The New MSR MicroRocket -- Completed Review

I've completed my review of the new MSR MicroRocket.


If you've been following my blog posts as I wrote my review, you'll have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to say, although hopefully the review will tie everything together as well as serve as a summary.


Anyway, have a look if you like: The New MSR MicroRocket -- Completed Review


HJ

HJ -- My MicroRocket is in hand. I haven't used it yet, but I don't need to fire it up to feel the quality and beefiness you've mentioned. Should be a great stove. Thanks.

Yeah, if you hold the two stoves (PocketRocket, MicroRocket) in your hand, the build quailty and the "beefiness factor" is like night and day. The MicroRocket is a really nice stove. I know a lot of people really like the PocketRocket, but the PR was never one of my go to gas stoves.

For a while I really liked my Crux, and it's still a good stove, but when I got my Snow Peak Giga Power which has excellent pot stability, I found myself using my Crux a lot less.

Now, will my MicroRocket replace my GigaPower as my "go to" gassie? Hard to say, but those two are my top choices for stoves in this class. The MR is a little lighter and a little more compact. The GigaPower has better pot stability, and the flame is a little more dispersed so you don't get quite the hot spot. I guess I'd take either one depending on the type of trip. My PocketRocket probably won't see much use now that I've got a MicroRocket, and probably neither will my Crux.

HJ

Will MSR be selling the separate piezoelectric ignition separately? It isn't listed with stove accessories, but maybe it should be...

Russ,

I don't know, but I will ask. It's handy. And with it, suddenly any stove you own has a piezoelectric ignition.

I've tried out the ignition on other stoves, and it works pretty well. I've used it on alcohol, white gas, and gas stoves. Not sure I'd recommend it for white gas or not; I haven't played with it enough yet on white gas.

The only trouble is on gas stoves where the burner head distributes the gas, stoves like a SuperFly or a Crux. I had to tilt the stove down and light the stove on the downhill side of the burner head.

HJ

I recall someone boiled over his lunch and spilled onto the burner on gigapower, and that mesh is impossible to clean out. Perhaps the MSR are advantageous in this aspect.

The MicroRocket is indeed more compact and ever so slightly lighter than the Pr. However, I have used the PR with perfect satisfaction ever since it came out about ten years ago. No problem with pot stability, although I have always used it with a fairly small pot. It is good to know that there are lots of really fine, effective stoves out there; they can make a real difference when conditions turn crummy.

Spilled food isn't much fun on any burner. I wouldn't want to try it on a MR. If I got to choose which type of burner to spill on, I'd pick a "roarer" burner like on an XGK or Svea 123. Those I think would be easiest to clean. Best not to spill though.

HJ

Nice review. Looks like I'm getting a new stove!

Let me say just a bit more on this subject:

I have quite a number of small upright canister stoves. Here's a few (and yes I have more*):
a) Snow Peak GS-100 GigaPower
b) Vargo Jet Ti
c) Markill Hot Rod
d) Optimus Crux
d) MSR SuperFly
e) Monatauk Gnat
f) Soto MicroRegulator
g) MSR PocketRocket
h) MSR MicroRocket

The two I rate as top stoves? The MicroRocket and the GigaPower. Which is the better? Well, it depends. I rate the GigaPower as superior on pot stability, and the GP has a more dispersed flame (although not as nice as say a SuperFly). On the other hand, the MicroRocket is lighter and definitely more compact.

I think it's going to come down to what matters to you as to which is the better stove.

Is the MicroRocket a better stove than the PocketRocket? That's a complete no-brainer: Yes, the MicroRocket is clearly the better stove. The only negative in that comparison against the MicroRocket is that it takes a couple of seconds to rotate the pot supports into place, but in return for those extra seconds, you get a lighter, more durable, more compact stove. A more than fair trade in my opinion.

HJ

*Aren't you glad to know that a deranged gear fanatic is a forum moderator?

I'm not deranged! Each one of those flashlights fills a very specific purpose!

And don't get my started on why I need yet another stove.

HJ

It's different! See, this one is smaller but still simmers well! This one has a different tint for better color rendering! This one has a lower "low" mode!

If I have any more questions about stoves, I know who to turn to.

Jeanette Isabelle

On Piezio igniters, I have used one of these for the last thirty years or so:

Everest Igniter

Supposedly used up Everest, thus the name, and has never failed me whatever the weather. A little larger than i the photos above but bombproof.

Interesting. What does it weigh?

HJ

Gas Igniter x10 Gold "Everest" Spark Ignitor on eBay. Doesn't mention weight, ~6" long if the math in my head is right. MSR has done better than that and I'll bet they can beat the price too.

On my non-calibrated kitchen scales it comes in at 2-1/2 oz or 70gm and 7-1/8" long but you need some length to get under the stove.

Mine is all metal so I would expect the modern models to be a fraction lighter.

They, like the above stove, reek quality, you would be hard put to damage them, probably have to drive over them a couple of times.

Designed to light kitchen stoves in the days before pilot lights I also have as back up one used by my Grandmother some forty five years ago. It has sat in the bottom of my toolbox for at least the last twenty years and I have just taken it out and it worked, as expected, first try after all that time.

A bit heavy for a backpacker/hill walker since an entire stove weighs about that amount, but probably a good choice for car camping or short trips.

What is the means of ignition? Flint and steel?

HJ

Piezo ignition

Piezoelectricity works the other too: if you feed it a voltage, the crystal deforms. This is the principle that lets quartz watches keep time so well.

Thank you, Russ.

I was actually trying to ask whether this was piezo or flint-and-steel not how piezo works, but cool to have an explanation posted.

HJ