass polish, I wish I would have watched your video before I bought mine. oh well, would have looked great with a shiny black case and bright brass tank. thanks for the video
detroit hiker The older Optimus 111 stoves are nice stoves also. There are several versions that have been made. The same case but different style burners. All can be rebuilt and parts are readily available. They make a great vintage alternative to a modern stove. Heavy so group basecamp or car camping stove. Good luck with your restoration.
Great video, my friend. VERY clear, and VERY comprehensive. I have two of these now. I just bought one of the new ones with a brass tank, like you have and I love it. The fuel tank is identical, visually, on the outside to the steel one. I'm recovering from the sale on eBay, of a lot of my stoves. This one has character, for sure. Thanks for the tip of the hat. You have the right attitude for a woodsman. Al in Oklahoma.
Yes exactly. We have used camp stoves to heat a meal when the power goes out many times over the years . I have tried Kerosene & Alcohol and both work good. These burn multi fuels so are especially well suited for people traveling about in foreign lands where you never know what's available to burn.
I used light household oil for the leather cup. Just something we had lying around. It works fine. Any light purified oil that doesn’t have allot of additives. I heard people use leather oil made to restore pliability for shoes and belts etc. makes sense
I like the Optimus 111, you just unfold it & it is ready to go. I have had three of them, but just have two now: A roarer 111 & the silent burner 111T. The 111T used a 'O' ring pump seal, which sucks, so I got a pump rod & cap for the older stove so I could use the leather cups. I like the extra stability of the roarer 111 in wind, but the 111T simmers better. I just wish the cases were galvanised steel under the paint. I had one where the case had six holes after i got finished with the rust.
I have an Optimus 99, I bought it brand-new in 1979, almost exactly the same as your unit, except the tank was brass. Mine still runs like a charm, it will run on anything, i have put gas, white gas, diesel and kerosine through mine, runs great! The only difference is the fuel regulator handle included with my stove has a built-in three-part screwdriver/wrench combo punched into it.
Chances are this model is about twice as heavy at around 1.5 kg and quite a bit larger than the model that came out in the 70's unless you have a much larger model. I was actually quite disappointed when I got the Hiker+ in the mail as I thought it would be more like the original model that came out in the 70's. Over the years though I have grown to like this stove as it works pretty good. I wouldn't have marketed this stove as a hiker model, and it would have been nice if the company would have continued with a model similar to the old one. I have managed to recently buy the Optimus 8R model and it was actually more what I was looking for. If light and portable is what you want don't buy this model.
The Optimus 99 is designed to burn ONE Fuel, and one fuel, only: Coleman Fuel/or equivalent. It will NOT burn kerosene, or any heavier fuel, reliably, and I've learned that in over 40 years of collecting, and using stoves. For good information, and answers to questions you may have about stoves, please check out Classic Campstoves, in the UK, as it's the very best source of such information, and those of us who are members are happy to help newbie Stovies get started in fettling their stoves back to life, SAFELY. classiccampstoves.com/ By the way, the Optimus 199 will burn more fuels, but it is a bit heavier, a bit bigger, sometimes hard to find, and will be more expensive than the 99, 8r, or other such self-pressurizing backpacking stoves.
The Kerosene which I am using has mixed with soap oil. While I am pumping the stove that (mixed) kerosene will not come out from burner. How should I separate soap oil from the kerosene. Please give solution to separate saop oil from the kerosene.
