MSR PocketRocket

Summary

A great small canister stove that work in most 3-season activities, but that can be pushed to for season use for day or short trips. It is perfect for the fast and light adventurer who needs a stove that can just work with out any priming required in temp from 50 Celsius to about -7 Celsius. This stove is not for mountaineers or people who spend all there time below freezing on long expeditions.

The MSR Pocket Rocket is a great stove for general backing packing, big wall climbing in warm conditions, adventuring in the mountains or day trip in any weather. I have used this stove in the higher areas of the kootenays in BC and on the coast near Vancouver from temperature of 10 degrees Celsius to -10 degrees Celsius. It has boiled water every time except when I was backpacking in the snow and the cartridge got too cold.

Setup 

This is my cooking set up with the Pocket Rocket

The setup of this stove is very easy first remove it from its case which you can see below.

Then you screw it on the canister making sure you don't strip the screw threads. You can see it on the canister below. 

As you can tell this is very simple. Now let's talk about how easy it is to pack this stove. It is very easy! It fits right in the case and you can put in any wear in your pack but I choose to put it in my pot which is the excellent Snow Peak Ti mini solo cook set. Check out my review of this excellent product also. It fits in its case with the GSI spice missile a lighter a candle and a folding spork  in a plastic bag so I give it a 4.5 stars of of 5 for pack ability.

Cooking 

The stove lights very easily with a lighter or matches and is resistant to wind to a certain degree but a natural wind screen can go a long way to keeping the flame lit. In my experiences one third of the burners  usually goes out and the other two keep going but the stoves efficiency is greatly decreased. The burner that goes out is usually the one facing the wind also. 

After lighting the stove and putting you pot on as you can see below it boils water fairly fast. In boils in about  2 minutes and thirty seconds on fuel blast in good conditions but in cold conditions it can take four minutes when the valves open all the way.  

Cooking can be difficult also which may be surprising as it has simmer control which work but it is not as efficient at simmer control as some other stoves. But it's fine for making soup, stew or oatmeal but not quite good enough for frying or baking. 

The stove is uses fuel very efficiently. Since you don't need to open the valve all the way to get the most heat if you find the balance point where it burning all the fuel and not letting any escape. Then it will last for about 60 minutes in good conditions. This is with a 230 g Jetboil 4 season mix, which I believe is the best fuel for four seasons with this stove. 

The stability is ok. It's fine with my snow peak pot but the two liter pot I tested it in you had to be careful. I wouldn't recommend this stove to any one using it for pots 2 liters or over most of the time. 

Here it is with the Jet boil ti mini solo cookset pot 

Conditions of Use

I used this stove from minus 10 to about ten degrees Celsius. I first used an MSR canister with it, which worked ok. It failed to boil water before the fuel got to cold to work properly. You can tell when this is happening when the wind screen in the middle becomes orange in stead of the pot supports. The fuel is starting to liquidize and it doesn't flow put very easily any more eventually it goes out.

When the canister becomes too cold this happen one way to fix it is to keep the canister warm. I keep it in my shell beneath my in insulting layer. The best fuel I have found through is Jetboil 4 season mix, it works much better in colder temperatures. The flame spread better and colder temperatures so now it's my go-to fuel for every trip. For these reasons I don't recommend this stove to mountaineers looking for a stove for use on mountains.

Conclusion:  

This stove is great for general backpacking and day trip or overnighters in the winter but somewhat poor wind resistant, poor pot support, and poor performance in the cold keep it from being 5 out of 5 stars. This is not just a canister thing as Jetboil and some MSR models of canister stoves work much better in the cold (MSR Reactor, Most Jetboil models ) . However its price its a notable thing to consider and this could be the perfect stove for beginning back packers.

I highly recommend this stove for its intended propose. 

Summary

This little stove is a powerhouse for its size. Packs down light and small with a small fuel canister, so it doesn't take up much room or weight in your pack. Great for warming up a cup for coffee but not for large amounts of liquid. Biggest flaw is it's not very efficient in the wind. a little breeze throws the cooking pattern off kilter and takes a long time to warm it up.

Best for lightweight, overnight trips. Wouldn't take it on a long one. I would recommend this for regular camping but not for long or high exposure trips. Works well in your tents vestibule.

