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Backpacker Magazine – June 2009
This tiny, fast stove performs great in poor weather.
Bargain
For the price of a couple of large pizzas and a pitcher of beer, you can own a stove that's fast, light, and performs great in bad weather. The PocketRocket's burner-mounted partition divides the flame into three parts, which helps keep the fire going through moderate wind gusts even if one section blows out. In a Texas rainstorm, the MSR held a steady flame, and it outperformed all other stoves except the Soto when the mercury dropped below freezing. Downsides: Don't expect precision heat control, and the tightly focused flame creates a hotspot. The angled supports have only three tiny points of contact with the pot, so stability is iffy on anything less than level ground. And use the plastic storage box (included): One tester slightly mangled the stove's pot supports when he threw the stove into his pack unprotected.

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READERS COMMENTS
@meanolddog
You can use other brands of fuel canisters (including Primus, Snow Peak & various other brands) on the MSR Pocket Rocket. That would of canisters. If the stove threads onto the canister, it'll generally be usable, though it may not offer "optimum results."
Everybody, take care not to drop anything on those pot supports as they'll readily inflict damage on many items.
For the price of one Pizza Coleman has been making a small Canister Stove for about six or seven years now that hasn't failed me on at least 30 or more trips. It works just as well as the MSR model. But I was wondering can you use other fuel Canisters on the MSR other than the MSR as show?
I got my pocket rocket! I love it! It works awesome! Thanks MSR for a great product! Aloha!
used a friends this weekend and will be buying one shortly. Great little stove. Supports are a bit of a challenge for large pots, and I wish the canisters could be refilled, but otherwise a great backpacking stove.
This stove is awesome. I have used it on a number of trips in Maui's Haleakala Volcano, Shenandoah, New Mexico's Sangre de Christos Mountains, Alaska, etc. for backpacking and even picnics.
At first, I was wary of the tiny size and inexpensive price. "Nothing that small or cheap could put out" I thought to myself, but I was wrong. When I first turned it on, it sounded like a rocket was launching right in front of me.
This thing has huge power and boils water very quickly when needed. It does pretty well at slow cooking but could be better. For its weight and size, it is surprisingly stable, but I would not put too big of a pot on it. The hard carrying case is perfect.
I have had to do very little care or cleaning on the stove.
Possibly this stove's greatest asset, other than its power, is its simplicity.
Unless you need to cook for a large group, or are heading for some serious elevation, GET THIS STOVE.
You can't go wrong with MSR.
I just bought this yesterday and gave it a test run in some pretty strong wind. It boiled a liter of water in about 5 minutes. So light and comparably low priced it is a huge score for my first stove.
just got my pocket rocket and that thing is cool!
Does anyone know if the Pocket Rocket thread is suitable for canisters in South America? Cheers
Love my Pocket Rocket. Great for our summer trips in the Pacific NW. Its been trouble free and our food is always ready quickly.
Great little stove . Works good . I am taking it hiking in the Rockies for 17 days.
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