MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe vs Snow Peak LiteMax

Were you able to review the thorough and excellent stove bench test that was posted here in May?  Check out the Gear Reviews section on the header and scroll down.  The MSR PR Deluxe was the winner, while the LIteMax Ti did not score well in terms of efficiency.  You pay a small price for the extra wind protection of the PRD, but that almost certainly pays for itself in terms of less fuel that you have to carry.

I have been using a Soto Windmaster (similar to the PRD in terms of design), and have been amazed at how well that stove performs.  I can get 9 full boils ( = 9 meals) at +/-10,000 ft with the Windmaster and need only 1 small fuel canister for a 4 night/5 day solo trip.  I do not find any of these small stoves to be cumbersome, but that might be relative.

Hi Jenny, thank you so much for pointing this to me, I had not seen it.  The Soto Windmaster 4plex actually looks like a better design.  No built-in piezo igniter (which cannot be trusted and you have to carry a lighter or matches in your safety kit anyway) and the pot support looks a lot less cumbersome.  Maybe I return the PRD in favor of the Soto.  Decisions, decisions…

I have owned and recommended the Soto Windmaster for quite a few years. I use and recommend the standard 3-legged pot supports.  I use this stove with a Toaks 130 mm wide 900 ml pot and it is stable and boils 16 oz of water in about 90 seconds reliably.

There are less expensive stoves, but I doubt there is one you will enjoy using more.

I ordered the Soto Windmaster last night.  Will compare how it feels next to the PRD and return one of the two.  Thank you for the response.

I love my litemax, but it’s the only one I’ve ever tried and haven’t been out in super windy conditions. I think it boils with ~0.3 oz in low/no wind (~50-60 degrees). It does take significantly longer if a bit of wind is hitting it.

The Soto arrived today and, to my surprise I will be keeping the MSR. First, those Youtube reviews that claim 1oz+ difference in weight are incorrect. As noted in the BPL canitster stove faceoff, the weight is nearly identical at 2.9-3.0oz. The Soto somehow feels more compact, with most everything stainless steel. But it also feels less robust – the 4plex pot stand looked it may be susceptible to moderate abuse, and so did that plastic button on the piezo igniter. What really sold me on the MSR though was the fact that you have to more or less grab the igniter to tighten/loosen the Soto which felt like sooner or later I am going to break off the igniter. The less circular shape of the stove stem of the MSR provided a reassuringly positive grip during tightening and loosening.

Boyan – Thanks for sharing your experience.  MSR makes nice products and I doubt you will be disatisfied with that choice.  I would like to respond to your stated concerns with the Soto.

“…it also feels less robust – the 4plex pot stand looked it may be susceptible to moderate abuse, and so did that plastic button on the piezo igniter…you have to more or less grab the igniter to tighten/loosen the Soto which felt like sooner or later I am going to break off the igniter.”

I cannot comment on the 4plex stand as I find it massive overkill and have no experience with it.  I have used the standard clip-on 3 leg exclusively and find it both UL, simple and reliable.  I purchased the Windmaster in March 2014 and it has been my only stove since.  I have seen absolutely zero signs of wear and experienced no failures, including the function of the piezo.  You are absolutely correct that when attaching/detaching the stove to the canister, the piezo housing bears some of the brunt of the force required to grip the stove.  Again, after 5 years of use this has never been a problem.  Your concerns are reasonable as your observations are accurate, however my experience is that the stove is very robust and reliable.

Isn’t it fantastic that we have so many great products from which to choose? Happy stoving! :)

My Pocket Rocket Deluxe pizo ignitor failed after about 3 starts.  I sent an inquiry to MSR on their web page and got this response.  Not real service oriented.

Thank You For Reaching out to Cascade Designs!

If you submitted a Warranty/Repairs inquiry, please allow 3-4 weeks for a response..  etc……

I’ve been using my Soto Windmaster for years.  ignitor still works.  When you tighten/loosen the stove onto a canister you have to hold onto the ignitor, but that hasn’t caused any failures.

I use the three support, but the area is small so a 900 ml pot is sort of tippy.  You have to be careful.  That support is simpler than the 4 support version.

MSR is good too, my regular Pocket Rocket worked fine for a couple years.  I got the Soto for free, then decided I like it better so the Pocket Rocket is in reserve.

This seems like a choice between “best” and “best,” no real downside to either stove.  Boyan, it’s great that you were able to directly compare the two stoves.  I have used my Windmaster with piezo for 4 seasons now, and it has yet to fail or even disappoint once, unlike most every other stove I have had.  The piezo works flawlessly even at altitude (10-11,000 ft) unlike other piezos I have known.  I also have the 3-prong slip-on version of the pot support, and as light as it seems, it has held up very well.  No issues with durability whatsoever.

Enjoy your new stove!  (There is probably a PRD in my future, too, because I have a gear problem and am drawn to shiny new things like a moth to a flame – so to speak ;>)

Yeah, I could easily see myself happy with either stove. The differences are small and unless you have the two side by side you would not notice them. I did not mean to imply that the Soto is not a good product. As others have pointed out, MSR may have been “inspired” by the Soto – ahem…

As to having more gear than reasonably needed, I know what you mean. I have more hiking socks than street socks, and the count of thermal underwear in my closet is ridiculously high given the location where I live.

I was tempted to keep both but then decided that owning four propane stoves and two DIY alcohol stoves is a bit ridiculous :-)

I was tempted to keep both but then decided rhat owning four propane stoves and two DIY alcohol stoves is a bit ridiculous :-)

Is it?  Is it really?  I own 5 tents!  Remember, this is BPL, aka Too-Much-Gear-R-Us  :)

“I was tempted to keep both but then decided that owning four propane stoves and two DIY alcohol stoves is a bit ridiculous :-)”

Blasphemy!