I love this little MSR PocketRocket. Super simple to setup, just screw it on and turn it on. Without an onboard ignition switch you just need a couple matches or a lighter along for the trip but the small size and ease of use more than make up for the extra step of lighting it. 

The burner is easy to control and allows for a fairly adjustable flame. There is little in the way of guard for the burner and thus in the wind it looses much of it's punch. It works well to boil a small amount of liquid or heat up something small but not a great meal cooker. Great for small boils but I'm not impressed with cooking much on it. The small stance of the prongs also make it very easy to tip a pot off or tip the whole stove over while cooking. 

Generally this little stove seems to  be fairly fuel efficient, I usually only take a single canister with me, if I'm going for a weekend. 

Overall, I'd highly recommend this stove for a solo backpacker who is concerned with weight and doesn't need to have instantly boiled liquids. I use this more often then my bigger stoves and usually grab it whenever I'm headed into the woods overnight. 

I've owned it for about two years and use it for all my summer camping. 

Summary

Great little stove for the solo backpacker; easily recommended for those who favor simplicity and ease.

I purchased my PocketRocket stove used some five years ago, and the little bugger is still going strong. Used mostly on multi-night trips around the PNW, generally to heat water for beverages and freeze-dried meals. Works excellently for those purposes as long as one can set up a sufficient windscreen.

Flame control and ignition both simple and easy; in optimal conditions will boil a half liter of water in under two minutes. Windy? Make that something closer to five, but i've never yet had it blow out. Depending on the quality of the fuel canister and the wind conditions, I've a single canister last a full season - call it eight meals, plus another eight cups of tea. Good stuff.

A little caution might be needed to keep it from dumping over, but I am a cautious fellow. Compared to the old Sterno stove i'd been using for the previous decade, this thing is heavenly.  

Can't really compare it to other cook systems, except to say that it is ever so much less expensive and fidgety - no cleaning required in over five years of use.

Summary

It's OK to make a pot of tea, but it's a small cooker for small trips only.

Obviously, if you buy something called a "pocket rocket" you know you're not getting an industrial stove that will feed a dozen mouths on expedition, but still — this is a very fidgety and limited stove.

However, I've owned mine for 5 years and it works as well as it did the first day I used it, so it's consistent and reliable.

The main issue is you can't put a large pot on and leave it unattended — and by unattended I mean you can't chop carrots without holding the handle. It looks like you can just screw the rocket into the canister and voila — cooking time.

But in any kind of adverse conditions — wind, rain, unstable terrain — you need to be with your cooker the whole time.

Another issue is that it's a completely unprotected flame — no cover, no safety measure; so if your stove falls over — you've got a flame thrower. Otherwise the wind can just put out your cooking.

On the plus side, I can fit my flint into the little box, and then fit the whole stove into my pot, so it's compact as hell, which is great for an overnight hike warming up some soup.

Just don't expect to get much else done.

Summary

This thing is hotter than a supermodel! I got the PocketRocket back in '09 for the AT thru hike and used it all the way to Maine. It gets hot without using too much fuel. I plan on using it for my PCT thru hike this summer as well.

This was a wonderful product that was very reliable and never failed me once!

Summary

This stove is not best for people that want to cook for groups or want to travel over very long periods of time.

I have used this stove several times and I find it to be the best for the type of camping I do. The stove is easy to setup because all you have to do is remove it from its case and screw it onto its fuel canister/stand.

I have only tried the stove in wooded areas with little wind so the ignition has been fairly easy to do so long as you have matches or a lighter. The flame is easily controllable and fully met my needs as all I required of it was to boil water though the flame does not vary as much as some other stoves.

I only used the stove to boil water so was never able to try to cook actual food using this stove. However, it does seem too small to use to cook over about 3" wide. Using the stove on its highest flame I was able to boil 2 cups of water in about 3 minutes in very little wind. I have cooked about 4 meals with one canister of fuel and I still have lots of fuel leftover.

I haven't used any pot bigger than 20 oz and it seems to be fairly secure with this size of a pot. Anything bigger than this seems like it would be very likely to tip over. The stove packs down very small into a triangle -shaped plastic box but the box itself can't be used as a cup or anything because it has a drain hole in the bottom. 

