
Packing fuel for something like car camping isn’t overly complicated and worrisome since you’re able to bring more than enough. Determining fuel needed for backcountry cooking, on the other hand, is a different game. Although it takes a bit more brain power and planning, it is possible to determine the amount of fuel you’ll actually need for a trip. This helps avoid wasted weight and space in your pack (and makes use of those partially full canisters!)
Notes:
Some fuel canisters are refillable, while others have gauges or marking points to determine fuel levels, so it’s easy to know how much fuel you have left. Many isopropyl canisters aren’t like this, so you’ll need to figure out how much fuel is left on your own. You can simply do this with a weight scale.
But it’s not quite as simple as throwing the canister on the scale and calling it a day. That weight includes the fuel AND the canister it’s being held in. You’ll want to know how much the canister weighs so you can accurately measure the weight of a partially full canister.
The best thing you can do is to check the weight with a brand new canister. If the fuel weight is 110g, but is weighing in on your scale as 116g, you know the canister’s weight is 6g. Write this on the bottom of your canister with a permanent marker so you have a quick and easy reference the next time you weigh the canister.
Now knowing the weight of the canister, you can now simply throw the canister on the scale – subtract the canister weight – and voilà! You know how many grams are left in that canister.
Happy cooking!
We’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment or question below.
Hi there! I'm Bri.
I create and share nutritious and flavourful recipes for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure seekers.