The New MSR MicroRocket -- Trail Report #1

[hikin_jim]

In a couple of days, MSR is set to release their new MicroRocket stove.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gkkuEBV5hNo/Tv_9PFdq3SI/AAAAAAAABAY/2Ymz39Br0b8/s800/P1090084.JPG
The MicroRocket will be MSR's first entry into the lightweight, high-end gas stove market. (The existing PocketRocket is more of an entry level stove).

Yesterday, I took the stove out on the trail for the first time.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7dkJYUeCSog/Tv__2i2EnMI/AAAAAAAABH4/8UVlb5zE8Wg/s800/P1090133.JPG

Please join me on an another Adventure in Stoving: The New MSR MicroRocket -- Trail Report #1 (http://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-msr-microrocket-trail-report-1.html)

HJ

[Bucherm]

I am eagerly awaiting you to post an email from soemone in MSRs PR department saying you should have used the MSR canisters :P

[earlyriser26]

Think I will stick with my pocket rocket. If it ever breaks I will get this new one, but I have never had problems with it.

[Chaco Taco]

Think I will stick with my pocket rocket. If it ever breaks I will get this new one, but I have never had problems with it.

I think I am going to get a PR. Sold my first one but think that it would be good to have for winter up here! Plus for $30, can't hurt

[Old Hiker]

Think I will stick with my pocket rocket. If it ever breaks I will get this new one, but I have never had problems with it.

The cylinder attachment threads on mine have stripped out after several years of service. I'm still waiting on an e-ail reply to see if this is normal wear and tear or covered under warranty. I'm going to buy another, regardless.

Wondering what the price is of the new one?

[4eyedbuzzard]

I am eagerly awaiting you to post an email from soemone in MSRs PR department saying you should have used the MSR canisters :PPhotoshop can fix that;):D

[double d]

I've owned my PR for many years and IMO its been a great service during my hiking,so I really can't say that for $60 I'm going to run out and buy the "new" Micro rocket. But thanks for the reviews, they are informative.

[hikin_jim]

I am eagerly awaiting you to post an email from soemone in MSRs PR department saying you should have used the MSR canisters :P Yeah, MSR is really pushing it with their warnings. They act like the earth will implode if you use any canister than theirs. [rolls eyes] Just use whatever gas is cheapest that is the type you need. I do look for isobutane (NOT "plain" butane) for cold weather, but other than that, but whatever has the best price.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

Wondering what the price is of the new one? MSRP is $60. This is a different class of stove than a PocketRocket even though there are some similarities. They're going after a different audience with this stove, a higher end audience who want a much nicer stove. The MicroRocket makes the older PR look a little tinny.

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I've owned my PR for many years and IMO its been a great service during my hiking,so I really can't say that for $60 I'm going to run out and buy the "new" Micro rocket. But thanks for the reviews, they are informative.Yeah, I hear you. It's not like the PR has suddenly turned into a piece of junk over night.

If someone were trying to downsize the size of their gear, the MR would be a good bet over the PR. It's really compact. The weight isn't anything compelling. The reduced carbon monoxide could be really important if you ever had to cook inside a shelter due to bad weather or whatever.

HJ

[4eyedbuzzard]

The reduced carbon monoxide could be really important if you ever had to cook inside a shelter due to bad weather or whatever.I'm figuring that you're using the word "shelter" in terms of a tent, because I've never experienced an AT shelter that had any ventilation issues. Either way, no stove, regardless of claimed combustion efficiency, should ever be used in a completely sealed up tent as CO emmisions can vary greatly due to many combustion variables such as ambient temperature, altitude, wind, stove maintenance/condition, etc. Some folks would say never cook in a tent period, but it's common practice in severe winter or alpine conditions.

[hikin_jim]

Agreed. If you are going to cook in a tent, make sure to adequately ventilate the tent. And I know a lot of people will say, "but I will never cook in a tent." Well, that's fine, but if a freezing rain starts coming down...

HJ

[hikin_jim]

I hit the trail again earlier today with the new MSR MicroRocket. I did a little snow melting and a little more simmering. Full report to follow, but here's a teaser photo for now. :)
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i4trIQagoU4/TwKbhyLJdAI/AAAAAAAABRQ/gSa5Rkg-hHU/s800/P1090204.JPG

HJ

[tuswm]

looks like a MSR MR and two stoves that I have, a MSR PR and a now peak giga with Pzero?