Summary

Quickly heats up water or anything you are cooking. Boils water in less than 3 minutes. Very light at just 3 oz. Would thoroughly recommend to anyone.

Very easy to setup. Just use a cylindrical fuel canister and screw on. Ignites right up. Easy flame adjustment on side. Boils quickly (water in under 3 min). Great packability at 3 oz and comes with plastic case. Being an MSR, very well made.

Summary

I love this little stove. I've used it at home on the deck, in a tent, and winter cabin camping. It's super easy to carry — packs small and light, even in provided carrying case — and is quick to use.

The setup is super easy — pop the cap off the fuel, screw in the stove, open the valve and light it up. No built-in ignition, so you'll need a lighter or match to get it going, but it's super easy to light. 

The flame control is great — you can get a slow steady flame or turn it wide open for a quick water boil that only takes a couple minutes. We used a medium pot on the holders, and with much wind or uneven ground it would've been a bit tough to keep it solidly in place; however, if you keep an eye on it and hold the handle if there's much wind, you'll be fine. 

Also, the stove really concentrates the flame in one middle area, so if you don't watch your food, it may burn a bit over the center — we used it mainly for soups, noodles, water, etc. 

You may want to invest in a windscreen if you'll be in super windy areas, though. Boiled water quickly and didn't use too much fuel in the process. Using a small canister of fuel, we were able to boil water and cook food for several days - not sure of measure on fuel usage, however. 

Simple, easy-to-use, packable stove for when you just need something quick and straight-forward. It's affordable, and I definitely recommend it for light packing. We used the stove mainly summer and fall, but we did use it during winter hut camping and it worked fine! Have fun!

Summary

Overall a very good choice for light to medium duty cooking on the trail. Easy to use, lightweight, good heat control.

I have owned and operated a Pocket Rocket for 7 years. It is a great stove for younger scouts because it is easy to use and is a confidence builder. It makes for a good backup stove on a backpacking trip. (Jetboil + Pocket Rocket)  Main + backup and can consume same fuel canisters.  

I have used for day hiking and for heating a fast cup of tea, coffee, or noodles. Its simplicity is one of its greatest assets. It does need protection from wind and breeze. But, that is generally not hard to provide. Good heat output. Can be used to heat many type of pots, cups — no proprietary cup/pot needed like Jetboil. The price is right.  

Stability is something to be careful with if you use a small canister. But, I have never lost a meal due to tip over. Very good variable heat output.

I have a few different stoves but this is my favorite for day hiking when I want to fix something warm. I find the Pocket Rocket to be efficient, fast to light, easy to control. We have benchmarked it  and it performs to its published specification and competes well for boil time with other stoves. It will always lag a stove with a special pot like Jetboil. But, it size, weight, easy of use make it my favorite for light to medium duty cooking going solo or on a small crew. 

Summary

Overall great backpacking stove! Great for the money.

I got my PocketRocket about two years ago for an upcoming backpacking trip. It worked great on that trip and still is after about 150 days of use! I really like how light it is to carry in my pack and how easy the set up is. I've used MSR WhisperLite before and it takes a little more work to use (not much).

One thing I don't like about the PocketRocket is that it's not the most stable of stoves, but that's to be expected when you're going for lightweight and compact. I also don't like that you can only use one fuel type for this stove. That can be limiting when traveling abroad.

I would recommend this stove to anyone looking for a lightweight backpacking stove!

Summary

Great 3.5 season stove. Lightweight, convenient, easy to operate, efficient, and packs very small.

There really isn't anything bad to say about this small, very lightweight, convenient, easy to use, idiot-proof, and no frills stove. Simply attach it to a compatible canister (i.e. isobutane, propane, and n-butane), turn the gas on, and light it (no priming or pumping necessary). It comes with a plastic case, packs very small, burns clean, and is not messy at all.  

The only complaint, and it's an issue with all canister stoves, is it is not very efficient in the extreme cold because the fuel will vaporize (in winter, the higher the propane content in the blend, the better - I prefer Primus canisters).

Summary

Works great!

What can I add that hasn't already been said about this great stove. It's easy to set up. It heats water super fast. The flame is adjustable. And it literally fits into your pocket (or cook set).

I'm more partial to alcohol stoves, because the fuel is lighter and easier to pick up at any convenience store, but I have to admit, the Pocket Rocket gets my water up to a faster boil, shortening my cooking time significantly.

