Gas Guide
ALL ABOUT GAS
We are passionate about cooking and boiling water outdoors all year round, whatever the location.
At the same time, we are passionate about efficient stoves that waste fewer of nature's resources. This is why we have three different types of gas mixtures: Summer Gas, Power Gas and Winter Gas. In this way, energy and efficiency are optimised when and where you need it.
SIP POWER GAS
is a sustainable outdoor fuel option with a performance that mimics the reliable Primus Power Gas. By supporting production of bio-based gas and moving production to Europe, we take the next step to redrawing the outdoor fuel map and reduce our environmental footprint. This step is a part of a new Primus sustainability initiative, covering all aspects of developing a new Primus product as well as returning to our existing line of products for further improvements.
Read more about SIP Power Gas here
POWER GAS
Power Gas is our best-selling gas and is a mixture of propane and isobutane. A good all-round gas that is the perfect start with when cooking outdoors. Power Gas works best during the three warmest seasons of the year, but even when the temperature drops below zero, the gas provides enough pressure for your stove. Its versatility therefore makes it suitable for most adventures, even where the weather conditions and temperature are uncertain and varied.
SUMMER GAS
Summer Gas is a mixture of propane and butane and is optimised for summer conditions with temperatures between 15 °C and 40 °C. At really hot temperatures, other gas mixtures may be too powerful, meaning reduced efficiency and increased fuel consumption. There is no such risk with this gas mixture.
WINTER GAS
Like Power Gas, Winter Gas is a mixture of propane and isobutane, which thanks to our VaporMesh innovation, works effectively as low as -22 °C. Winter Gas is therefore the best choice if you are heading out during the coldest months of the year or at altitudes where the temperature is lower. If you are heading out in temperatures below -22 °C and are cooking, boiling water or melting snow, we recommend a multi-fuel stove instead.
HOW IT WORKS
For most of our stoves you will use gas as fuel. Our containers hold a mixture of propane, butane and isobutane. The mixture between the different gases depends on whether it is Power Gas, Winter Gas or Summer Gas.
The pressure inside a gas container is high, so the gas is stored in liquid form. When you turn the knob, the pressure in the container drops and the liquid evaporates. When the vapour is ignited, you get a good flame to boil water or cook on. The conversion from liquid to gas requires energy, which is taken from the fuel, the container and the ambient environment. This causes the container to become cold (it can even form frost on the outside!).
Different gases have different boiling points. The lower the boiling point, the higher the pressure in the container at a certain temperature, which leads to higher output on the stove. Propane has the lowest boiling point, followed by isobutane and then butane. At low temperatures, you want a mixture of gases that have a low boiling point as this results in better output on the stove. This is the reason behind the mixture of propane and isobutane in our Power Gas and Winter Gas. At higher outdoor temperatures, you want a mixture of gases with a higher boiling point instead, which is why we have butane instead of isobutane in our Summer Gas.
Excessive pressure in the container causes the flame to become too strong. This makes the stove less fuel efficient and can also be dangerous, as the container is not designed for excessive pressure.