Coleman Canister Gas – Caution

Coleman brand gas canisters now only normally work with Coleman brand stoves.  You might get lucky, but the current orange label Coleman brand gas canisters just plain don't work with a lot of brands of canister stoves.
UPDATE 25 March 2017:  See caveats to the above in the "Stoves Tested" section.
UPDATE 27 March 2017:  There is an emergency work-around:  Coleman Canister Gas – Emergency Work-Around
UPDATE 28 March 2018:  Since the Coleman canisters don't work reliably with the majority of my stoves, I'm now using them as "donor" canisters when I refill my canisters that do work.  See:  Refilling Backpacking Canisters II

What has changed?
I've never had this problem before with the older green label Coleman canisters.   Recently, it seems there's been a change.  The new ones have an orange label (see photo, below), but the changes appear to go beyond color.  They just don't work with other brands of gas stoves.  I'm speaking here about backpacking type canisters only.  I am NOT referring to the big 100% propane green canisters.

Front row:  The older "green" Coleman canisters.
Rear:  The newer "orange" Coleman canister.

Here's how I happened on this:
I test stoves.  A lot of stoves.  I burn gas.  A lot of gas.

Simul-testing multiple stoves.  I burn a lot of gas.

So, I bought some of the big 450 gram Coleman canisters recently at Walmart.  They're the cheapest brand (at least when bought at Walmart).

When I got them home, they simply didn't work.  On any stove tried (see list, below).  And I've got a lot of stoves.  None of them worked – until I tried a Coleman brand stove.

Here's a quick video:

And I am not alone.  Others are reporting similar experiences.

NOTE:  I am not accusing Coleman of doing this deliberately.  Why would they do that?  They want to sell as many canisters as possible.  If they make it so their canisters cannot be used with other brands, their sales will go down. I think this is a goof, not a deliberate business decision.

Stoves Tested

These stoves did not work when tested with orange label Coleman gas canisters:

• MSR Pocket Rocket
• MSR Pocket Rocket 2
• BRS-3000T
• Markill Hot Rod
• Soto WindMaster
• Kovea Supalite
• Monatauk Gnat/FMS-116T/Olicamp Kinetic Ultra
• Snow Peak GeoShield

These stoves kind of worked with orange label Coleman gas canisters cranked down hard (NOT recommended):

• Kovea Titanium/Markill Hotrod
• Soto MicroRegulator
• Optimus Crux

These stoves did work with orange label Coleman gas canisters:

• Jetboil PCS (personal experience)
• Jetboil MiniMo (reported)
• Primus Eta Express
• MSR Micro Rocket
• Soto Amicus
• Snow Peak GigaPower
• eTekCity (multiple reports)

It looks like Jetboil and Primus brand stoves in general do work with Coleman brand orange label gas canisters, but obviously I haven't tested each and every model of Jetboil or Primus stoves.  You'll probably be fine, but you should test your Jetboil or Primus stove with Coleman canisters before you head out on the trail.  However, I have now one report of a Jetboil not working with an orange label Coleman canister.

Other brands are all over the map.  Some models work; others do not.  I've had reports of a Pocket Rocket working, but my Pocket Rocket did not.  This tells me that the Coleman canisters are very close, only off by maybe half a millimeter or something like that.  Their Lindal valve is recessed just a bit farther down in the threaded connector than other brands.  It doesn't take much.  Notice the middle category, above:  Stoves that kind of worked.  It's that close.  Your "mileage" not only may but will vary.

Recommended:  Test your stove with Coleman orange label canisters if you plan to use them.
Not recommended:  Cranking your stove down hard to get a Coleman canister to work.  Stove threads are typically aluminum or brass which is softer than the steel of the canisters.  Don't ruin a good stove over a $5 to $10 canister.  Just buy a more reliable brand.  I have had no problems with the following canister brands:

• MSR
• Snow Peak
• Optimus
• Primus
• Brunton
• Jetboil
• Gas One
• Glow Master

I haven't tried Olicamp canisters; I haven't seen them for sale locally.

Conclusion
So, be careful.  That Coleman canister may be cheap (when purchased at Walmart), but it may not work with your stove – unless your stove happens to be a Coleman stove (or probably Jetboil and Primus, perhaps others).  Perhaps I'm belaboring the obvious, but always test your stove with the canister you intend to use before you hit the trail.  This is probably a good idea with all brands but particularly with Coleman brand orange label gas canisters.

Happy stoving,

HJ