The price on this is a big selling factor. I know JetBoil appears to be a superior system, but this is little stove is a full $60-$90 cheaper.

If you're looking for a light weight, entry level (and beyond) stove, I'd go with this one.

Summary

Tiny in size, light in weight, easy to set up, and quick to cool down and pack back up; this is the ideal backcountry canister stove for the minimalist backpacker.

Pocket Rocket is my go-to stove for backcountry adventures. It ships with a red triangular prism box that it easily fits into and no matter how cold/hot it is outside is easy to attach to the canister. 

To start it, all you need to do is turn it enough to hear the hiss, and hold a lighter or a burning match above it, and it immediately picks up. Usually boils a 2 cup water in my titanium pot in about 3-5 minutes. Flame is adjustable so you can trade boiling time for more fuel usage.

I've been using it for over a year now, and it's gotten wet, sandy and dusty and has held up through all conditions. For windy conditions, I recommend using a screen to make sure flame is standing up right, but even in high winds, most of the flame was still hitting the bottom of the stove. With the red MSR canisters you'll also have to make sure ground is level and there are no debris around it, but that's common sense with all backcountry stoves.

Summary

Really light, well made backpacking stove.

Really well made, lite backpacking stove. Better for small pots, use on level ground because can be tippy. Over 5 yrs use with no problems.

Summary

My favorite stove.

I bought this at the Natahalia Outdoor center 3 yrs ago when the Coleman stove I brought sprung a leak. We used it to cook with and it worked like a charm. It has been my go-to stove ever since. For one to two people it is perfect!

Lightweight and small. It works really well with a liter pot. Has a really fast boil time and can be adjusted to a simmer.

Summary

Great! Super light, very compactable, good power.

This stove is pretty dang awesome, and has been fueling me for a couple years now. Great reliability, super light, but sturdy, takes up very little space, ect. Great for any backpacking!

Haha.... now, if you are using a weird-shaped pot or something, this could definitely be a "noodle-dumper". It's very small, including the cookware supports, but as long as you're careful, this should not be a problem.

All in all, great product. I highly recommend this for lightweight/ultralight backpackers.

Summary

If you've been researching what stove to buy, you found it, stop looking and buy this one!

I've had my PocketRocket stove for over 8 years now and it impresses me every time I use it. It's very fuel efficient, extremely lightweight and takes up hardly any room at all in a pack. The fuel is readily available at most camping stores and Walmarts. The flame is adjustable and stays lit in the wind.  

I didn't time how long it takes to boil water but it is fast, even in cold temperatures.

Easy to use is a gross understatement.

I had to break out my SVEA 123 last trip just to get a feeling for a stove that would take more than 1 second to light.

Miserly on the juice too, one canister (MSR 8 oz/227g) for a week at 6000-8000 feet. This constitutes water heating duties only.

Very quality, and super small.

With the provided red plastic container, a baby BiC lighter fits inside and will permit the lid to still be snapped on. I really like this little stove!

Downside is that it is a canister stove, but that is just the way it goes for this type of performance.

UPDATE:

Still love this little guy! Maybe kind of tippy 'cause it sits high, but it boils water quick. I have taken this stove to 12,000 feet and it still works just fine. 

Summary

Lightweight, no problems at all. Do not store without the case.

This is a great lightweight stove that is easy to carry, set up and use. For the price, there is not a better "entry-level" backpacking stove. I would not recommend putting in your pack without the case as there are sharp edges. 

This is a great stove. I've owned this for about 6 years and I can't find any complaints!

Great boil time, lightweight, small size.

I'm in the process of testing a Jetboil stove!

I love my PocketRocket! It does exactly what I need it to do... boil water.

Very light weight and compact. I have been using it now for about three years. It has never let me down.

This is an awesome stove!!!! I spend my time hiking on the A.T. and take this with me every time!!! Boil time is fast and a fuel canister will last a week or more no problem. I usually make oatmeal and coffee every morning and boil water for dinner time. Sometimes I'll throw in a hot lunch too...

I fabricated a light wind shield and got a three legged foldable canister support from the internet and Presto !! the perfect setup !!! The stove, Lg. fuel canister, cookpot, spoon, cup and pot grabber weigh under a pound ... The whole "kitchen" fits in the side pocket of my pack.

