RidgeNote
Start HerePack BuilderCompare GearGuidesBest ofHuntingGear Lists
ProShakedown
RidgeNote

Research backpacking gear, build the perfect pack, and hit the trail lighter.

Get the Field Dispatch

One email a month. Gear worth putting in your pack, and the numbers behind it.

Gear

  • Tents & Shelters
  • Sleeping Bags
  • Sleeping Pads
  • Backpacks
  • Insulated Jackets
  • Cook Systems
  • Hunting Gear
  • Best-of Lists

Explore

  • Pack Weight Calculator
  • How Much Should a Pack Weigh?
  • Compare Gear
  • The Shakedown
  • Backpacking Checklist
  • Fuel Calculator
  • Water Carry Calculator
  • Start Here
  • Backpacking Gear Lists
  • Gear by Brand
  • Buying Guides
  • The Field Dispatch
  • Open Gear Data

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Disclosure
  • Terms

© 2026 RidgeNote. Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

BrowsePackSaved

How much fuel do I need?

Enter your trip and your stove. You get the grams of fuel to carry and which canisters to bring — with every assumption shown, so you can change it.

You need

70 g of fuel

4.1 L of water boiled · includes a 15% margin

Carry: 100 g canister (~200 g full)

Lighter stove options: the lightest backpacking stoves. Then add the fuel to your list in the pack builder.

How this is worked out
  • Water boiled = days × people × (hot meals × 0.5 L + hot drinks × 0.35 L).
  • Fuel per litre, mild conditions: integrated 8.3 g (Jetboil publishes ~12 L per 100 g canister for the Flash), canister stove 12 g, alcohol ~30 ml.
  • Cold adds 20% (32–50°F) or 50% (below freezing); wind adds up to 50% on an open flame, 20% on an integrated system.
  • Canisters are picked from the standard 100 g, 230 g, 450 g sizes: fewest canisters, then least carried weight. Carry a spare on long or cold trips.

How much fuel do I need per day backpacking?

For one person boiling water for two meals and a drink, roughly 15–20 g of canister fuel a day in mild weather with a canister stove, less with an integrated system like a Jetboil. Cold and wind can double it.

How long does a 100 g fuel canister last?

A 100 g canister boils about 8 L of water on a typical canister stove and about 12 L on an integrated system in mild conditions — roughly 3–5 days for one person cooking two hot meals a day.

Does cold weather use more fuel?

Yes. Colder water takes more heat to boil and canister pressure drops near freezing, so plan on 20–50% more fuel, and keep the canister warm before cooking.

Planning water as well? How much water to carry. Building your list? Pack builder · The Shakedown.