Powermax Fuel Is Definitely Dead :(

I've seen every retailer in my area discontinue carrying Coleman Powermax Fuel all at the same time.  Suspicious, I wrote Coleman to ask if they had stopped making the canisters.

Here is the answer I received:

Jim,

The Powermax fuel has been discontinued, The fuel is being discontinued due to low volumes . You might still find some sporting good store from existing stock.
I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you,

Margie
Coleman Consumer Service

In other words, Powermax fuel is definitely dead.   :(

Powermax was the best format out there in terms of gas canisters.  It had no threads to cross thread, it had nice aluminum canisters that were very lightweight (a 110g standard canister is heavier than a 300g Powermax canister!), it had a wonderful 35% propane blend in the US (40% propane overseas), and its liquid feed mechanism allowed it to operate down to -4F/-20C according to Coleman (although many users report good results in temperatures down to -10F/-23C).

A Powermax canister has no threads to cross thread.  Just twist and click.

 Unfortunately, it wasn't standard.  The threaded canisters that are in fact the standard are by no means superior; they're just the standard.  Despite the fact that Powermax was clearly a superior canister, particularly for cold weather, it just didn't catch on.  Distribution was always limited, and only three backpacking stoves (the Coleman Xtreme, the Coleman Xpert, and the Coleman Xpedition) could use the canisters.

A Coleman Xtreme stove hooked up to a Powermax canister

 For those of you lucky enough to own one of the three stoves, fear not!  There are still a lot of Powermax canisters out there.  Check around, and you'll find them.  And the canisters can be refilled.  Yes, I know it says not to, but people have been refilling various canisters for quite some time without problems.  Do note that refilling does have potential dangers -- serious dangers.  Definitely read up on the issue before engaging in refilling.  But for a careful, knowledgeable person, the dangers are minimal.  The Coleman stoves that use Powermax canisters will now be a bit of a bother since fuel is no longer as readily available, but those who know these stoves know their worth!

The inferno that is the flame of a Coleman Xtreme stove

If you've got one of the three stoves that uses Powermax fuel, hang on to it -- and lay in a stock of Powermax canisters.

HJ

Related posts:

• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xpedition
• Stove of the Week:  Coleman Xtreme
• Update on Powermax Fuel 11/7/2011