REMEMBER, DO NOT wrap your windscreen around the canister just the burner!! You could go BOOM!!!!! I have not done this, I just read a warning somewhere. Jay

33 reviews on this stove say it all — it's a living legend and one of the best canister stoves in the market regarding the prize/quality ratio. 

It's literally a rocket in your pocket — small, light and very efficient. You won´t need to set it on the maximum flame very often.

It's durable — no worries about causing a damage to this small rocket.

The small integrated windshield on the burner is helpful, of course it won't stop strong wind, but it will definitely help.

The flame regulator is big enough to work with it while wearing gloves. 

The burner is smaller, which is good for using smaller pots or mugs — it won't burn their sides. The legs are also small and definitely not for big heavy pots, but that's not a negative. People must be aware of the fact, that this stove is designated mainly for solo or couple use and it works great with Ti mugs and small pots.

It's compact — the red plastic box is perfect, but you can also put it into the MSR Titan Kettle together with mid size canister.

Yes, you can find even more compact (but a little bit heavier) stove on the market (Optimus Crux, which I am also starting to use by now), but the price, simplicity and durability of this stove is incredible and beats the others (Primus, Coleman, GoSystem...).

Pros:

• weight
• durability
• efficiency
• price 
• simplicity

Cons:

• nothing in this category, but if you are looking for both light and very compact stove, check the Optimus Crux

The Mountain Safety Research (MSR) Pocket Rocket is a canister mounted, single fuel, IsoPropane stove.

One of the greatest benefits of this stove, my main reason for purchase also, is its size and weight. As can be seen from the images the stove fits within the palm of my hand, and weighs only 86 grams or 3 ounces.

Starting from a top down approach on the stove we can see that there are three ‘legs’ which fold out when in use and back in towards the main body when packed away. The legs are tightly hinged at the base so there is no instability.

When the legs are in the outer position they are not completely level, as can be seen from the image, the manufacturer advises that this creates better stability for a wider range of pots or pans. The legs are also 10 cm or 4 inches apart, (point to point) and have small serrations for extra grip.

At flame point there is a Windclip Windshield, (tri-sectional) designed to help protect the flame from light winds.

The stove has a standard screw type connection valve to the gas cylinder, however one point which I find
advantageous is that there is a differing in texture around the area where it is tightened to assist with grip. The stove is sealed to the cylinder with an o-ring.

Located near the base of the assembly is the flame control valve. The flame can be turned right down
(counter clockwise) to simmer and conversely turned (clockwise) up to a very fast boil. The control valve also folds away close to the body for packing and to prevent damage.

There is no ignitor with this model which does not create any issues as far as I am concerned, it always starts first time with a match or lighter which I generally carry for other fire lighting purposes.

Stability of the Pocket Rocket is surprisingly good, to date I have not had any issues with the stove toppling over. I have used the Titan Kettle, mainly to boil water, and prefer to use an aluminium pot which provides me with the ability to cook meals.

Both the titan kettle and the aluminium pot I have used have been very stable which attribute to the serrated edge and inward angle of the legs. The performances of the cooking pots are not discussed in this review.

In normal conditions I have experience whilst hiking, boiling water takes approximately three minutes as per the manufacturer’s website. On most occasions I do not bring the water to the boil as this is too hot for my liking and also saves on gas. Two and a half minutes is sufficient for hot drinks and dehydrated meals.

Testing has made it is apparent that the Windclip Windshield this does prevent the flame from blowing out but it does not protect it from being blown sideways thus reducing the efficiency of the flame.

The o-ring which provides the seal between the stove and cylinder has not shown any signs of wear after 18 months.

The control valve has proved to be exceptionally good, as mentioned above in the product description, and shows no signs of wear. I was initially concerned about the location of the valve and thought that it might be difficult to get to or become hot as the stove is in use, neither of these proved to be an issue.

There are few safety items, specific to the stove, which I would like to mention, as per the instructions that came with the stove.

*Ensure the stove and the canister is correctly assembled before operating.
*Do not light indoors, in a tent, vehicle or other enclosed area (Carbon Monoxide hazard)
*Do not obstruct the flow of combustion and ventilation air.
*Always check for leaks before operating.
*Never disconnect stove while still lit.
*Do not place heavy loads on the stove, maximum of 3.6kg or 8 pounds.
*Never leave unattended.

