MSR PocketRocket 2 Review

No. An earlier version of this review said it had a built-in piezo igniter, and that was wrong. SectionHiker lists "Piezo Igniter: No". OutdoorGearLab's table says No. CleverHiker says the igniter switch is one of the main differences between the PocketRocket 2 and its sibling, the PocketRocket Deluxe.

So you light it with a match, a lighter or a fire steel. SectionHiker notes many users prefer it that way, because built-in piezo igniters often fail over time. CleverHiker packs a mini Bic lighter in the pot with the stove and an 8-ounce canister.

If you want the button, the PocketRocket Deluxe has one. CleverHiker says it has never felt much need for it.

CleverHiker lists 2.6 oz. SectionHiker's spec list says 2.5 oz, 71 g, and its text says 2.6. OutdoorGearLab weighed 116 g, about 4.1 oz, and 7.1 oz with a small pot and lid. That's the outlier, and my guess, which I'm marking as a guess, is that OutdoorGearLab weighed it in its hard plastic case. OutdoorGearLab itself suggests leaving the case at home to save grams.

For scale, the same OutdoorGearLab table puts the BRS-3000T at 39.7 g. CleverHiker says switching to the BRS saves another 1.6 oz and costs a good bit of performance and efficiency, and that lighter stoves don't offer the same stability. SectionHiker calls the PocketRocket 2 sturdy when set up, with metal construction and supports that lock firmly, even under heavier pots.

One packing note from CleverHiker: the hard case protects the stove but makes it less compact, and unless your pot is large, you probably won't nest a canister and the case together. A small stuff sack does the job if you leave the case at home.

The price math is friendly. The band ran $50-60 on October 16, 2026. For a stove that SectionHiker says should last forever, that's a small number.

OutdoorGearLab measured about 0.25 ounces of fuel to boil half a liter. Run that against a 100 g canister, which is about 3.5 oz of fuel: roughly 14 half-liter boils, or 7 full liters. CleverHiker says it's not uncommon for them to get 10 or more hot dinners out of a single 100 g can. The two line up.

CleverHiker and SectionHiker both give about 60 minutes of burn time on an 8 oz canister at full flame.

The 3 pot supports fold along the stem, and SectionHiker says the stove packs into many small pots alongside an 8 oz canister. CleverHiker fit it into a 550 ml pot with an 8 oz canister and a mini Bic. Pick a narrow pot and the whole kitchen nests.

Here's the bit I most enjoyed finding, because it's a reviewer disagreeing with the crowd. OutdoorGearLab says that for around the same price it actually prefers the SOTO Amicus, which is slightly more fuel efficient and simmers even better.

Its scores show where. Fuel efficiency: 6.2 for the PocketRocket 2, 7.0 for the Amicus. Simmering: 6.3 against 8.1. The PocketRocket 2 wins on boil time, 8.9 against 6.9, and on ease of use, 8.7 against 8.0. And for wind, its 6.1 is a long way above the BRS-3000T's 2.0. So it's quicker and simpler, and the Amicus is the better cook.

Two more names from CleverHiker. The SOTO WindMaster is bigger and slightly heavier, with a collared burner that makes it impressively windproof, an igniter and a larger pot stand. And the SOTO Amicus Cookset Combo, for about the same cost, adds two cook pots.

A bit of history to finish. SectionHiker says the PocketRocket 2 is an updated version of the original PocketRocket, lighter and smaller packed, and lists its output at 8,200 BTU. OutdoorGearLab calls it an improved classic with more durable construction. CleverHiker ranks it first of 40 stoves. Hard to argue with that.