Rainbow’s Response: 4 Things You Need to Know About Fuel Canisters

Rainbow Braid, a 2013 thru hiker, takes any and all questions and gets to the nitty, gritty, hiker trash bottom of the topic. To have your own questions answered, send them to [email protected]!  

Nicole DelFranco writes:

“I’m concerned about the availability of fuel for my MSR Pocket Rocket along the trail. I know lots of hikers use stoves that require the fuel, so it can’t be terrible. But I’m still a little weary, and am not sure how much I should carry and if I need some sent to me along the way?”

All good questions, Nicole! Here are some answers:

First and foremost, you will have NO problem finding isobutane fuel canisters for stoves along the AT. They are the most popular form of fuel out there for AT thru hikers and retailers along the trail have noticed! Not only will you always find isobutane canisters at any outfitter, you can also count of finding them at many hostels or resupply locations along the trail. There is no time that you will need one sent to you on trail.

Secondly, the lifespan of a canister is very tentative on the user. Some folks like to make a hot breakfast with a cup of coffee every morning and then cook a hot dinner with a cup of tea at night. If this is you, you may be purchasing a new 8oz. canister once a week. Someone like me, who is unimaginative and lazy, may only cook one meal a day. I found that I could stretch out a 4oz. canister for nearly ten days. It took me a while to form my habits and learn how much fuel I needed, but it is a skill you will surely pick up on your thru hike.

Important Things To Know:

Sizes

Isobutane fuel canisters come in 3 sizes: 4oz., 8oz., and 16oz. You will likely never purchase a 16oz. canister as it is way overkill. I started out my thru hike buying 8oz. canisters until I felt comfortable with being able to gage my fuel usage. Once I had my cooking patterns down, I began to buy the 4oz. canisters because they slipped into my cook pot and made packing up more seamless.

Brands

Despite their outward appearance, any brand of fuel canister will work with any stove. You do not have to use Jetboil fuel for your Jetboil stove. Many time you will come across a retailer on the trail that only carries one brand. No worries! Buy it.

Efficiency

Though most isobutane fuel types are now made as a four season mix, meaning they will function properly despite low outside temperatures, I have heard it helps the fuel to burn more efficiently if it is kept above a certain temperature. By sleeping with your fuel canister you can ensure that the part of the fuel will not separate out, therefore burning up more quickly. The dire necessity of this is between you, your warm sleeping bag and a cold ass fuel canister to debate over. I wasn’t a fan of the idea.

Measuring Fuel

Not sure how much you have left in that little bad boy? Watch this video to learn how to measure how much fuel is in your canister.