Gas Stoves Cheap

A reliable stove system is essential to your backpacking setup. After all, it’s only fitting to eat a hot meal while you relax and soak up those well-earned million-dollar views. But with the dozens of stove models available today, it can be difficult to narrow down the options and choose the stove that is best suited to your needs.

Of all the available backpacking stoves on the market today, most fall into two basic categories: canister stoves and liquid gas stoves. The exceptions are several hybrid models that can run on either canister or liquid gas, and alternative stove systems (such as a wood-burning, alcohol, or solid fuel stoves) that fit in neither category. The type of stove that will best suit your needs is largely dependent on the type of backpacking you plan on doing.

As a general rule, canister stove systems are the go-to choice for summertime excursions, trips that require you to keep your pack weight as low as possible, and campers who want an easy-to-use system. Liquid gas systems are preferable for harsh winter conditions (such as a multi-day ski tours), cooking for larger groups of people, high-altitude expeditions, and international backpacking trips. These are just general rules, though. Each stove system has its own set of benefits, drawbacks, and considerations.

Canister Stoves

Canister stoves are generally characterized by a small stove that doubles as a pot stand and a pressurized fuel canister that attaches directly to the stove via a screw-threaded valve. This set-up is incredibly simple, easy to operate, and lightweight (some systems weigh as little as 7 ounces including fuel). You simply attach the canister to the stove, turn on the gas, ignite the burner, and you’re only minutes away from a steaming-hot backcountry feast.

The gas contained in the canister is a blend of propane and either butane or iso-butane. There are two major reasons for using a blended gas. Butane is more stable than propane at ambient temperatures, which allows the gas to be safely stored in a lightweight canister, as opposed to the heavy-duty steel tanks required to safely store pure propane. Secondly, butane ceases to vaporize at below-freezing temperatures while propane will. The small percentage of propane (usually around 20%) is intended to allow canister stoves to continue to perform in cold weather. In order to ensure that the stove burns both the butane and propane, it’s important to stuff the canister in your jacket or sleeping bag to keep it fairly warm. If the canister is too cold, the stove will quickly burn off the propane, leaving you with a half-full canister of useless butane and a cold meal. This lack of reliability in cold weather is largely the reason liquid gas systems are preferable for harsh winter conditions.

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