The giga seams to fit in many pots with canisters that the PR just doesnt, it looks like the MR should solve this problem? However the snow peak is more sturdy, sounds like the MR solves this problem? The PR is much better at simmering, and is much more adjustable. The PR also seams to be better at boiling water especially when the air is less than perfectly still. I tried removing the three prong thing in the center of the burner, I quickly learned why its there, it drastically improves the performance of the stove in wind, especially on low flame setting, it was quickly reinstalled. Unlike the gige the nature of the flame of the PR works well when pots are at different hights above the burner. This means that the PR works MUCH better when used with small pots with heat sinks.



But the flame patter of the giga is much better then the PR for cooking in still air. It has a much wider flame pattern and distributes the heat much more evenly. Being a "cooker" I always end up taking this stove despite all the shortcoming solely do the the flame pattern.

Hiking_Jim
I enjoyed reading some of your articles, I do a lot of high altitude and winter hiking and climbing. I enjoyed your article on the old MSR XKG. I didn't know MSR was sold to REI? Do they still own it?
Also in the MRS MR review you mentioned the separate Pzero. I can think of two reasons, in cold weather most most traditional lighters don't work, also its much easier and cheaper to send out a new pzero then a new stove like the giga or jet boil.

[Bucherm]

Photoshop can fix that;):D

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i191/bucherm/MSR2.png

There we go, no one will be the wiser.

[Tinker]

Yeah, MSR is really pushing it with their warnings. They act like the earth will implode if you use any canister than theirs. [rolls eyes] Just use whatever gas is cheapest that is the type you need. I do look for isobutane (NOT "plain" butane) for cold weather, but other than that, but whatever has the best price.

HJ

MSR blasphemy! :D

[hikin_jim]

looks like a MSR MR and two stoves that I have, a MSR PR and a now peak giga with Pzero?

The giga seams to fit in many pots with canisters that the PR just doesnt, it looks like the MR should solve this problem? However the snow peak is more sturdy, sounds like the MR solves this problem? Yes! Exactly. The PR is a little bulky. The MR compares with the GS-100 Giga Power stove.


The PR is much better at simmering, and is much more adjustable. Just wait until you try the MR. It is an absolutely fabulous simmering stove. The pot supports are much more stable as well, so it's easier to stir.


The PR also seams to be better at boiling water especially when the air is less than perfectly still. I tried removing the three prong thing in the center of the burner, I quickly learned why its there, it drastically improves the performance of the stove in wind, especially on low flame setting, it was quickly reinstalled. I usually rig up a windscreen. It really helps with a low simmer.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GzCXGEzCuLY/TwKlZw0qd2I/AAAAAAAABiQ/dDfNGbb-79g/s800/P1090237.JPG



Unlike the gige the nature of the flame of the PR works well when pots are at different hights above the burner. This means that the PR works MUCH better when used with small pots with heat sinks. Thank you for that. I had not considered that. I'm going to have to experiment with that.


But the flame patter of the giga is much better then the PR for cooking in still air. It has a much wider flame pattern and distributes the heat much more evenly. Being a "cooker" I always end up taking this stove despite all the shortcoming solely do the the flame pattern. Yeah, the GS-100 Giga Power in my opinion is the Gold Standard in terms of a small high end upright canister gas stove. The flame pattern is very nice indeed, and the GP has the best pot stability of any stove in its class that I have yet seen. However, take a look at this flame photo from the MR.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7VK2i-HwAnA/TwKlsmoRM6I/AAAAAAAABjE/4sNmXIGOTFE/s800/P1090244.JPG
That flame is barely there, yet it was stable (I did use a windscreen). I was really impressed.


I enjoyed reading some of your articles, I do a lot of high altitude and winter hiking and climbing. I enjoyed your article on the old MSR XKG. I didn't know MSR was sold to REI? Do they still own it? No, Cascade Designs now owns MSR. The REI period is commonly know as "The Dark Ages" to stovies. It was good neither for REI nor for MSR. There was some real cr@p that put out then. Cascade Designs is doing some really exciting stuff lately. The Reactor, the Whisperlite Universal, the MicroRocket, etc. MSR is on the move.


Also in the MRS MR review you mentioned the separate Pzero. I can think of two reasons, in cold weather most most traditional lighters don't work, also its much easier and cheaper to send out a new pzero then a new stove like the giga or jet boil.Ah. Good point. I hadn't thought about the easy-to-replace issue.

