The MicroRocket stove is the smallest and lightest addition to the MSR stove range, it also promises the best mix of weight, size, performance and price of any stove in its class. It fits easily inside an MSR® Insulated Mug, weighs a mere 2.6 oz. (75 g) and claims outstanding stability.
The MicroRocket was engineered to maintain top-notch efficiency and power so the hard-earned weight savings weren't lost carrying extra fuel. If you're on mission to reduce your load to the absolute minimum, this could be your rocket. Carry case and hand-held piezo igniter included.
Features:
Compact: Packs exceptionally small, fitting into an MSR insulated mug.
Ultralight: Weighs just 73g (2.6oz).
Strong: Extra-stout folding pot supports deliver improved stability.
Wind-Resistant: Focused burner head pushes a persistent solid flame.
Specification:
Weight: 73g / 2.6 oz.
Weight of Piezo Electric lighter: 14g / 0.5oz
Weight of plastic container: 36g / 1.2oz
MSR Specs:
Burn time (MSR IsoPro) per 227-g / 8-oz. canister: Approx. 60 minutes
Boil time (MSR IsoPro): 1 litre 3.5 minutes
Water boiled (MSR IsoPro) per 227-g canister: 16 litres
Water boiled (MSR IsoPro) per 1 oz. of fuel: 2 litres
Packing:
The stove arrived well packed in the manufacturers box and came with full instructions. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee (as do all MSR stoves).
The stove and igniter fit into the box, the box fits into the mug and the mug fits into the pot so pack-ability isn't a problem. You can't fit a gas canister into the pot as well, sadly. A taller pot will give room for a 100 size gas canister as well as the stove and mug.
First Impressions:
It comes in a neat little plastic container that is very strong and very secure. Inside the box is the stove and a piezo igniter (more about this later). The stove is folded up to fit in the box and looks VERY small, I've included a teaspoon for scale(it doesn't come with the tea spoon.
It's very light and looks and feels very strong, more so than the pocket rocket (also from MSR). In fact the pocket rocket seems quite heavy and flimsy at the same time whereas the micro rocket seems very light and very solid at the same time.
Setup & Stability:
As with any canister top stove, stability is an issue as once the pot has anything in it, it becomes top heavy and unstable, this can only be avoided by the addition of stabilising feet, this goes for ALL canister top stoves.
The addition of a wind shield increases the performance and fuel efficiency of the stove .
The MSR Titan Kettle is 112mm in diameter and sits securely on the stove, a smaller diameter pot will also sit securely due to the ridges in the pot supports, I have tried a pot with a diameter of 94mm and this fits nicely but I wouldn't go much smaller. The MSR mug is 83mm in diameter and only just falls off so I would go no less than a pot of 90mm diameter.
Point of interest: a 100 gramme gas canister is 90mm in diameter so will fit inside a 94mm pot along with the stove and mug and still have room for a windshield and a couple of teabags.
The stove is very easy to set up and use, it packs away to a small size and will fit in a pocket or pot easily, it is light and very sturdy.
Piezo Igniter:
The idea of a piezo igniter is so that you will always have a form of ignition with the stove, that's why they are built into the stove. From my view having used piezo igniters in the past they only last for a while and then become dead weight as they no longer work.
The reason they stop working to my mind is the constant exposure to intense heat. MSR have cured this problem by providing a separate igniter. Personally I use a bic lighter as it has more than just the one use, the igniter can only be used to ignite a gas stove. I'm still not sure whether I'll carry the igniter, time will tell.
Does it work?
Yes, everytime without fail. There's not really anything else to say about the igniter except that it works and feels as if it will last.
Testing & Results:
I've done some boil tests and the results are quite shocking. For each test I boiled 500ml of cold water straight from the tap, I used an MSR Titan Kettle with lid.
The two outside tests were carried out in exactly the same position with the only difference being the inclusion of a Primus clip on the windshield for the second boil test.
Test 1:
500ml of cold water in a light breeze without a windshield and with the burner on full power.
I gave up after 5 minutes without raising a single bubble in the water. The wind just kept the flame off the bottom of the pot. I used 14g of gas and didn't even get the water lukewarm.
Test 2:
500ml of cold water in a light breeze with a windshield and the burner on full power.
Time for a rolling boil: 9 minutes and 15 seconds. I used 13g of gas.
The windshield made a huge difference despite being designed for Primus stoves. If the shield had been a little higher it would have worked a lot better. I'll be making a windshield to fit.
Test 3:
500ml of cold water indoors with the burner on full power.
Time for a rolling boil 3 minutes and 15 seconds. I used 8g of gas.
This is a lot better than the other times but still nowhere near the stated time of 3 minutes 30 seconds for a litre of water, twice what I boiled.
