How much white gas should one bring on a trip? I don't know that I can give you a one-size-fits all answer since so much depends on the individual and conditions, but I've got some ideas that may help you get a handle on the issue.



Please join me as I briefly examine How Much White Gas Do I Need?

HJ

Hey Jim, I say if you're using the MSR EGK, take a LOT of white gas:) They burn like a Saturn 5 booster. J/k, another great article, thank you!

Good article but it's only one man's style.

Experience and practice with one's gear, food habits and partners is the only way to be sure.

You might consider mentioning that stove fuel is necessary if one is going to boil water for safe drinking. I consider my stove and a some extra fuel as the backup for my water pump.
I don't carry enough fuel to cover the whole trip as primary water supply but it would help stretch the safe water supply.

Yep.

Yep.

My numbers should be treated perhaps as a starting point, a point from which you fine tune to get your own numbers.

Good point. Your stove + some extra fuel makes a really good back up water treatment. Boiling is the most effective water treatment for bacteria, viruses, and other microbes.

HJ

The problem becomes even more interesting when you throw in air travel, which means you will purchase your fuel where you begin your excursion. For one thing, you may carry a stove that burns the fuel available at your destination, not necessarily your first preference. Secondly, you may buy a fuel module that has far more fuel than you need for basic cooking. This often means you can boil water with great abandon and leave the filter, etc. behind. This can actually result in a net savings in weight.

Just cross your fingers and hope the shelves aren't bare when you trot up to buy fuel.

Yeah, that happened to me recently. I walked in expecting to find the Coleman fuel cans all lined up, but there was not a one on the shelves. I guess some of these places are carrying "just in time" inventory management just a bit too far. Fortunately for me, there was another store that had them near by.

HJ

That is one reason to carry a liquid fuel stove. White gas seems to be available most places (at least in N America). If you buy one of the multi-fuel stoves that will also burn kerosene you are in even better shape. Propane/butane canisters can be hard to find in some places.

I don't want to take the thread off track, but... I agree, even here in the U.S. not more than 30 miles from the nations Capital there are a lot of gas stations that carry both propane and k-1 kerosene (and of course, normal gasoline). Canisters for backpacking stoves? Never heard of them.

If your planning includes, shall I say, scarcity of resources, I like propane and multi-liquid stoves. Most flexibility and availability of resources. Also, at least around here, the very reasonably priced (competition keeps the price down).

My customers are saying NONE! I don't argue with them because my experience is with propane. I know your discussion addresses how much to carry on the trail. My interest is in the customers shifting from Coleman Fuel to unleaded gas when heading out on the trip.

I used to sell hundreds of cans of Coleman Fuel. Now I sell < five cans per year. When asked about using unleaded in their stoves, I can get none to admit that they have had any problems with their stoves. I have read all of Colemans warnings (Marketing ?) and the other fuel manufacturers.

What is your take?

I am thinking of cacheing fuel on my Creature-of-Habit trails.

Unleaded stinks a little, but the most damaging aspect is at least here pretty much everybody add 10% ethanol to gasoline, and it'll eat your rubber/plastic component alive.