I use the MSR with a Toaks 750ml titanium pot, and it works great.
Praise
Outdoor & Camping
MSR PocketRocket 2
Best Canister Stove
The MSR PocketRocket 2 is the definitive ultralight canister stove — a benchmark in backpacking gear trusted by hikers worldwide. At just 73g it collapses to the size of a lighter, screwing directly onto standard isobutane/propane canisters. Its serrated pot supports hold pots of all sizes securely, and the precision valve gives you fine flame control from simmer to a rolling boil. If you only own one camping stove, this is the one.
8 mentions · 4 threadslast mention Feb 20256.3/ 10
ClearPick Score
Buyer Beware
Score informed by 8 owner mentions across 4 Reddit threads · see every quote ↓
3 positive2 mixed3 negative
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Best Canister Stove
MSR PocketRocket 2
~$145 CAD est. on Amazon.ca
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Every mention, sourced
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
Don't buy a bunch of the Coleman without testing one on your stove first. There have been mixed reports of people having trouble with the canisters not working for their stoves. Essentially the issue seems to be that not all stoves have a long enough needle to open the valve on the Coleman canisters.
Complaint
I had both, started with the MSR Pocketrocket 2/Toaks 750. It's a nice combo, but in the end I preferred the Jetboil Stash. It was slightly faster boiling the water for my morning coffee, so time was of essence.
Comparison
Neither, they are backpacking stoves. They are all designed for just boiling water and suck for actual cooking.
Complaint
The pocket rocket has a much narrower flame and thus will do a great job at heating up the center of the pan only.
Complaint
They are light and compact and cost less. They are not as good in sub freezing temps.
Comparison
I went with the pocket rocket 2/deluxe over the jet boil systems/stove. The 2/deluxe has a bigger burner and a burner lip that the orig pocket rocket doesn't have any makes a a bit more wind proof. On the trail this year I had no issues with the wind as some others did.
Praise
The pocket rocket and the Soto are both better at having a larger heat spread thanks to the larger surface area of there burners.
Comparison
✅ What Works
- Extremely light and compact, a favorite for backpacking
- Wind-resistant burner lip design praised for reliable outdoor setup
- Works well paired with common titanium pots for fast boiling
⚠️ Worth Knowing
- Narrow flame concentrates heat in the center of a pan, poor for actual cooking beyond boiling water
- Some off-brand fuel canisters don't seat properly on the valve
- Weaker performance in sub-freezing temperatures compared to some competitors
ClearPick Verdict
The MSR PocketRocket 2 gets a genuinely mixed but leaning-positive read from owners (3 positive, 2 mixed, 3 negative among 8 mentions). Backpackers consistently praise its light weight, compact size, and wind-resistant burner lip, and it pairs well with common titanium pots for boiling water fast. The complaints are mostly about its limits as a cooking stove rather than failures: the narrow flame heats only the center of a pan, making it a poor choice for actual cooking beyond boiling, some off-brand fuel canisters don't seat properly on the valve, and performance drops off in sub-freezing temperatures compared to some rivals. Great if you mainly need to boil water fast and pack light; if you want to actually cook meals on trail, pair it with a wider pot or consider a stove built for that.
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