The whole point I went to 8,038'/2450m Waterman Mountain yesterday was to test the piezo lighter. At altitude piezo systems can have problems. The new MicroRocket piezo? Worked well although I had to have the gas turned up a bit. The view of the Pacific from Waterman Mountain yesterday:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-d8we2zSHc04/TwKl3szYzWI/AAAAAAAABjk/a-PmJ5zE7MU/s800/P1090249.JPG

HJ

[tuswm]

At altitude piezo systems can have problems. The new MicroRocket piezo? Worked well although I had to have the gas turned up a bit. The view of the Pacific from Waterman Mountain yesterday:

HJ

that might explain the issue I had on the JMT.

do you write for a magazine? well I have an idea to share that has helped me, ill be happy to share as long as credit is given.

[hikin_jim]

that might explain the issue I had on the JMT.

do you write for a magazine? well I have an idea to share that has helped me, ill be happy to share as long as credit is given.Yes, I write for Seattle Backpackers Magazine. Happy to give credit. There are times when an idea, no matter how unique and unusual it may appear, will come from more than one person at about the same time. However, I will do everything in my power to give credit where credit is due.

HJ

[tuswm]

Yes, I write for Seattle Backpackers Magazine. Happy to give credit. There are times when an idea, no matter how unique and unusual it may appear, will come from more than one person at about the same time. However, I will do everything in my power to give credit where credit is due.

HJ

Well I noticed that most pot supports hold the pot at the optimum height for the flame patter of the given stove. When the pot is held up another couple centimeters from the heat sink, the pot is higher and no longer at the optimal height. Also I noticed the soot from priming a pot with a heat sink was making a patter on the bottom of the pot, only on one side of the heat sink. The side open to the stove. The side closed to the pot was still clean. So I observed the flame was not going from the center of the pot out through the heat sink, it was going up and across the bottom of the heat sink, making the flame was only making contact with half the surface area of the heat sink. I needed to find a way to get the burner up inside the heat sink like other cooking systems that were made to work together utilizing pots with heat sinks like jet boil and MSR reactor. The problem with stoves and pots with heat sinks that are sold separately is that they were never designed to work together. I needed to find a way to retrofit the system. It only took 2 or 3 minutes and the only tool I used was the file on a leather-man wave. The difference was noticeable instantly. while it it harder to get the pot on ( a minor annoyance) but totally worth it and more stable now.

14754

14750

14751

14752

14753

Now I have a cooking system with the speed of the MR Reactor that works at any temp unlike the MSR Reactor's canister system. It works with any stove I have tested with 3 pot supports, rocket rocket, whisper light international, simmer light, and some others. I am sure it would not be hard to do the same thing for 4 prong stoves.


I would be happy to mail you my pot for testing if it get me in a magazine. you can test it against the stock pot just by resting the pot supports on the heat sinks instead of in the grooves.

[hikin_jim]

Ah. Very good. That makes a lot of sense to alter the heat exchanger to get the pot height correct. On my Jetboil GCS heat exchanger pot, I can slip the pot stands of my Coleman Xtreme stove between the vanes of the exchanger to maintain proper height.

I will definitely remember this idea if any of my pot and stove combinations need it.

Thank you!

HJ

[Chaco Taco]

Its up on the MSR site and listed for $60, I don't think so!

[kellfishh]

:):cool:GENIOUS!!

[hikin_jim]

Its up on the MSR site and listed for $60, I don't think so! Yeah. Dunno how that's going to fly.

Having used both, it would be hard for me to go back to the PR. The PR is bulky, and I can't fit it into my mug pot with a canister of gas. The pot stability is not as good. The PR just isn't as nice. But will the MR appeal to people at a $20 higher price? Can't say. MR sure is a nice stove though.

HJ

[camper10469]

BTW I see canister stoves using built in preasure regulators these days to compensate for temperature n elevation to give a more consistant flame, especially in coolder weather. Does this MR have such a regulator?... I don't mean a flame adjust.

.

[hikin_jim]

BTW I see canister stoves using built in preasure regulators these days to compensate for temperature n elevation to give a more consistant flame, especially in coolder weather. Does this MR have such a regulator?... I don't mean a flame adjust. Hi, Camper,

I know exactly what you're talking about. I think the MR is just a normal needle valve. If it had a regulator valve, they'd be marketing the heck out of it, and it'd be more expensive.

The regulator buys you nothing in terms of operation at elevation. I can explain why if you're interested.

The regulator can buy you better performance within the lower temperature operating range of a stove, but a regulator will not allow you to operate below the lower limits of a particular gas mix. Physics trumps valve. I can say more about this if you're interested.

HJ