CB vs OD Gas Canisters and Why the Flame Weakens in WinterDividing Line Is 10°C, 1g of Gas Costs JPY 2.11 to 3.72

What separates heat output between CB and OD canisters is not the can shape but the contents and the temperature. If you camp where the lowest temperature does not drop below 10°C, a CB canister burner is enough. On days below 10°C, switch to a cold-weather can that mixes in propane or isobutane.

CB vs OD canister: gas inside and temperature, more than shape

Snow Peak writes its silver OD can (Giga Power Gas Iso) as “a guide of 20 degrees or above.” Iwatani's CB can is 10°C. Some OD cans are higher.

A CB can is a long, thin cassette gas can, and an OD can is a round, short can. What decides the flame on a cold morning is not this shape but the type of gas inside.

How I chose

The first thing I looked at was the temperature guide shown for each can. Next I calculated the price per gram of gas. For 1L of hot water it is only a difference of about JPY 28 and JPY 50, so I did not split by price.

Two things split my picks: whether you can use a cold-weather can, and whether there is a regulator. I looked at weight only when choosing an OD can for people who carry on their backs.

Why the flame weakens in winter: a can gets colder the more you use it

What is in the can is liquid, and it is pushed to the burner by the pressure of the gas it turns into. The temperatures at which it turns to gas (boiling points) are −0.5°C for n-butane, −11.72°C for isobutane and −42.04°C for propane. Liquid gas takes heat from its surroundings as it turns to gas. According to Primus's official page, even at an outside temperature of 5°C, a n-butane can falls below −0.5°C inside as you keep using it. Even with liquid left, gas stops coming out.

The three normal OD cans have guides of 5 to 20°C, and the right way to read it is that OD cans more often have a cold-weather fill. The use splits in three tiers. At a lowest temperature of 10°C or above, a CB can; from 10°C to 0°C, a cold-weather can. If the forecast is below freezing, do not rely on a gas burner alone.

What a micro regulator does

SOTO's “regulator” is a part that evens out the gas pressure. The CB-canister ST-310 gives steady output from an outside temperature of 25°C down to 5°C. If the gas does not vaporize in the can there is no pressure to even out, so you pair it with a cold-weather can.

CB and OD canister price: calculated per gram of gas

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The lowest-priced can and the highest-priced can differ by about 1.76x. But supposing half the heat goes into the water, the gas needed for 1L of hot water is about 13.5g. Even boiling 5L over 1 nights and 2 days, the difference is about JPY 110.

What caught my eye was the CB TOUGH 220's JPY 2.25. Though it is a cold-weather can, it is JPY 1.19 to 1.47 cheaper per gram than the three cold-weather OD cans. Compatible models are SOTO's CB-can stoves such as the ST-310.

Quick table of 9 single burners

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An OD-canister burner uses the can itself as its base. A CB can lies on its side, so more metal goes into the burner head and legs.

My CB canister pick: SOTO Regulator Stove ST-310

Why it is my pick: You can get through the whole year by just changing cans. A cheap can in the warm season and a CB TOUGH in the cold. SOTO's explanation says that with CB TOUGH it burns steadily down to an outside temperature of −5°C.

Things to watch: The body is 330g, about 4.9 times the WindMaster, and the cans are SOTO-only. Who it is for: People who go by car and want to keep can cost down. If you will put on a big pot, take the separate-type FUSION ST-330.

If you stay with Iwatani cans: Junior Compact Burner

Why choose it: The designated can is Iwatani cassette gas, which has the lowest price per gram of gas in this table.

Things to watch: There is no mention of a regulator, and an ordinary can has 10°C as its lower line. The official page says that for Power Gold the pressure-sensing safety device may act at 25°C or above. In summer, go back to a regular can.

My OD canister pick: SOTO WindMaster SOD-310

Why it is my pick: Light and strong in the cold. Its weight per 1kW is the lightest of the nine, and it pitches similar output at an outside temperature of 20°C and −5°C. Even with the can, it is 228g lighter than the ST-310 plus ST-700.

Things to watch: The standard 3-arm pot support is small, and the price per gram of the can is about 1.5 times CB TOUGH's. Who it is for: People who use one burner from autumn through early spring and carry it on their backs.

If you want to keep cost down, the Amicus: The official price is JPY 6,270, the lowest of the 8 with prices listed. There is no mention of a regulator, so I read it as for people who camp mostly in the warm season.

Cautions written by makers and public agencies

Use the can specific to each device, and do not use it inside a tent or car. The reasons are carbon monoxide poisoning and oxygen deficiency. Iwatani, Snow Peak, Primus and the Japan Gas Appliances Association all write this. NITE (National Institute of Technology and Evaluation) asks not to warm the can even if the gas comes out poorly. Store at 40°C or below.

Who is it for?

It suits people who camp from autumn through early spring. On days when the lowest temperature drops below 10°C, switch to a cold-weather can that mixes in propane or isobutane. If you carry it on foot, a light OD-canister model fits.

If it is only seasons that do not go below 10°C, your current CB-canister burner is enough. If cooking for the family is your focus, see the two-burner ranking too. For snow camping below freezing, you can also choose a gasoline model.

This part is a weak point. Output and runtime are measured under different conditions by each maker, so I did not use differences of a few tens of watts to decide rank.

FAQ

Gear in this article

Ads & images: Rakuten Ichiba

SOTO Regulator Stove ST-310SOTO CB TOUGH 220 ST-712Iwatani Junior Compact Burner CB-JCBSOTO WindMaster SOD-310SOTO Amicus SOD-320

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