MSR PocketRocket

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

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?...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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 .