Gas stoves that work perfectly in summer produce a weak flame or nothing at all in winter, and the reason is physics rather than a fault.
Pressure Comes From the Fuel
A canister contains liquefied gas, and the pressure driving the stove comes from that liquid evaporating.
Evaporation depends on temperature. As the canister cools, less vapour forms, pressure drops and the flame weakens.
The canister also cools itself as it runs, because evaporation absorbs heat. So performance falls during use even in mild conditions.
The Fuel Mix Matters
- Butane stops vaporising around freezing point
- Isobutane continues to noticeably lower temperatures
- Propane works far colder and needs a stronger canister
- Mixes are blended for this, and the blend is on the label
- The propane burns off first, so a part-used canister performs worse
Where a range includes both canister and alcohol stoves, of the kind catalogued at alocs-us.com, that is a genuine reason to own both rather than a duplication.
What Helps
Keeping the canister warm before use: inside a jacket, in a sleeping bag overnight, not left outside.
An insulating platform under the stove so the canister is not sitting on frozen ground or snow.
Using a fresh canister rather than a part-used one for a cold trip.
A remote-canister stove, which can be run with the canister inverted so liquid fuel feeds the burner, sidestepping the pressure problem entirely.
What Not to Do
Never warm a canister with a flame, a lighter or by putting it near a fire. That is a genuine explosion risk.
Never place a canister on a hot surface or inside a windshield that encloses it.
Hands, body heat and insulation only.
Snow Melting Is Expensive
Worth planning separately. Melting snow for water uses several times the fuel of heating the same volume of liquid water.
Start with a little liquid water in the pot rather than packing it with snow, which scorches the pot and is slower.
Alcohol and Liquid Fuel
Both work in cold where canisters fail, at the cost of speed or complexity.
Carry a Backup
Winter is when a stove failure becomes serious rather than annoying.
Still Never in a Tent
Cold weather is exactly when people are tempted, and when carbon monoxide deaths occur.