A stove is only as good as its fuel supply, and it's worth carrying more than one way to get a flame going — canisters can run dry, and matches or lighters fail in wind and wet. Redundancy here is cheap and genuinely useful.
We've picked a screw-fit gas cartridge compatible with most UK camping stoves, solid fuel tablets as a lightweight no-canister backup, and stormproof matches that keep burning in wind and rain when a lighter won't.
A screw-fit gas canister is the fuel a portable stove actually needs — carry spares and hot food or a hot drink is always within reach, whatever the weather.
Screw-fit (EN417) canisters are the most common standard and fit the widest range of stoves. Confirm your stove takes screw-fit before buying, as pierceable canisters use a different fitting.
A propane-butane blend performs better in cold weather than pure butane, which struggles to vaporise below freezing — worth checking for winter use.
A canister that reseals when disconnected lets you swap between a spare and a part-used one without losing gas, and is safer to store and transport.
A single canister with no spare means one bad estimate leaves you without hot food or water purification. Always carry a backup on any trip longer than a day.
Gas canisters are pressurised and shouldn't be left in a hot car boot or near direct heat. Store them somewhere cool and stable.
A screw-fit butane/propane gas cartridge from a long-established outdoor cooking brand — compatible with most screw-fit camping stoves and reliable in cooler weather.
Individually wrapped solid fuel tablets that light easily, burn hot enough to boil water and store for years — compact backup fuel for camping stoves and emergency cooking.
Windproof, waterproof matches that keep burning in rain and wind — and even relight after being dipped in water. A dependable fire-starting backup for wet British weather.