The pocket rocket comes with a red plastic case for storage which due to the pointed nature and legs and the
build up of soot from burn time is a great idea to help protect my pack and other items. (also protecting the stove).

Upon reading the information on the back of the MSR branded IsoPro canister I was amazed to read about a warning that the use of, in some states in America, can lead to cancer. An email was sent to the customer service with a very prompt reply to state that legally they are obliged to note this as legislation in some states requires this, other states do not. Other brands of IsoPro that I currently use to do not note this, I will be following up to see if there are any specific reasons for this.

* Conclusion
This is a great stove and I highly recommend it to anyone that is looking for fast, effective cooking with minimal weight and at a great price.

* Pros
Light, efficient, durable and affordable.

* Cons
Unable to utilise a windshield (as with any canister mounted stove).

I also own an MSR Whisperlite and several alcohol stoves, but this is now the only one I take backpacking.

It's durable - almost 6 years, a few boilovers and not one problem.

It's fast and efficient. It heats enough water for a dinner or a beverage in just a few minutes. Its pinpoint flame is great for heating small, one-person pots (no flame is wasted up the sides of the pot).

This stove is REALLY easy on the fuel! I always overestimate how much I'll need for a trip. I typically use about 2oz. for a week in the wilderness, and when I take it out for a long weekend, I can't tell that my 8oz. can has been used. (I'm going to start buying 4oz. cans.)

The flame is easily adjustable from a tiny, silent lick of blue flame to a 6" roaring brazing torch. I find that this stove performs best when the flame is about 1.5" tall. Sure it takes a little longer than at full-blast, but it doesn't waste fuel.

As far as wind screens go... I use myself, some trees/rocks (if available), or a makeshift "wall" of Nalgene bottles. No problems yet, even in a strong bora! If you need to heat a big pot, prop it up on 3 rocks over the stove (so the stove isn't bearing the weight.

This is the gold standard stove for hardcore, no frills mountainfolk for many reasons. It's ridiculously light, durable, simple to use, HOT, efficient... Its design hasn't changed in a long time. How often do Primus or Coleman change designs with similar stoves?...

I have used this little stove for a lot of things. I have not tested it on the trail yet, but will be doing so soon. I have had a lot of kitchen and back yard adventures.

I used to be a chef and I was looking for a good controlled flame simmer for stuff like rice, curries, stews, soups, noodles, and oatmeal. A higher setting for boiling water, melting snow, freeze dried stuff, as well as my own dehydrated dishes. I love one pot meals so this will be great. I also cooked spam, hot dogs, steak chunks, toast, marshmallows over the open flame with great success.

I love this stove I feel it will meet all my needs in the woods and it already has met my expectations in the backyard.

I have a chemist friend that said it works great as a lab burner as well. Two thumbs up.

This stove is pretty nice. I like stove over my old Superfly because it is more compact, lighter, and cheaper. Plus, I have had problems with push button ignition stoves in the past. I know, I can still light it with a match or lighter, but why carry the extra weight? It's just one more thing to go wrong.

This stove is truly designed according to the KISS philosophy. I use it for ultralight hiking when I want to take a stove. It's very compact, and folds up into its own little triangular prism shaped storage bin.

It doesn't boil quite as fast, but I don't really care about a few seconds here or there. It does have trouble in colder weather (as all canister stoves do) and the wind can wreak havoc on it. For one person, the pot supports are adequate. I use it with an MSR Titan Mug or Evernew Titanium Kettle and don't have any problems. I would definitely be hesitant to use something larger like my 1.5 or 2 L pot.

This thing has been running strong for over three years now, which is also a plus.

Love this stove! lightweight, tiny, fuel efficient. Perfect for boiling water, and  it does boil fast its name suits it.

A little tricky when it comes to frying pan use, it get so hot you have to perform like a pro chef picking the pan up and such. But i would recommend this stove for all your boiling needs.

Oh yeah i guess it's not the greatest in the cold or high altitudes, but that's where the Whisperlite comes in handy.

i love this stove. i used it on winter trip. i had no problems with it.

the downside is that you have to carry the empty canisters out when they are empty.

other than that this is the best stove i have had.