This thing I have too, and it seems to finally be performing (fingers crossed). I hope they improved on their quality control since I got it (maybe 10 years ago), but I got it with dirt in the tank and it just didn't work. Having had no experience with this I send it back, and they said they cleaned it but when I got it, it still did not work. I did notice that the moving needle thingy was set a bit slanted on its small column thingy. The magnet was also assembled on the wrong side of the holding strip (it was on the underside, but if I am seeing it right it should be on the top side where you can read the instruction). As a last move I bought the replacement kit (there goes another X Euro), and replaced everything I could (rings, needle thingy, sock, 2 blue rings, nozzle screw), except the pump, and the magnet. After some initial strange behavior on the 1st two burns (perhaps some dust in the device?), it seems to work as it should. I hope it keeps working, which it does look like it will, because when it works it is a nice stove upon which one can turn the heat from very low like a cigarette lighter flame, up to a nice roaring jet. I think it is possible that when I was fidgeting with it because there was dirt in the line, I damaged the nozzle screw hole (?). It seems that when you send it back, they might clean it but do not replace the parts, which I think is not such a good performance for something this expensive that at least in the past you get with dirt in the tank. I think they should assume blame for this quality control failure, and generously replace all parts, because then it might have worked without me having to buy their kit. You get the replacement kit with a nice tool though, which is good to have ;-). I wonder if they changed the filter thingy type. I got something metallic in the replacement kit (which looked to be a good thing). In the end though, I got what I wanted because I wanted a burner that I could fix, and having gone through the trouble I suppose I know a little about the device now. Hence all is well that ends well, its a nice burner when it works, and if it does not work you could think about cleaning it, and putting in the replacement kit. Others have commented that this stove wants to be clean, and that seems to indeed be the case. Hope this might help someone with similar problems. Lot of people having trouble with this stove, or used to have, so there you go. If it keeps working and needing the occasional cleaning, I am happy with it. Is the tank brass ? It might be better to just level up immediately and buy the apparently (acc. reviews) more reliable 111 model (i have never seen that one). Bit expensive for so much trouble, but its an excuse to get your fingers dirty and learn something ;-). Cleaning is not that difficult by the way, just a bit of scraping and rubbing and stuff, throwing gasoline in and out of it and stuff (for those who never done that, like me). Good luck. (This for the record, since I have complained about this stove before.) I use gasoline with it (from the car pump), because that is one reason I have it (a widely available fuel). It seems that it might be best to give it some burn head soot cleaning daily. P.S. Cooked and baked on it for a while, keeps working well now. It bakes good pancakes on low heat and reasonably quick pots of tea on high heat ;-). Starting to like it ... EDIT: ... Now on its second tank of testing, it fails again. Cleaning of burner does not fix it. I do not find this acceptable, even if it could be fixed by more thorough cleaning. Therefore I consider this product a write off. It is expensive junk.
you can never have to many stoves... lol no matter what the wife says. seriously that is a bargain for 139.00 especially what bidders are paying for used stoves that are worth half of what they are asking for on a beat up Optimus 8r. great little stove. Good ole reliable stoves are such a joy to use and will last your 60 years. Plus what other type of stoves can give you that joy of that roaring sound.
ETW. Couldn't agree with you more. I'll add that a warranty is only as good as the people backing it. That said I've owned Optimus stoves for a long time, some over 40 years. They last. They aren't for everyone and they have their own set of quirks & limitations, but overall they are a solid product.
@Gunners762 Hello Gunner. Yep nice and shiny new. Hardly ever buy a new piece of gear but the price was right on this one. It's already been camping up in snow country. Been enjoying your reviews for old engines and machinery. Some real nice old car finds also.
@Ghillie999 I was put off from all the negative reviews and had to sort out the bogus comments from the genuine gear-heads and stovies. These are pretty good stoves and the Nova burner performs well. I've used this stove for a couple months now, at least 15 times and it's been working great. I do plan on taking the burner completely apart and thoroughly cleaning it out before spring camping season starts. Good luck with yours.
Don’t you only need to prime with alcohol when using a combustible fuel, e.g. kerosene or diesel? I have a Coleman camp stove that burns white gas and I’ve never heard that the burner needs to be preheated since the fuel is flammable (essentially gasoline). Does Optimus instruct to preheat with white gas also?
totallyfrozen You don’t have to prime but it does definitely make it easier to get the burner working smoothly at startup. Alternatively you can pump up the tank and pressurize the system that way. After the stove heats up it self pressurizes after that and will not require additional pumping. I do both methods of lighting, priming and pressurizing the tank
I could never understand why people used Alcohol to light the petrol/Gas stoves as the Optimus lighting instructions state to use the method you just demonstrated!
Your right of course. The Swedish military 111 came with a small eye dropper to syphon fuel to put in the dish under the burner. Many people carry around a small bottle of alcohol to squirt on the burner. A few pumps to the fuel tank, open the valve a little and fuel squirts out wetting the burner and lighting. Probably the correct way to do it however most people still use the alcohol method
Hello. The tank is quite large, I think about 12oz or 380ml. I’ve run it over one hour with fuel to spar so I’m guessing maybe 1.5 hours on a tank. It’s enough for a 3 day weekend for sure
BSJ, it is definitely old school camping gear. Heavy duty car camping, base camp or emergency stove for sure. Optimus had a problem with particles of debris left in the tank after manufacture. I rinsed my tank before using & eventually disassembled/cleaned the burner. I never had a problem but did hear of it. So if the jet clogs activate the magnetic cleaning needle by sliding the burner in & out of the metal box a few times &/or disassemble-clean. Happy trails & watch out for those zombies man!
