But if you’d prefer a faster boiling time and friendlier cost and don’t mind that it’s a little heavier, the Pocket Rocket is a really sturdy lightweight stove that will work reliably and last a long time. Plus, it works great, it’s stable enough, packs down smaller, and simmers more easily. The music in the song probably caught the audience’s attention which is why it has turned into a trend. The lyrics read, Come and get your girl, she be tryna flirt. Only a part of the song is famous on Tiktok. The ultralighter in me prefers the Snow Peak LiteMax, because it is ⅔ of an ounce lighter for only $15 extra. The Pocket Rocket lyrics and the challenge have become the new trend on social media. I’d just tighten them with the prongs of my spork.īoth of these stoves are great for backpacking, and I’d recommend either one. Also, every once in awhile I’d notice the tiny screws starting to get loose on the LiteMax, which impacted stability slightly. This feature adds more stability to the stove, and the prongs are less likely to move around than they are on the LiteMax. The Pocket Rocket has longer prongs that fold out, rather than spinning out like the LiteMax. The LiteMax adjusts the flame much more gradually and is more effective at simmering. The Pocket Rocket definitely performed worse in the wind than the LiteMax.Īlthough the Pocket Rocket boiled water faster, it was difficult to simmer without burning the bottom of the pan. If it is particularly windy I’ll use my foil lid or build a small rock wall to shield the stove from the wind, but that’s it. We really don’t use a windscreen for cooking. It was a different story in the wind though. The Pocket Rocket did boil water noticeably faster under normal conditions. In addition, the LiteMax folds up smaller and more compact than the Pocket Rocket. Here is a quick rundown comparison of the two stoves and how they performed:Īt 1.9 ounces, the LiteMax is significantly lighter than the 2.6 ounce Pocket Rocket. This stove accompanied us for the remaining thousand miles or so of the CDT.
That’s nearly 7,000 miles of use! I would have gotten another Snow Peak, but we were in Yellowstone and the only stove available there was the MSR Pocket Rocket 2, a very popular stove among long distance backpackers. It survived not only the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, but made it all the way to Yellowstone on the Continental Divide Trail before I screwed it into a canister incorrectly and crossed the threads. These days you can find lighter and cheaper options, but the durability of the LiteMax was definitely impressive. When we first purchased it, the Snow Peak LiteMax was the lightest backpacking stove available (that we could find anyway). Paul and I aren’t elaborate backcountry cooks but we do a lot more than just boil water so a proper simmer is important. As a lightweight backpacker, I’m after the lightest stove I can find, but I still want an on/off switch. When it comes to backpacking stoves, there are a ridiculous amount of options out there, from super light to super heavy. Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase through my links.