One thing that stands out is the windshield and the difference it makes to boil times and gas consumption. The next set of tests will be with 1 litre in a sheltered place.
The MicroRocket was engineered to maintain top-notch efficiency and power so the hard-earned weight savings weren't lost carrying extra fuel. If you're on mission to reduce your load to the absolute minimum, this could be your rocket. Carry case and hand-held piezo igniter included.
Features:
Compact: Packs exceptionally small, fitting into an MSR insulated mug.
Ultralight: Weighs just 73g (2.6oz).
Strong: Extra-stout folding pot supports deliver improved stability.
Wind-Resistant: Focused burner head pushes a persistent solid flame.
Specification:
Weight: 73g / 2.6 oz.
Weight of Piezo Electric lighter: 14g / 0.5oz
Weight of plastic container: 36g / 1.2oz
MSR Specs:
Burn time (MSR IsoPro) per 227-g / 8-oz. canister: Approx. 60 minutes
Boil time (MSR IsoPro): 1 litre 3.5 minutes
Water boiled (MSR IsoPro) per 227-g canister: 16 litres
Water boiled (MSR IsoPro) per 1 oz. of fuel: 2 litres
Packing:
The stove arrived well packed in the manufacturers box and came with full instructions. It also comes with a lifetime guarantee (as do all MSR stoves).
The stove and igniter fit into the box, the box fits into the mug and the mug fits into the pot so pack-ability isn't a problem. You can't fit a gas canister into the pot as well, sadly. A taller pot will give room for a 100 size gas canister as well as the stove and mug.
First Impressions:
It comes in a neat little plastic container that is very strong and very secure. Inside the box is the stove and a piezo igniter (more about this later). The stove is folded up to fit in the box and looks VERY small, I've included a teaspoon for scale(it doesn't come with the tea spoon.
It's very light and looks and feels very strong, more so than the pocket rocket (also from MSR). In fact the pocket rocket seems quite heavy and flimsy at the same time whereas the micro rocket seems very light and very solid at the same time.
Setup & Stability:
As with any canister top stove, stability is an issue as once the pot has anything in it, it becomes top heavy and unstable, this can only be avoided by the addition of stabilising feet, this goes for ALL canister top stoves.
The addition of a wind shield increases the performance and fuel efficiency of the stove .
The MSR Titan Kettle is 112mm in diameter and sits securely on the stove, a smaller diameter pot will also sit securely due to the ridges in the pot supports, I have tried a pot with a diameter of 94mm and this fits nicely but I wouldn't go much smaller. The MSR mug is 83mm in diameter and only just falls off so I would go no less than a pot of 90mm diameter.
Point of interest: a 100 gramme gas canister is 90mm in diameter so will fit inside a 94mm pot along with the stove and mug and still have room for a windshield and a couple of teabags.
The stove is very easy to set up and use, it packs away to a small size and will fit in a pocket or pot easily, it is light and very sturdy.
Piezo Igniter:
The idea of a piezo igniter is so that you will always have a form of ignition with the stove, that's why they are built into the stove. From my view having used piezo igniters in the past they only last for a while and then become dead weight as they no longer work.
The reason they stop working to my mind is the constant exposure to intense heat. MSR have cured this problem by providing a separate igniter. Personally I use a bic lighter as it has more than just the one use, the igniter can only be used to ignite a gas stove. I'm still not sure whether I'll carry the igniter, time will tell.
Does it work?
Yes, everytime without fail. There's not really anything else to say about the igniter except that it works and feels as if it will last.
Testing & Results:
I've done some boil tests and the results are quite shocking. For each test I boiled 500ml of cold water straight from the tap, I used an MSR Titan Kettle with lid.
The two outside tests were carried out in exactly the same position with the only difference being the inclusion of a Primus clip on the windshield for the second boil test.
Test 1:
500ml of cold water in a light breeze without a windshield and with the burner on full power.
I gave up after 5 minutes without raising a single bubble in the water. The wind just kept the flame off the bottom of the pot. I used 14g of gas and didn't even get the water lukewarm.
Test 2:
500ml of cold water in a light breeze with a windshield and the burner on full power.
Time for a rolling boil: 9 minutes and 15 seconds. I used 13g of gas.
The windshield made a huge difference despite being designed for Primus stoves. If the shield had been a little higher it would have worked a lot better. I'll be making a windshield to fit.
Test 3:
500ml of cold water indoors with the burner on full power.
Time for a rolling boil 3 minutes and 15 seconds. I used 8g of gas.
This is a lot better than the other times but still nowhere near the stated time of 3 minutes 30 seconds for a litre of water, twice what I boiled.
One thing that stands out is the windshield and the difference it makes to boil times and gas consumption. The next set of tests will be with 1 litre in a sheltered place.