Which camping gas canister do I need, and are they interchangeable?

Two questions get confused. One is whether the canister will physically fit your stove, which is about the valve. The other is whether it will work on a cold morning, which is about what is inside — straight butane stops vaporising near freezing, and a propane-rich mix does not.

Safety

Step by step

1. Look at how your stove connects.A threaded collar that screws onto the canister; a clamp or collar that pierces a plain domed can; or a wide bayonet fitting that locks on with a twist. That decides which family of canister you can buy.
2. Understand the threaded standard.The common seven-sixteenths threaded valve is a genuine standard: any stove with that thread fits any canister with that thread, whoever made either. The valve is self-sealing, so a part-used canister can be taken off, stored and reused, which is a large practical advantage.
3. Know the limits of pierceable cartridges.These have no valve. The appliance punctures them on fitting, and they must stay attached until empty, which means you cannot pack the stove away separately mid-trip. They are increasingly hard to buy and are not interchangeable with anything else.
4. Recognise clip-on butane cartridges.The larger cans used by portable single-burner stoves and some heaters, held on by a collar. Their own standard again, and again not interchangeable.
5. Read what is inside, not just the size.Most modern threaded canisters contain a butane and propane mix, sometimes with isobutane. The propane fraction is what keeps the pressure up as the temperature falls. Straight butane, common in clip-on cartridges, effectively stops working around freezing point.
6. Match the mix to the season.For UK summer camping, almost anything works. For spring, autumn, winter or altitude, choose a canister with a high propane or isobutane content, and expect the output to fade as the canister empties and chills itself.
7. Size it to the trip, not to the price per gram.A small canister is lighter and easier to finish. Large canisters are better value but you will be carrying a part-used one home. Boiling times published by stove manufacturers give a rough guide to how many meals a canister covers.
8. Check the seal every time you fit one.The rubber O-ring in the stove's connector is what stops a leak. Look at it before connecting, replace it if it is cracked or missing, and connect outdoors away from any flame.
9. Test for leaks with soapy water, never a flame.If you smell gas, disconnect outdoors and check the seal and the thread. Bubbles under a soapy solution show a leak.
10. Cook outside, always.Not in the tent, not in the porch, not in the awning, and not in a van with the door closed. This is the rule that kills people when it is broken, and the reason is carbon monoxide rather than fire.
11. Store canisters properly.Upright, in a ventilated place, out of the sun, not in the house and never below ground level. A hot car boot in summer raises pressure inside the canister substantially.
12. Dispose of empties correctly.Most household waste recycling centres take gas canisters, often at a specific point. Never puncture one yourself, never put one in a household bin, and never put one on a fire.

Tips

• Write the date on a canister when you first open it, and shake it to judge how much is left. Weighing it against the empty weight printed on the base is exact.
• Sleeping with a part-used canister in the tent porch on a cold night warms it enough to improve morning performance — but never take it into the sleeping area and never run the stove there.
• A windshield improves efficiency more than a bigger canister, but never fully enclose the canister with one; it can overheat.

Alternatives

• Threaded canister (7/16 inch): The modern standard for backpacking stoves. Self-sealing, removable, widely available, cross-compatible between brands. Usually a butane and propane mix.
• Pierceable cartridge: Cheap and simple, no valve, cannot be removed until empty. Increasingly hard to buy and incompatible with everything else.
• Clip-on butane cartridge: Used by portable table-top stoves and some heaters. Convenient and cheap, but usually straight butane, so poor in cold weather.
• Refillable propane or butane cylinder: The larger cylinders used with family camping stoves and caravans. Far better value per unit of gas, heavier, and requiring the correct regulator.
• Liquid fuel stove: Runs on petrol or paraffin, works reliably at very low temperatures and at altitude, and fuel is available anywhere. Heavier, more maintenance, and requires priming.

Questions people ask