Try A&H Enterprises their website is m.Packstoves.net. They had them recently or may be able to get you one. They are in Orange California USA The Hiker plus + have discontinued and most online retailers are sold out. I do see them come up for sale once in awhile on ebay. Two sold in April for around $140 dollars each. The older Hiker’s 111 series come up for sale more often. Good luck
@TommyStokke They are nice stoves for what they are. I've used mine on several outings and I like it so far. It depends what type of activity your planning on doing. This is our base-camp stove. I don't hike the long trails much anymore. Inga and I stay at base-camp, do most the cooking for the group and for that we want a more substantial stove. Car camping, caravaning, hunting trips, day outings etc. It's good kit for that.
Comfortably, probably 7in. although we have had a 8 in. skillet on there. It's a fairly large heavy duty stove and perfect for a base camp application. It's a real workhorse and can easily cook for 6 people at a time. Long cooking sessions can really burn those expensive butane canisters in a hurry so I like the much lower costs of using white gas or Kerosene.
Nice review and congrats on a great price! The only thing I'm going to take you to task on is that you're going to replace your old hiker multifuel with this one. ;) ... Ok I guess it's not a bad choice. :) If the noise ever gets to you bluewater stove restoration makes a silencer cap for the nova burners. I have one of the 'f series' nova caps and it works great!
Thanks. Got lucky on the price. I recently saw a couple on the bay for around $165 shipped. I still use the multi fuel with the silent burner. We now keep that in the Jeep when we go car camping so its still around and going strong. I don't mind the roarer burner on the Nova, wakes me up in the morning as I'm brewing my coffee :)
@vet4piece That doesn't surprise me. Optimus has a long history of providing equipment to expeditions all over the world, search-rescue and many military's. The Nova burner is one of the best, both past and present. I like the link to the old Optimus of the past, by putting the new burner in their old style box-stove case.
Try A&H Packstoves in California. They show them on their website for sale. Not sure if they actually have them. www.packstoves.net/Optimus-Stoves.html Ebay has them from time to time
CS, thanks for the tips. You should post up a Vid of the wind-screen you built for your Optimus Box stove. I need to make one myself. As with most camping stoves, this one can definitely be helped by a windscreen.
The old Swedish box stove's from Primus and Optimus are classic. Everything stows inside including the fuel so they are not really that much more bulky than some of the newer stoves. Your right the O ring pump is a little dodgy and I always replace with the leather cup version. The cases do rust over the years and you have to stay on top of that. My old Optimus 111 stoves are all 40 years + or older and on the original cases. You can order new cases fro AH pack stoves or find them on ebay.
will it run on unleaded gasoline like an MSR stove? I like this design a lot more because of the self contained nature but I like having fuel flexibility even more...
Thank you very much for your answer! I'm at a toss up now between this model, or the Polaris. I've kind of settled on the Optimus brand now after watching more reviews and reading a bit more as they only require one valve instead of switching valves out for different fuels like the MSRs. While I understand having a valve purposely designed for a specific fuel would likely improve efficiency, having that extra valve piece is one more thing for me to misplace.
+8Jory As mentioned it will burn gasoline but I don't recommend it unless you have no alternative fuel. Kerosene works great as long as it is K1 very clean Kerosene. I use Coleman white gas which I feel burns the cleanest. No clogging issues.
Weight is a non issue for me as I'm not looking for a travel stove at the moment. At least not a back packing one. Fuel flexibility is what I'm after, though I've decided in order to get what I want, at the price I want, I'm going to have to build my own unfortunately. I do really like this stove though!
They made the 8R up until a couple years ago, they called them "Hunter" stoves. If you look around you can still find them new at a very good price. Also ebay has the original 8R's, some look like they've never been used, in the box still.
BB, the Optimus box stoves have been around a long time. I've burned Kerosene, white gas and alcohol in mine. I really like the new Coleman duel fuels. I had one back when they where calling them "Peak" stoves.
can you make a vid on how to klean one? i got one yesterday a 1 year old one, but i cant get it going, its like to wont go for max burn, it only going like half..
Hello BroadsideJohn! Hope your new Nova stove is doing well & to your expectations. Novas perform well at both high altitudes & cold, certainly 20's-30's range. I haven't used mine in severe cold weather but I hear they do well. The main issue is getting a good preheat to get the burner up to running temp. You may have to pump the tank more until it gets going. Although white gas is the best cold weather fuel, there are specific cold weather fuels like Optimus Arctic which may boost performance.
