Walking Equipment and Accessories

MSR’s New 2017 PocketRocket 2 Stove | First Look

We thought you might like an early look at the new for 2017, completely revised, MSR PocketRocket 2 ultra-lightweight stove which is on sale this month.

The original Pocket Rocket was arguably the definitive ultra-lightweight, canister-top stove, coming complete with its signature red-plastic triangular come cylindrical case. It burned hot, weighed 85 grammes and boiled a litre of water in a claimed 3 mins 30 seconds.

Other lightweight rivals came and went, but the MSR kept its reputation as arguably the original and best.

Red As A Red Thing…

Enter the new PocketRocket 2. In some ways nothing has changed: the plastic carry case is still made from red plastic and the claimed boil time for a litre of water is an identical 3 mins 30. In other respects it’s completely different.

The red plastic case is no longer the familiar, slot-together two-piece triangle, instead it’s a sort of stubby rectangular mini-chest with a hinged lid that’s smaller and neater. That’s possible because the stove itself has had a redesign to make it significantly more compact.

In particular, the pot support arms are now hinged and pivoted so they tuck in close to the stove body and burner. Some 20% more compact says MSR, small enough for stove and case to fit inside an MSR Titan mug.

Here are some images so you can see how neatly put together it all is.

Obvious differences are the red anodised control valve and the new, sturdier, fold-away stove support arms - images: Jon

New sturdy folding support arms use a double pivot mechanism to fold neatly away and reduce bulk by 20% - image: Jon

The end result is seriously compact and neat with a weight of just 73g for the stove - image: Jon

The block which screws onto the gas canister is now a modish machined red anodised affair - image: Jon

The new compact storage coffin in familiar red plastic with a hinged lid - image: Jon

The burn time is claimed to be identical to the original PocketRocket which we've always found to be an effective heat source - image: Jon

There's still no integral ignition system so you'll need an alternative option like a fire steel - image: Jon

Weight Watching…

The other vital statistic that’s changed is the weight. It’s down from 85 grammes to 73 grammes – not earth-shattering, but it all adds up. The new carry case adds an additional 30 grammes, but proper weight weenies will, of course, be leaving that at home.

Other stuff we can tell you is that the new pan supports do a good job of feeling sturdy, positively located and reliable once folded out in contrast to the original’s slightly spindly vibe. The fold-out wire control, erm, thing, is easy to use with or without gloves and the stove generally has a feel of sturdy quality to it.

Light My Fire, Please…

Two things that haven’t changed are that there’s no integrated electronic ignition, so you’ll need a lighter or fire steel to get things going. And you’ll also need to source your own lightweight wind-shield.

Last but not least, one other thing that hasn’t changed so far is the price, which is £30, same as the original. We’ll get a proper review up once we’ve had a chance to use the PocketRocket 2 in anger, but first thoughts are that it looks like a great update to the original classic stove.