User Review: MSR PocketRocket

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.