Backpacking Fuel Calculator
Figure out how much canister fuel to bring and which canisters to pack. Fill in your trip below and the answer updates as you go.
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0 g of fuel
Canisters to pack
Below freezing, a canister loses pressure and the flame gets weak. Keep it in your sleeping bag overnight and inside your jacket before you cook.
Canister sizes by brand
The calculator uses MSR's three sizes and their carry weights. Other brands round their sizes a little differently, and any of them will screw onto a standard canister stove.
| Brand | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSR IsoPro | 110 g | 227 g | 450 g |
| Jetboil Jetpower | 100 g | 230 g | 450 g |
| Snow Peak GigaPower | 110 g | 220 g | N/A |
Check how much fuel is left in a used canister
How the calculator works
It adds up the water you'll boil (people × days × meals and drinks), multiplies it by how much fuel your stove burns per liter, and adjusts for water temperature and wind. Colder water takes more fuel to bring to a boil, and wind can cut a stove's efficiency by about a quarter. Then it adds your safety margin and picks the lightest mix of canisters that covers it.
Where the numbers come from
| Number | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BRS-3000T fuel use | 14 g per liter, from 55°F water | Backpacking Light forum test |
| MSR PocketRocket 2 fuel use | 14.2 g per liter | MSR spec: 16 L boiled per 227 g canister |
| Soto WindMaster fuel use | 13.9 g per liter calm, 17.9 g in wind | Outdoor Gear Lab boil tests (0.49 oz and 0.63 oz per liter) |
| Other canister stove (general) | 14 g per liter | Average of the three open-burner stoves above |
| Jetboil Flash-style system fuel use | 10 g per liter | Jetboil's spec: 10 L boiled per 100 g canister |
| Wind penalty | +33% fuel (WindMaster +29%) | Outdoor Gear Lab found about 25% lower efficiency in wind |
| Full canister weights | about 210 g, 375 g, and 650 g | Retailer listings for MSR IsoPro 110 g, 227 g, and 450 g |
| Empty canister weights | about 100 g, 150 g, and 200 g | Full weight minus fuel |
Data last verified October 15, 2026. These are estimates, so bring the margin.
Fuel calculator FAQ
How long does a 110 g fuel canister last?
About 8 liters of boiled water with an open-burner stove like the BRS-3000T in mild weather. For one person eating two hot meals and one hot drink a day, that's roughly 5 to 6 days before any safety margin. Cold water and wind both cut that down.
How much fuel do I need per day backpacking?
For one person with two hot meals and one hot drink a day, plan on about 20 g of fuel a day with an open-burner stove in mild weather, and closer to 30 g when the water is near freezing and it's windy. A Jetboil-style system uses less, around 14 g a day in calm weather.
Do canister stoves work below freezing?
They get weak. As the canister cools toward freezing, the fuel doesn't vaporize as well, so the flame shrinks and boils take longer. Keep the canister in your sleeping bag overnight and inside your jacket until you cook. Don't wrap it in a windscreen to keep it warm, because trapping the stove's heat around the canister can overheat it.
How do I tell how much fuel is left in a canister?
Weigh it. Subtract the empty canister weight, about 100 g for a 110 g canister, 150 g for a 227 g, and 200 g for a 450 g, and what's left is fuel. The used-canister check above does the math for you.