Propane
Propane is a fuel gas, mostly sold in larger refillable cylinders that connect to a stove through a regulator and hose. Cold weather affects how some gas mixes perform, so check the cylinder and the stove maker's guidance before you rely on it in the cold.
Where you'll see it
Propane is named on cylinder labels, stove boxes and camping gas pages, usually with a note about the regulator the stove needs. Larger family stoves are often made for cylinders rather than small cartridges, so the stove's own page is the place to confirm.
What to check
- Whether the stove and regulator are made for propane, as the maker states.
- The cylinder's connection and hose, and whether they match the regulator.
- How the maker says to stand and secure the cylinder, and to keep it upright.
- Cook outside in the open air, away from the tent. Never use a stove, BBQ or gas heater inside or at the doorway of a tent, porch or awning.
- Whether the campsite's rules allow the cylinder you plan to bring.
Related terms
- Butane: the other common camping gas, usually sold in small cartridges.
- Gas cartridge: the small canister that many camping stoves use.
- Carbon monoxide: the gas that stoves, BBQs and heaters give off as they burn.
Read more: Camping gas guide: types, sizes and how much (UK) and the camping gas calculator.