If ever there was a camping gadget essential I had to recommend to any type of outdoors enthusiast, the MSR [Mountain Safety Research] PocketRocket™ and Titan™ kettle that I bought maybe about 7 years ago is at the top of the list. Without question one of the best investments I have ever made.
I originally bought it when I used to travel Ireland a lot on my own. Put simply, it meant a cuppa whenever I felt like it and wherever. Since then the pocketrocket™ and titan™ kettle have been on every camping and great outdoors trip I’ve made. As a by the way, it says it’s a kettle… it’s also a big mug, a decent bowl and a small pot in one.
Of recent years they were there when the electricity went and in a world gone festival where it’s a long way to your car and the coffee can be weak it’s even done Electric Picnic. For the size of it, you’d be surprised how many times it’s finished cooking the dinner when all of the shops are closed and one runs out of gas for the big stove. Of course it has also been road tested in the wilds whilst I was landscaping in Donegal when the cuppa was most welcome until the rains eased off.
The stats below tell a better story, but above all, it is tiny and pretty much unbreakable. The gas cannister fits in the kettle and the kettle fits in your pocket. I can’t remember how much they cost now – if anyone knows you might just leave a comment.
The PocketRocket™ stats:
- weight: just 3 oz. (85 g),
- dimensions: 4 x 2 x 2 in
- output: Boils 1 liter of water < 3.5 minutes
- Also: Tri-sectional Windclip™ wind shield protects flame. Glove friendly. No maintenance.
The PocketRocket stove tied with the MSR WhisperLite stove as Backpacker Magazine Readers’ choice for the best camping stove in 2005.
The Titan™ Kettle stats:
- Ultralight titanium: Weighs just 4.2 oz. (118 g).
- Compact: 0.85-liter capacity
- Also: tight-fitting lid and drip-free spout for smooth, easy pouring.
Alpinist Magazine Mountain Standards pick 2005 for “the best gear available today.” Titan Cookware is so light it “feels like it’s not even in there when it’s in your pack.”
The reason why these two pieces of MSR kit are with me still today is pretty easy when you read the story of Neil Anderson, Jim Lea and John Burroughs that are Cascade Designs. There is nothing that I love more than a man who’s been there making something for a man who’s going there.
UPDATE:
I noted the video above on Facebook and tagged MSR, as one does. I got this email from MSR
Dear Peter Donegan,
I apologize, however Mountain Safety Research recently had to remove a video post that you added to our Facebook wall. We really appreciate your enthusiasm for MSR products and for your participation, however we would remind you to review our instructions and warnings for your own safety when using any of our stove products:
All of our stoves are for outdoor use only and the PocketRocket instructions specifically state:CARBON MONOXIDE HAZARD
- This stove can produce carbon monoxide, which has no odor.
- Using it in an enclosed space can kill you.
- Never use this stove in an enclosed space such as a camper, tent, vestible, car, or home.
Thanks so much for using MSR products!
McKenzie Holden
Assistant to Corporate CounselCASCADE DESIGNS, INC www.cascadedesigns.com
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