Camping Stove Question: Butane vs. Propane
 

We will be camping in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite for five nights in August. Elevation is around 8800 feet. We normally backpack rather than car-camp, so we don't have a Coleman-type camp stove, and I was hoping to avoid buying one just for this trip. I was thinking of taking our two little backpack stoves, plus a large one-burner butane stove that I have for emergency power outages (but actually have only used for brewing beer, boiling the wort outside!)

I notice that all the campstoves on the market use propane rather than butane, and I'm wondering if there are any issues regarding butane at high altitudes? (Actually I should qualify that; the car-camp stoves I have reviewed all use propane, but my little backpack stove uses isobutane, whatever that is). I've tried searching places like the REI website for information, but can't find any. Can anyone explain to me the difference between propane and butane, and whether there are any altitude or pressure issues with the butane?

Thanks!

Can't help you personally as I use a multi-fuel backpacking stove but you may want to go to www.backpacker.com. Click on Community then go to forums & pose your question there.

Thanks---I'll try that.

We have propane 1 burner stoves. My DH wanted a two burner and I couldn't find one so I bought a small 2 burner butane stove at Cabela's. The store clerk told me a lot of truckers use them. My husband returned it; he was worried about how the butane canister is threaded and if it got bent slightly in our pack it might leak when we connected it....he felt the propane canisters were a better choice for us. I don't know anything about the altitude part of your question; sorry. Hope that helps.

Hi AuntAnnie---thanks your your reponse---it's actually very helpful, because it tells me that butane stoves are sold for some purpose. So I'll check Cabela's and see what they say about them. The threads would not be a problem with my stove---the butane cartridge screws on securely after the cap is removed, and the fitting seems very secure. So it's just the altitude/pressure problem I'm concerned about.

Don't know how you are getting to Yosemite - but I do not think you can fly with either fuel - so if air travel is part of the trip, plan ahead.

Thanks, gail---you are correct about the air travel restrictions, but we are driving this time, so it's not a problem.

I prefer the multi-fuel stoves. I seem to recall when looking at what I'd buy that one or the other (butane vs propane) were not effective, or maybe inoperable over a certain altitude ... I cannot remember for sureand I'm not sure what that altitude is ... maybe you should verify.

The butane does not have to be kept at as high a pressure as propane, so the canisters themselves are lighter. However propane is much more readily available at all kinds of stores. Keep in mind too that as the fuel is depleted and the canister pressure drops, the effectiveness of the flame also drops, and you'll find it taking twice as long (or longer) to do your cooking.

REAL old (eg: 1950's) Boy Scout manuals offer LOTS of great advice and tips on effective and cost-effective outdoor skills .. check your library.