Stoves and Weather Clarification

You can operate a basic canister stove down to 32 degrees, although you need to do a few things right. First, you want to buy butane blend fuel canisters. These are typically 80% butane and 20% propane, and it is the propane that helps them run in cool temperatures. Secondly, you can keep the canisters stored inside your sleeping bag so that they will be usable in the morning when the air temperature is the coldest. Take the warm canister out of the bag and immediately use it for breakfast while it is still warm. During the cooking, the canister is going to cool down from evaporation, so it helps if you keep a little bit of the stove heat aimed at keeping the canister warm, but don't let it get super hot. A good target is to keep the canister in the range of roughly 45 to 100 degrees F, and that is not difficult. As you might expect, you use more fuel in cool weather than you do in warm weather, so make sure that you carry enough.

Despite good intentions, you might foul up. If a canister gets too cold, it will simply quit. Rewarming the canister should get it capable for re-lighting.

–B.G.–

Iso-butane works down to 25 F or even 20 F. N-butane works down to maybe 40 F?

Most canisters have an iso-butane propane blend. That's what you want. It should say iso-butane on the outside of the canister. In small type.

As long as it's iso-butane, down to 25 F, you can just use it without worrying about pre-warming it. When it gets down close to it's lower limit, it will start out maybe a bit slow, but as it operates, fuel evaporates inside the canister and flows out to the burner. This evaporation cools it down. So after a minute, it will slow to a very feeble flame. You may have to turn the valve up to increase the flame level.

32 F – iso-butane – works no problem.

Dip the canister in water if necessary. When the water is heated some, dip in your pot to help a little if possible, making sure the bottom is clean of course. :) It will take a lot to over pressurize the canister. I've done this in single digit F temps.
Duane

Put the canister in the foot of your bag overnight, or under your jacket for a little while before using it if you're worried, but you shouldn't have any problems at 32F(that's just what I do when it gets into the teens).

Jason,

As others here have said, as to air temps, you should be OK with cannister stoves down to freezing. Keep a cannister in your sleeping bag to keep it warm the night before use in the mornings. Also another thing that robs heat during use is ground convection. Either use a plastic cannister stand or some CCF foam keep the cannister up off the ground. Also, make sure you have a good wind break of some kind if its windy. Buying abrand of fuel with plenty of Isopro in the mix like MSR,etc helps,too.

Also, cannister stoves are usually pretty reliable, BUT they can and do fail ( both stoves and cannisters- even the "good stuff"). In my opinion, being responsible for group cooking is different than a Solo trip . Have a plan "b" . If you cannot cook over an open fire legally in case of equipment failure, then having more than one stove burner and more than one cannister helps. The old saw " two is one and one is none" applies here.

The little Chinese made burners make great backups for group trips.The can cost $6 to $20 and weigh from 1 to 3 ounces. On a group trip where hot meals are important in cooler weather, it could mean the difference between a nice trip and a real bummer.

Enjoy your trips this Spring!