Camping Gaz Bivouac 270 Lantern Conversion for Threaded Fuel Canisters

Welcome to the second post of our two-part series!  Navigate over to our previous post-Camping Gaz Turbo 270 Conversion for Threaded Fuel Canisters.

For a while, I’ve had my eye on the Camping Gaz Bivouac 270 lantern to complete my camp kitchen setup alongside my Camping Gaz Bleuet 270 Micro Stove. For whatever reason, I never pulled the trigger on buying one—though it always seemed like a smart addition. A small backpacking-style lantern that uses the same fuel canisters as my stove would be perfect for fall and winter camping trips. While it’s easy to get cooking done before dark, cleaning up afterward is a whole other story. Having a lantern to light up the camp kitchen during cleanup would make a big difference.

After successfully converting my Camping Gaz Turbo 270 to threaded fuel canisters, I figured I could do the same for the Bivouac 270 lantern. So, I found a deal online, bought another Turbo 270, and snagged the Bivouac 270 lantern as well.

Now, I know there are plenty of opinions out there about whether it’s worth the time and money to do the conversion. Some people argue that the lantern is too heavy for backpacking, or that a headlamp provides more light. These are valid points, but the best reason for me to make the conversion is simple: I’ve always wanted a Bivouac 270 lantern, and now I have a matching stove and lantern set. Sometimes, it’s not about weight, distance, or how far you can hike. It’s about the meal and the company you share it with. I can imagine using the Bivouac 270 in a place where campfires aren’t allowed. The lantern’s warm glow creates an inviting atmosphere, where people gather around, share stories, and enjoy a meal together. That’s what camping is all about, and that’s why I’m doing this conversion.

Both the Bivouac 270 lantern and the Camping Gaz Bleuet 270 Micro Stove use sealable CV270 220-gram or CV470 450-gram canisters. But like the stove, the major drawback of this lantern is that it’s designed specifically for Camping Gaz canisters, unlike most other camping gear that uses threaded fuel canisters.

The Bivouac 270 Lantern.

The Bivouac 270 Lantern includes a sturdy plastic storage case, offering reliable protection while it’s packed away in your bag or pack. The case is designed to minimize movement, keeping the lantern secure during transport. It's a simple yet thoughtful feature that I really appreciate.

Bivouac inside its plastic storage case.

For this conversion, I needed a donor stove for the valve that is required for this project.  The Coleman Peak 1 (3001 series) stove is what I am going to use. The stove can be found and runs for under $20.

Coleman Peak 1 is needed as a donor.

The Coleman Peak 1 is right out of the box. I was a little taken aback at the general quality of this stove. 

Coleman Peak 1 out of the box.

   Step #1: Remove the red plastic housing.

One side of the plastic housing is off.

Step #2: Once the housing is off, remove all other parts of the stove. What's that blue that I see?

All the parts of the stove.

   Step#3: Remove the black dummy cap from the blue turn knob.

Guess what, that is a Camping Gaz valve.

Disassembly of the Bivouac 270 is straightforward. Remove the reflector, and the globe, and then unscrew the burner from the valve.  

Bivouac 270 disassembled. 

Reassembly is as simple and a little different from the steps of disassembly. First, screw the new Camping Gaz valve from the Colman Peak 1 stove to the lantern body.

The old Camping Gaz valve was removed and the new Camping Gaz valve was installed place.

I found it easier to mount the lantern body to the threaded fuel canister before slipping the mantle.

A new valve and lantern burner is mounted to the threaded fuel canister.

Finding replacement mantles for the Bivouac 270 Lantern has been a bit challenging for me. However, I came across the Coleman #51 mantles, which come in packs of two. Primus also offers thorium-free mantles for its mini lanterns, with three mantles per pack. Prices can vary, but you should be able to find the Coleman #51 mantles for around $3 per pack, while Primus lists theirs for $6.95. While Camping Gaz mantles in size S would be ideal, any slip-on mantles should work as a suitable replacement.

Coleman Slip-On #51 rosette-style Mantles.

The mantle is designed to slip over the lantern’s burner post and needs to be carefully unfolded into a sphere-like shape. It can be a bit tricky to fit into the post, so take your time. Be sure to position the mantle so that it fully covers all the burner jets. In the picture below, you can see that the green end of the mantle is pre-tied, while the other end remains open.

Make sure the mantle is covering the hole on the lantern burner.

Pre-burn the mantle in a well-ventilated area to prepare it for use. Once the pre-burn is complete, carefully install the globe. Keep in mind that the mantles can be fragile after pre-burning, so it’s a good idea to have a few spare mantles on hand just in case.

Prepare the mantle by pre-burning.

The test lighting after the conversion was a success! In fact, it took me longer to gather all the necessary parts than to actually complete the conversion itself. A word of caution: both times I lit the lantern, I did so by opening the reflector. The lantern ignites quickly and flares up initially, making it tricky to close the reflector once it’s lit. There are holes at the bottom of the lantern housing, which may offer a better method for lighting it. Keep in mind, that this is still an open flame, so always follow fire safety regulations, especially in high fire-risk areas.

Conversion Complete.

There you have it! I successfully converted a lantern that originally used a non-threaded fuel canister to now accept threaded fuel canisters. I’m pretty sure this lantern had been sitting in someone’s garage or gear closet for years, simply because fuel canisters were hard to come by. But when I lit it up, it fired right up—just like it had been used on a backpacking or canoeing trip last week. This really highlights how reliable the Bivouac 270 is as a canister lantern.

Update: A reader commented that this same conversion might also work for the Camping Gaz Lumostar C270 lantern. While I haven’t confirmed this myself, it definitely gives me another reason to grab one of those! Just a heads-up—Warning-The reader assumes the potential for damage during this conversion. So proceed with caution.

Now It's Your Turn-

Leave a comment about your Camping Gaz Bivouac 270 Lantern. Do you still use it today? Did this post save your lantern from the trash and back to many more years of lighting up the campsite?