Navigate To Your Adventure

Part of my collection of Camoing Gaz Bleuet 206 and 270 stoves. The Camping Gaz Bleuet 206 was my first backpacking stove, and it holds a special place in my memories. This little stove ran on a pierceable butane-propane mixed cartridge, and I first used it in the mid-'80s, when it was widely available worldwide. The 206 was incredibly simple to operate—just turn the knob, light it, and you were good to go. Each cartridge provided about six hours of cooking time, perfect for my trips. There were a couple of drawbacks, though. Once you pierced the 190-gram C206 canister, you couldn’t remove the stove until the fuel was completely used. Also, the butane-propane mix in the canisters could freeze in cold weather. While I never personally experienced fuel freezing, I always made sure to be prepared in case it happened. As a young Scout, I’d look forward to Christmas each year, when I’d find one or two new fuel canisters in my stocking. If I spotted them on sale, I’d grab a few ex...