TW thanks. Optimus quality is still very high. They decided to keep most manufacturing in Europe, at least for the Hiker/Hunter series so for the most part new stoves are built as well as the old. Prices are higher but shopping around you can usually get one for much less. I have Optimus stoves that I purchased used in the 70's-80's that are still going strong.
It looks good, basically an update of my 8R hunter which I have owned for over 35 years from new and it still roars its tune.....I have always ran mine on petrol using methylated spirit to prime it........ when I bought it there was no such thing as "unleaded" petrol in the UK...... I am curious as to why this new model of what is a perfect design needs a pump.....? Mine roars like mad after a few minutes?? I can understand the need for a pump if the fuel is in a remote bottle set away from the stove as in the Nova........but the heat from the burner will pressurize the tank....."if it's not broke, don't fix it"...? I have boiled huge 12" pans with a gallon of water easily when cooking Pasta for 8 people.........as for comments from someone about "tourist death"?......They are so so safe to use......
The pump is no needed in most situations. It is helpful however at high altitude or when you may want to pressurize the tank manually as opposed to preheating with a flame. Great stove. I had the optimus 99 for the past 35 years and still works great. Best part is I think I paid $35 for it in those days.
@beenerboy Hello yes I remember. Glad you found the vid useful. Ebay seller poor_fish, price was 129.99 + SH. As far as I can see, that is a pretty good price. He claims these are NIB, not 2nds/refurbs & are current model. All that was true with the one I received. Clean out the tank real good & maybe flush out the fuel tube with Coleman fuel. Check the filter screen. If need be disassemble the burner & clean. Use a can of carb cleaner to blast out carbon & fuel residue. Enjoy your Hiker +
The lime green colour, is, indeed, "horrible". What were they thinking of? When I saw the green I thought they were disguising a steel tank but no. LIME GREEN.
Rogerio Alves Gonçalves Hello Rogerio. Try A&H Packstoves in California they did have them last I looked at their website. www.packstoves.net/Optimus-Stoves.html. If not ebay has them from time to time. It’s a really great stove. I have all the Optimus box stoves and this model is my favorite. Good luck
Hello TSS. Ebay actually. The price for these is all over the place but I have seen them go for cheaper prices. Ebay just happened to have a seller that was selling them for a good price that day so I ended up buying two. With any luck (and patience) you should be able to find one for under $200 shipped.
You can burn diesel in a pinch but I wouldn't make a habit of it. Diesel burns pretty dirty and will foul the jet requiring disassembly and cleaning. Clarified Kerosene for lamps burns much better and is cheaper than Coleman fuel. I buy no 1 Kerosene at the local feed store for $5 a gallon and it burns clean and HOT!
K K regular auto gas (petrol) works but is very smelly and burns dirty. It will work in a pinch but it better to use White gas or Optimus synthetic fuel etc. The ability to burn multi fuels is a feature that world travelers demand because you never know what’s available in the country your traveling in. Petrol is available just about everywhere.
bello ma molto pesante ! io preferisco per le mie escursioni l' 8r oppure il 99 ma il migliore e il 199 optimus !!! nella mia collezione vintage e presente 8r,99,111t il prossimo sara optimus nova+
Why would anyone with a sane mind put an expedition style roarer jet into a stove that is too bulky for backpacking anyway? Even more so since Optimus has great backpacking stoves already! Not to mention that tacky coloring and the substantially raised price! The original Optimus Hiker was THE perfect basecamp kerosene stove. I was ready to buy two. But Optimus totally fucked it up.
Bonpu I agree with you about the tacky coloring. There is great debate over this and other design changes on the Hiker+ stoves vs the older 111. Some people like them, the more traditional Optimus guys don’t like the Nova burner. I think that Optimus is consolidating its burner types with the newer design for cost reasons. The Nova burner has kind of won me over. It’s been pretty reliable and it is a bit quieter than a full fledged roarer burner. I think the Nova burners work well at high altitudes also. I used this stove at 8000+ ft in freezing weather several times and it has always worked well.
Ha! Not hardly. I'm just not that clever, really. No, just a vintage stove collector who likes singing the praises of the old Optimus/Primus company. I made my millions off MicroSoft stock back in the day, not hawking stoves on RU-vid, LOL......