The MSR PocketRocket is a great feat of engineering! I have used it now for over a year and a half on many an excursion (car camping/backpacking/overnighters) and it lives up to its name.

It is truly pocket sized, but packs the punch of a rocket! With a pair of legs on the canister, it is well balanced and despite a few really windy experiences I have yet to see a breeze/minor wind blow my flame out.

I love the name. Who doesn't like a pocket rocket?

But really this little stove is simple and effective. I haven't had any problems at all. Make sure you use the bigger can though—it is easier to balance. For $40 you can't really go wrong.

Best burner, hands down. Light, strong, and fast. Boils water in 3 minutes. Won't leave home without it!

I bought this thing about a year and a half ago from REI. From the start I knew this would really only be good for boiling water. It has a pretty small hot spot. Yeah, you could cook something with this if you really wanted to but it's more effort than I wish to expend. With the freeze-dried food out there nowadays why bother cooking?

Anyways, this heats up a pot of water pretty quick as long as the wind isn't blowing. If it is, forget it. I made a deflector/wind screen out of a piece of 4" aluminum dryer vent that I "paperclip" to the pot. It helps but you have to shelter the stove from the wind. I would imagine that this problem it not unique to this stove. As far as the "tipping" problem suggested in other reviews I haven't experienced it. At all. I've always used the large gas canister and find a flat spot to put the stove before lighting it.

I use the GSI "hard anodized" boiler set with the stove. I recommend it highly. The large fuel canister, inside a clean sock, fits perfectly inside the tall pot which fits inside if the short pot. Toss the steel handles that come with the pot set and get an aluminum pot handle. The bag that comes with the set is big enough to put the handle and PocketRocket on top of the pots so all your water heating equipment is in one place in your pack.

I often take the kit with me on day hikes with my girlfriend so we can have something hot to eat for lunch. For boiling water it does the job very well.

Love this little stove. Canister is definitely the way to go if you aren't going to be out in the cold, and even then I've heard of some ways to weasel around the cold (though they seemed to be a bit of a hastle). You can't beat the ease of getting the stove going, as well as the super low maintenance. Weight is wonderful and so is the size, esp if you use the smaller canisters.

Be careful of stability. Three prongs is fine as long as ground is level, and you have to watch it if you use bigger pots. The only downside I would give this stove is its performance in windy conditions. A small breeze can blow the flame around very easily. I have not used it yet in stong winds (and don't look foward to doing so for I know that I am going to have to find someway to shelter it rather well). Overall very please and would buy again.

p.s. on a side note, fuel consumption has been good too. I have cooked a number of meals, sometimes for more than one person, and in one instance boiled a qt of water for purification. I guess to have used about half of an 8 oz fuel can.

An excellent value. I got mine at Adventure16 for only $30 - they had a 25% off sale on all MSR products. It has a wide range flame adjustment, allowing you to perform most cooking. It isn't the greatest for delicate foods like pancakes or baking, but is perfect for frying and boiling water.

You need to make a homemade windshield for it (just google canister stove wind shield) out of tin and aluminum foil. Also, for cold weather, a copper wire heat exchanger is a must (you can google that also). But with those 2 items in your pack also (adds about 1 oz extra weight) you can even use this stove in frigid weather.

If you take the time to make the wind screen and heat exchanger, then this stove becomes the best combination of weight, performance, and price on the market.

Incredible stove! This is the type of stove that you can use at any time. If you are looking for a Jetboil or anything like that look no further. This little stove has everything you need and more! Of course it's not a mug like the Jetboil, this is the best backpacking stove on the market. It's so lightweight and extremely cheap!

Great little stove. It is easy to pack, super simple to connect to a fuel bottle and light, and easy to maintain. I've had no problems with this stove in general, but I'll state the obvious by saying you must ensure a stable placement on the ground before loading a heavy pot onto it. In the cold it keeps up pretty well, but windy conditions will leave you in need of some kind of wind screen (usually I just cup my hands near the flame) to keep the flames directed onto the pot. Forget about stoves that require priming and/or pre-lighting in all but the extreme cold- the PocketRocket is enough to do almost any outdoor cooking job.

