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For bikepacking and backpacking adventures in the UK, a camping stove that runs on pressurised canister gas has become the most popular choice for building a versatile yet lightweight cooking system. This includes small and compact screw-in canister top stoves, remote canister ‘spider’ stoves like the Primus Express Spider II, and ‘all-in-one’ personal cooking systems like the MSR Windburner, Primus Lite Plus or the JetBoil.
All these stoves run on gas canisters filled with a mix of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These systems are ideal for backpacking as they are relatively lightweight yet deliver fast boiling and cooking times. They’re also simple to set up and easy to use. Lastly, gas canisters tend to be cleaner than other types of fuel, with less mess and minimal maintenance required.
However, despite their convenience and simplicity, many campers and backpackers – especially novices or first-time users – might wonder about their new stoves and especially about which types of camping gas to buy and use on their adventures. That’s why we’ve put together this essential guide, which answers all your ‘burning’ questions (see what we did there?)
Pretty much, yes. Most manufacturers of backpacking stoves, such as JetBoil, MSR, Primus, GSI Outdoors and SOTO, will usually recommend using their own brand of camping gas for optimum performance. In reality, however, you can generally use any brand of camping gas with your stove, provided the canister has a screw-in thread with an integral, self-sealing valve (known as a Lindal valve). Whilst not a truly ‘universal thread’, all canisters sold in the UK and Europe have to meet a common standard (EN417), which means that most stoves are compatible with most threaded canisters, regardless of brand.
The only major exception to this is Campingaz stoves and gas canisters, which use a different type of valve and attachment system.
Not quite. All camping gas canisters are filled with a mix of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), usually propane, butane and/or isobutane. If you shake a gas canister, you’ll hear this liquid sloshing about inside. However, the percentage composition of these gases differs from brand to brand.
Why does this matter? Because each of these gases have different boiling points, which mean they perform better at different temperatures. Propane has the lowest boiling point at -42°C (-43.6°F). Isobutane has a boiling point of -11.7°C (10.94°F), and butane has a boiling point of -1°C (30°F), just below the freezing point of water.
When you screw a gas canister onto your camping stove and fire it up, the liquid inside the canister boils (vaporises) and turns into gas. Due to their lower boiling points, propane and isobutane will vaporise more quickly at lower temperatures. However, if you’re camping in sub-zero weather, butane may not vaporise at all, reducing the flow of gas from the canister to the burner head of your stove.
All three gases are LPG fuels used in camping stoves, but they behave very differently at low temperatures. Here is a quick comparison:
| Gas | Boiling Point | Cold Weather Performance | Energy Output | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butane | -1°C (30°F) | Poor – may not vaporise below freezing | High | Cheapest option; best for warm-weather camping only |
| Isobutane | -11.7°C (10.9°F) | Good – works in most UK winter conditions | High | The main gas in most quality backpacking blends |
| Propane | -42°C (-43.6°F) | Excellent – vaporises in extreme cold | Slightly lower | Requires heavier canisters due to higher pressure; used in small percentages in four-season blends |
In practice, most quality backpacking gas is a blend – typically 20–30% propane and 70–80% butane or isobutane – giving you the cold-weather reliability of propane with the high energy output and lower canister weight of isobutane.
If you expect to be camping in cold weather, look for a gas canister with a higher percentage of propane and isobutane in the mix, rather than simply butane. This is sometimes referred to as ‘four-season mix’ or ‘winter gas’ and will generally contain 20-30% propane combined with 70-80% isobutane. MSR Isopro, Primus Power Gas and GSI Outdoors Isobutane are all good choices. Avoid mixes that contain high percentages of butane, which tend to be a bit cheaper but are best suited to warm weather camping.
Incidentally, you might be wondering: “if propane is the best fuel, why not just use 100% propane canisters?” Well, although propane has a much lower boiling point than isobutane or butane, it’s actually slightly less efficient (producing less energy output per gram) than either of those gases. It also needs to be contained in thicker, stronger metal canisters due to its higher vapour pressure, which would make camping gas canisters too heavy to take backpacking. That’s why we use a mix of different types.
Camping gas canisters are commonly available in three sizes. Here is a quick guide to which size suits which type of trip:
| Canister Size | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100g | 1–2 night solo trips | Sufficient for a wild camping weekend with a simple screw-in stove and pot |
| 230g | 3–7 night solo trips; 2–3 night trips for two | The most versatile size; should last up to a week with an efficient stove system |
| 450g | Extended trips or cooking for two or more | Best value per gram of fuel; worth carrying a spare for longer expeditions |
Firstly, it depends on what size canister you have. They’re commonly available in three sizes, approximately 100g, 230g and 450g. Then, how long the canister lasts depends on numerous factors: how efficient your stove is, ambient temperature, altitude, wind speed, to name a few. But as a rule of thumb, we’ve found the following examples generally hold true:
If you want the most fuel efficient stove to get the most out of each canister, all-in-one stove systems like the Jetboil Flash or Zip, MSR Windburner or Primus Lite Plus tend to be best, due to their enclosed, wind-resistant designs and heat exchanger cooking pots. Next best are remote canister set-ups like the Primus Express Spider II (with a ‘spider’-style burner and a gas hose that connects to the canister). Since they are positioned low to the ground, these stoves are more stable and easier to shield from the wind. In contrast, screw-in canister top stoves can be unwieldy, top-heavy and very susceptible to wind, unless you’re cooking in a sheltered spot.
