How much propane for a camping trip?
Estimate fuel from burner-minutes, not simply from the number of nights. A published reference point for a classic two-burner camp stove is up to one hour with both burners on high from one 16.4-ounce cylinder.
A short weekend of simple boiling and skillet meals often uses part of one cylinder, but cold weather, wind, high heat, large groups, and long simmering can consume much more.
Propane cylinder estimator
How the estimate works
The manufacturer reference equals about 120 burner-minutes: two burners × 60 minutes. The calculator divides your estimated burner-minutes by 120 and rounds up to whole 16.4-ounce cylinders. This proportional calculation is a planning estimate; real stoves do not consume fuel at a perfectly constant rate.
| Condition | What it does to fuel use |
|---|---|
| Wind | Lengthens boil times. Use the stove's built-in wind protection and follow its manual. |
| Cold weather | Can reduce cylinder performance and increase cooking time. |
| Simmering meals | Uses fuel much longer than boiling water for simple meals. |
| Two burners | Can roughly double burner-minutes when both are running. |
Use fuel safely: operate the stove outdoors, follow the stove and cylinder instructions, check campground fire restrictions, and never use a fuel-burning stove inside a tent or vehicle.
Sources
- Coleman: Classic two-burner propane camping stove — publishes up to one hour of runtime with both burners on high from one 16.4-ounce cylinder.
- National Park Service: camping safety before the trip — recommends testing equipment, practicing with it, and confirming that the fuel matches the stove.
This calculator applies only to small refill-free 16.4-ounce camping cylinders used with a compatible stove. It is not for RV systems, bulk tanks, heaters, or lanterns.
Build your First Camp checklist and quantity estimate.