MSR pocket Rocket Deluxe Review - “Does everything you could possibly ask of a humble gas stove”
Posted by Mark Richardson on Oct 18, 2022
This is one of the easiest reviews I’ve ever had to write, MSR’s Pocket Rocket Deluxe stove does everything you could possibly ask of a humble gas stove. I used it first on a trip to Glen Shiel in Scotland and on the first night I camped on the Kintail ridge, it was windy and exposed but the Pocket Rocket Deluxe coped with it well, the concave burner head (while not an original feature) provides good protection from windy gusts.
That’s not the full story, the stove also has a regulator. Most gas stoves don’t have one, which means the gas streaming through the stove relies solely on the pressure in the canister – great when it’s full but as a canister gets less full the pressure goes down affecting the performance of the stove.
Stoves with regulators solve this by controlling the flow of gas so that it more or less constant pressure until the canister is virtually empty. I experienced this on a recent trip and can confirm that it works.
The other thing that reduces pressure in gas canisters is temperature, at low temperatures pressure is significantly reduced, so much so that the heat output from your gas stove can be severely affected. Again, a regulator solves this issue by ensuring pressure is maintained over greater temperature ranges.
The Pocket Rocket Deluxe also has a piezo igniter which looks to be robust although these often eventually fail due to charring or other damage, I would always carry a strike igniter anyway just in case.
It’s light, packs down small and comes with a tough pouch to protect other kit from the sharp (-ish) pot supports. If you carry it in your cooking pot you can leave the pouch at home and save a few grams.
The size of the burner head and pot supports make it suitable for one or two people cooking and will take a 1.5L pot comfortably. A large wire handle controls the flow of gas (which folds away neatly when the stove is not in use) and is quite sensitive meaning this stove can be used to simmer food or warm it through.
It weighs hardly any more than the standard Pocket Rocket that it’s hard to see why anyone wouldn’t buy the deluxe version, except, perhaps for the price difference.
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Mark Richardson |
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Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. |
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