This is a great stove. It's small, light, and it works. Just make sure you use it out of the wind or the heat will blow off or the flame will go out. I have used my stove for a year now with no problems so the durability is good as well.

The stove is an effective one. I first got to try it out in South Dakota in December. The cold didn't seem to bother it at all. It's light as hell, it heats up fast and MSR makes durable good products so I'm pretty confident it will be as good in 4 years as when I got it over 1 year ago.

The negative is obvious, go sit on a 3 legged stool. You need to make sure your pot is balanced.

All in all, if you're like me you're between the PocketRocket and the Superfly. I think it's a good choice to go with the PocketRocket. The Superfly doesn't seem that much more stable than the PocketRocket.

A great little stove. I bought mine about four years ago and it has not let me down. I had looked into the DragonFly and the WhisperLite when this stove came out and I am glad I got it. It is much lighter than the other two stoves and only a little heaver than the ultralite alcohol type stoves. It is very easy to use and there are several sizes of fuel canisters to choose from.

Once I decided to go the lightweight backpacking route, not ultralight mind you, I needed to find a stove that worked well and was lightweight. The Pocket Rocket fit that bill very well.

Mind you no stove is perfect in all ways and conditions but this little beast comes close. I only use it for 3 season camping and yes it is a little tippy, but the PR and the MSR ti kettle are perfect for its weight class.

I am a big fan of the Pocket Rocket. I have used it on multiple trips and it hasn't failed me yet. There is good control over flame size, and when going full throttle it can boil stuff fast.

My concern is the same as others, I often get quite scared about it tipping when using it. I haven't yet done it, but every meal seems to get my heart racing. I think I could do without that.

Overall, this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone. Indeed I recommended it to my friend this summer. He got it and loves it as well. So long.

I've used this for about 4-5 years and it is nice for a light weight no nonsense stove. You can't take it to altitude or really cold climates but for most of my trips it has been great. It does have a fairly tight heat pattern so be careful using it to cook eggs and pancakes on. We use it mainly for heating water. Lately we use the Jetboil though. The Pocket Rocket is small, lighweight, adjustable, and so far I've had no problems with it. Just the limitations of a cannister stove and the tight heating pattern.

Got my eye shined when first used it. Like the name suggests, the jet of flame is pretty like a rocket! From tiny simmer to full throttle, any cook who possesses it can adjust very specifically. Nice one!

This stove is truley impressive in comparison to some of the other backpacking stoves I have seen. The flame can be turned into a rather large torch and if you want to just have a small simmer flame it can also serve that purpose. My favorite thing about the stove would have to be the weight and the space saved in your backpack. Truley a must buy for a hiking stove.

I started with a much heavier multi fuel stove. Now I will never go back. Very light weight and boils a cup of water in about two minutes, and with practice this can be done in 25 MPH winds. I fry spam and eggs in the mornings without a hiccup. What a great little stove. Don't leave the home without one...

Great lightweight stove for 3-season use. Boils and cooks best if you use a tall narrow pot as the heat source is small. Not recommended for winter trips, had one in norther Wisconsin in Feb with temps in single digits and just didn't keep up.

As with other reviews, kinda small burner, but beyond that, love the thing. I use it with my DragonFly to teach Boy Scouts and have had no problems with it for the 8 or so camping trips it has gone on.

Great compact stove, and it's not too loud even at full power. My only gripe is the stability of this, and many other canister stoves -- I'd recommend some kind of support underneath the canister to prevent accidental spills.

On long trips this thing will really help you stay fed without taking up a lot of space. It's lightweight, compact, and boils water fast.

Great warm weather stove. Very light and small. Not great for very cold weather or high altitude. Don't forget to bring a wind shield.

I had boiling water at the top of the mountain in under 5 minutes...

I'm impressed!!

Update: January 18, 2011

Cooked tomato soup and hot water for hot chocolate, super fast!!

5 stars!!

Fast boiling, lightweight, awesome stove for hiking, backpacking, or lightweight mountaineering.

I've been mainly a gas stove person after a bad experience using a old blue canister stove in the 1970s. I decided to try this one since the price was right and had seen so many on the trail. After using this stove on a recent overnighter, I started to rethink about my choice in stoves. It will now be my fast-pack stove for future three-day trips. One drawback to this stove, is that you need to close the valve when hooking up the canister .