Fuel Dilemma: How Much is Too Much?

Managing cooking fuel can be a source of stress and unnecessary pack weight for hikers. You certainly don't want to be stuck in the woods without enough to warm your meals, but it’s remarkably easy to overpack.

Our most recent backpacking trip highlighted this common dual-use dilemma perfectly.

The Real-World Test

For our 5-day hike, my partner and I brought one small (4oz) and one medium (8oz) isobutane canister for our high-efficiency MSR Reactor stove system.

The Reactor lived up to its reputation for efficiency. Over the five days, we used the full 4oz canister and only a tiny sip from the 8oz canister. In the end, we carried more than double the fuel we actually needed.

We realized how common this overpacking is when we shared a campsite on the final night with a party of four. They were actively complaining about their pack weight, they had brought a whopping three 16oz canisters (48 oz. total!). They didn't even use a full 16oz canister, making our double-what-we-needed mistake sound remarkably reasonable!

Breaking Down the Numbers: Theory vs. Reality

We decided to look past the general recommendations and break down the actual numbers for our highly efficient setup.

Real-World Fuel Usage Summary

• Trip Duration: 5 days
• Group Size: 2 people
• Total Water Boiled (Estimated): 15 Liters
• Total Fuel Used: 5 ounces (~approx 142 grams)
• Fuel Efficiency: 9.5 grams per Litre(g/L)

Note: We estimate an average of 3L of boiling water per day (for dehydrated meals and coffee/tea). While we skipped one rainy morning boil, we used more on other days, leading to a calculated trip total of 15L.

Our on-trail usage of 9.5 grams of fuel per liter was slightly more efficient than the 10g/L benchmark provided in a published study.

Canister Capacity and Future Planning

The Takeaway:

The most common advice is often the simplest: More isn’t always better.

Before your next backpacking trip, take a moment to calculate your actual needs. For a 2-person, 5-day trip, needing 15L of boiled water, a single 8oz canister would have provided a 50% safety buffer. Carrying anything larger than that, or an extra medium-sized canister, is simply dead weight.

There is something to be said for having a second cannister for a small safety net but don't go overboard. Carry the knowledge of your stove's efficiency—it’s lighter than an extra 16oz of fuel!