Swapped my Whisperlite for a Pocket Rocket in the Smokies

I was going on a 5 day solo hike in the Smokies and couldn't decide between my old MSR Whisperlite or buying a new Pocket Rocket. The Whisperlite is heavy and needs white gas which is a pain to find. But I read online that the Pocket Rocket can be finicky in wind. I ended up going with the Pocket Rocket because it's way lighter and I could buy isobutane at a gas station near the trailhead. First night I set it up on a big flat rock and it boiled water in like 3 minutes, no issues. The wind did blow out the flame once but I just moved behind a fallen log and it was fine. Has anyone else switched from a liquid fuel stove to a canister stove and regretted it for longer trips?

2 comments

2 Comments

owens.willow22d ago

Man, I feel like you just described my whole outdoor cooking life. I swear the Pocket Rocket has a secret talent for making me look like a klutz just when I think I've got it figured out. I remember one trip in the Smokies where I set mine up on what I thought was a flat spot, took one step back to grab my pot, and the whole thing tipped over. Spent ten minutes chasing my stove down a hill. Still, I'd take that over lugging a liquid fuel stove any day. Nothing beats being able to grab a canister at a gas station instead of hunting down white gas like it's a treasure map.

wadebailey21d ago

Gotta say @owens.willow you totally nailed it with that Smokies story lol. I've had my Pocket Rocket do the exact same dance down a hillside in the Rockies. It's like these stoves have a built-in gravity defect or something. But you're right, the convenience of grabbing a canister at any gas station totally makes up for the occasional acrobatics. Liquid fuel stoves are cool but they feel like a whole extra job just to cook a meal.