MSR PocketRocket 2 Ultralight Camping and Backpacking Stove
The backpacking stove standard. Weighs 2.6 ounces, packs inside a standard MSR fuel canister, and boils a liter of water in 3.5 minutes.
Updated
- 2.6 ounce total weight packs inside a standard MSR fuel canister
- Boils 1 liter in approximately 3.5 minutes at sea level
- Folding three-arm pot support fits pots up to 4-inch base diameter
Best For / Not For
Best for
- Backpackers who count every ounce of pack weight
- Solo or duo hikers who boil water for freeze-dried meals and hot drinks
- Three-season backpacking trips where wind is manageable
Not for
- Car campers who need two burners for full meal preparation
- High-wind ridge camps where a windscreen is not available
- Extremely cold winter camping where isobutane pressure drops below usable levels
Key Details
What Makes It Stand Out
The PocketRocket 2's defining quality is the combination of ultralight weight and genuine cooking capability. At 2.6 ounces, it's not a compromise solution that barely works -- it delivers a usable simmer to boil range that lets you actually cook, not just boil water. The folding pot arms lock into position and hold a standard 0.9-liter pot securely without wobbling.
The fact that it packs inside a standard 4-oz or 8-oz MSR fuel canister is a real system benefit. You carry the stove and fuel as a single integrated unit with no extra bag, case, or organizational effort. For multi-day backpacking trips where every cubic inch of pack volume matters, this matters.
Wind Performance
The PocketRocket 2 is not a wind-resistant stove. An open canister-mounted burner is inherently susceptible to flame disruption in exposed conditions. MSR sells the WindBurner as the wind-optimized solution in their lineup. If you camp regularly on exposed ridges or in open above-treeline terrain, the SOTO WindMaster or MSR WindBurner is the better choice. For the majority of sheltered campsite cooking, the PocketRocket 2's wind sensitivity is a non-issue.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 2.6-ounce weight is among the lightest functional backpacking stoves available
- Packs inside a standard fuel canister for a true zero-footprint carry solution
- Consistent flame from simmer to high output with a single valve
- Strong buyer feedback -- proven reliability over many seasons
Cons
- No windscreen included -- open flame is disrupted in exposed ridge conditions
- Pot supports are narrow -- wider pots require care to balance correctly
- Performance drops in temperatures below freezing as isobutane pressure decreases
Bottom Line
Buy the MSR PocketRocket 2 if you backpack and need the lightest functional stove available at a fair price. It's the benchmark for a reason.
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