As we touched on previously, one of the few drawbacks of gas canisters is that there is a noticeable drop off in performance at cold temperatures. Occasionally, you will see frost forming on the outside of the canister. This tends to occur when camping in cold weather or when running the stove at maximum power, since the high flow of cold gas can cool the metal surface of the canister considerably.
There are a few ways to combat this. Firstly, try to keep your gas canister as warm as possible. Keep it inside the tent rather than in the porch or vestibule, and maybe even stash it in your sleeping bag with you on very cold nights.
Secondly, make sure you’re using four-season mix gas (containing 20-30% propane and 70-80% isobutane) and not butane-based blends. This will work much better in colder temperatures.
The third option might be to opt for a remote canister stove. The major advantage of this type of stove compared to screw-in or all-in-one types is that in cold weather, you can invert the gas canister. Turning the canister upside down sends liquid fuel down the hose and also boils off the propane/isobutane fuel mix in equal proportions, which helps to keep the canister pressure constant throughout its life.
When your canister is nearly empty, the pressure inside the canister drops and performance will decline. It will also feel lighter, and you’ll hear less liquefied gas sloshing around inside.
But it can still be tricky to guess exactly how much fuel you have left in a partially used canister. Of course, if you’re at home and have a set of digital kitchen scales, you can weigh the canister to work out how much gas is left.
Remember that the net weight marked on the gas canister itself refers to the weight of the fuel only. The metal of the canister itself must also be included. Precise weights vary slightly from brand to brand, but generally, a 100g canister weighs about 200g when full and 100g when empty. A 230g canister weighs about 360 to 380g when full, and 130 to 150g when empty. Lastly, a 450g canister weighs 666g when full, and 216g when empty (less variation here, as fewer brands manufacture the bigger canisters).
Here’s a handy chart with the full and empty weights of major camping gas brands to help you:
| Brand | Fuel Weight | Empty Weight | 10% | 20% | 30% | 40% | 50% | 60% | 70% | 80% | 90% | Full Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coleman | 220g | 143 | 165 | 187 | 209 | 231 | 253 | 275 | 297 | 319 | 341 | 363 |
| Jetboil Jetpower | 100g | 99 | 109 | 119 | 129 | 139 | 149 | 159 | 169 | 179 | 189 | 199 |
| Jetboil Jetpower | 230g | 152 | 175 | 198 | 221 | 244 | 267 | 290 | 313 | 336 | 359 | 382 |
| Jetboil Jetpower | 450g | 216 | 261 | 306 | 351 | 396 | 441 | 486 | 531 | 576 | 621 | 666 |
| Kovea | 230g | 132 | 155 | 178 | 201 | 224 | 247 | 270 | 293 | 316 | 339 | 362 |
| MSR IsoPro | 110g | 101 | 112 | 123 | 134 | 145 | 156 | 167 | 178 | 189 | 200 | 211 |
| MSR IsoPro | 227g | 151 | 174 | 196 | 219 | 242 | 265 | 287 | 310 | 333 | 355 | 378 |
| MSR IsoPro | 450g | 216 | 261 | 306 | 351 | 396 | 441 | 486 | 531 | 576 | 621 | 666 |
| Optimus Green | 100g | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 |
| Optimus Green | 230g | 130 | 153 | 176 | 199 | 222 | 245 | 268 | 291 | 314 | 337 | 360 |
| Primus Power Gas | 100g | 100 | 110 | 120 | 130 | 140 | 150 | 160 | 170 | 180 | 190 | 200 |
| Primus Power Gas | 230g | 151 | 174 | 197 | 220 | 243 | 266 | 289 | 312 | 335 | 358 | 381 |
| SnowPeak Gigapower | 110g | 103 | 114 | 125 | 136 | 147 | 158 | 169 | 180 | 191 | 202 | 213 |
| SnowPeak Gigapower | 220g | 150 | 172 | 194 | 216 | 238 | 260 | 282 | 304 | 326 | 348 | 370 |
So, if your canister is marked ‘230g’ and when you weigh it the scales read 245g, you can work out that it’s half full (or half empty, if you’re a pessimist). Here the maths: simply subtract the known empty weight of a 230g canister (i.e. 130g) from the measured weight on your scales (245g), which leaves you with 115g. That’s the weight of fuel left inside the canister. When full, it contained 230g of fuel. So, if it’s now only 115g, you’ve used exactly 50%.
Of course, people don’t generally take digital scales with them when wild camping or backpacking. Luckily, some canisters (like MSR Isopro) have a handy ‘float gauge’ printed on the side. To use this, just place the canister in a pot of water. Tip it slightly, to release any air bubbles from the concave bit in the underside of the canister. Then let it float and compare the water line with the printed float gauge on the canister. When it’s full, it will sit low in the water. As the canister empties, it will float higher in the water.
One of the most common questions from new stove users is whether their stove will work with any brand of gas canister, or only the brand that made the stove. The good news is that most camping gas canisters sold in the UK and Europe are interchangeable, but there are some important exceptions to understand before you head out.
The vast majority of backpacking gas canisters sold in the UK use a screw-in threaded connection with an integral self-sealing valve, known as a Lindal valve. All canisters of this type must meet the EN417 standard, which defines the thread specification. This means that any EN417-compliant canister – regardless of brand – will fit any EN417-compliant stove. Brands including MSR, Primus, Jetboil, GSI Outdoors, Coleman, Kovea, SnowPeak and SOTO all use this system. All the gas canisters sold at WildBounds use the EN417 / Lindal valve standard and will work with any compatible stove.
Campingaz is the notable exception to the above. Campingaz stoves and lanterns use a proprietary bayonet-style connector (the CV system), not a Lindal-valve thread. This means Campingaz canisters will not fit EN417 stoves, and EN417 canisters will not fit Campingaz stoves. The two systems are entirely incompatible.
Some older or cheaper stoves and camping lanterns use pierceable cartridges rather than threaded canisters. These are one-use cartridges with no self-sealing valve: once pierced, they cannot be detached from the stove until the gas is exhausted. They are increasingly uncommon in modern backpacking kit and are generally not recommended for serious outdoor use, since you cannot safely remove the canister mid-trip. If your stove requires pierceable cartridges, it will not be compatible with threaded EN417 canisters.
Third-party adaptors do exist that claim to allow cross-system use – for example, connecting an EN417 canister to a Campingaz appliance, or adapting a threaded canister for use with pierceable-cartridge stoves. However, we would urge caution with these products. Gas connections carry real safety implications, and adaptors introduce additional failure points. Unless an adaptor is certified and recommended by the stove manufacturer, we’d advise sticking to the correct canister type for your equipment.
In most cases, yes – provided both the canister and the stove use the EN417 / Lindal valve standard, which is the case for the vast majority of backpacking stoves and gas canisters sold in the UK. Brands including MSR, Primus, Jetboil, GSI Outdoors, Coleman and SOTO are all EN417-compatible and interchangeable. The main exception is Campingaz, which uses a proprietary bayonet system that is not compatible with EN417 stoves or canisters. Some older stoves also use pierceable cartridges rather than threaded connections, which are not interchangeable with modern canisters.
Both are LPG fuels used in camping stoves, and both produce a similar amount of energy when burned. The key difference is their boiling point: butane boils at -1°C, meaning it may not vaporise at all in sub-zero temperatures and performs poorly in cold weather generally. Isobutane has a lower boiling point of -11.7°C, so it continues to vaporise effectively in most UK winter conditions. For three-season use, isobutane is significantly better than butane. For winter camping, a blend of isobutane and propane (which boils at -42°C) gives the best cold-weather performance of all.
With a reasonably efficient stove – a canister-top stove or remote canister stove with a standard pot – a 230g canister will typically last one person up to a week, covering boiling water for hot drinks, cooking dehydrated meals and general camp use. With a highly efficient all-in-one system like a Jetboil or MSR Windburner, you might squeeze more use from it. In cold or windy conditions, the canister will run out faster, as the stove has to work harder. For trips of more than a week, or if cooking for two, move up to a 450g canister or carry a spare.
Look for a four-season blend containing 20–30% propane and 70–80% isobutane. This is sometimes labelled ‘winter gas’ or ‘four-season mix’. Good examples include MSR Isopro, Primus Power Gas and GSI Outdoors Isobutane. Avoid canisters with a high butane content, which is cheaper but unsuitable for cold conditions. In addition to using the right gas, keep your canister warm – store it inside the tent or sleeping bag overnight – and consider using a remote canister stove, which allows you to invert the canister in very cold conditions to help maintain pressure and gas flow.
No. Gas canisters for backpacking stoves are commonly available in three sizes: 100g, 230g (or 227g for some brands) and 450g, referring to the net weight of fuel inside. The physical dimensions of the canister vary accordingly. All three sizes use the same EN417 / Lindal valve thread and are interchangeable across compatible stoves – the size difference is purely about the amount of fuel, not the connection type. Note that total canister weight (fuel plus metal) is significantly higher than the fuel weight marked on the label; see the weight chart above to work out how much fuel remains in a partially used canister.
For most backpacking and wild camping use in the UK, an isobutane-propane blend is the best choice – it combines good cold-weather performance with high energy output and is available from all the major camping stove brands. Pure butane is cheaper but only suitable for warm-weather camping (above freezing) and should be avoided if you camp year-round. Pure propane performs well in extreme cold but requires heavier canisters and is slightly less energy-dense per gram than isobutane or butane, making it impractical for backpacking. In short: for a versatile, all-year fuel, choose a blend labelled ‘four-season mix’, ‘isobutane blend’ or ‘power gas’.
