I had a somewhat different problem with a small Vango stove I bought a couple of years ago, in that the tapped hole in the bottom of the stove was a lot bigger that the threaded stub on the top of the fuel canisters that I already had - despite both stove and Coleman canisters being marked 'EN.417'. I took it back to the dealer, showed them the mismatch, and they refunded me for the stove. They didn't have any other threaded canister stoves in stock, but I was able to buy one elsewhere (can't remember the make, but it wasn't a Coleman), which fits Coleman and other cartridges perfectly. Regarding manufacturing tolerances; the difference in size wasn't the sort you might expect due to variations in tolerances. When I placed the Vango stove on top of the canister, the oversize was enough that the stove immediately dropped to the bottom of the bore in the canister, and could be rattled from side to side. This kind of deliberate incompatibility is something that really drives me nuts! Jack
Hi, That's great news, Jim! You've probably got a lifetime supply of that shot now, but there's more where that came from, just in case. On the CASG, I do have it on my "wish list." Unfortunately, the dates are tough on my schedule as my play money comes from work as a tax consultant/preparer, and this tax season's looking to be bad toward the end. I haven't crossed off the idea of a day trip, though. It would be a great ride to put faces to names and visit with you guys, even for a short while! Fingers are crossed... Rick C
Greetings, @shagratork , @hikin_jim , Trevor, somewhere, down in the deep, dark recesses of the Hobbit Hole, I have a small Primus windscreen, which I have used to good effect, with both Primus cartridges and other brands, and with various small gassie stoves. I'm embarrassed to admit that, at the current time, I cannot lay hands on this little guy, but I DID find the box in which it came! Give this a squint: This first shot shows how the windscreen fits the cartridge, with the stove insitu. This next shot, shows the measurement information, the windscreen off the cartridge, and how, turned upside down, it fits the canister for easy stowing and carrying. I have not tried it with the Pocket Rocket II, but if I could lay hands on both stove and windscreen, I'd give it a try. I have a feeling it will work well. For what it's worth.... Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Ah, Doc! Yes I recognise that Primus windshield. If I can find one on eBay I will buy it and then purchase a Pocket Rocket 2 - it looks interesting.
Evening, Trevor, How's about me testing the pair before you buy. Work for you? Take care & God Bless! Every Good Wish, Mark
@Doc Mark I don't know if you have one of the new Pocket Rocket 2's (they've only been out a couple of months), but I'd be happy to bring my PR2 to CASG10 if you like. I'd actually be interested in seeing your Primus windscreen. HJ
HJ, any difference between the original, new model and the Micro Rocket? I sold my PR and bought the MR. The MR seems to just concentrate the flame in one area like a SP GS-100. Of course with all my stoves, none see much use, seems always using some other. ) Duane
@hikin_jim , Hey, Jim, You're right. In point of fact, I have both the original Pocket Rocket, which was a good stove, but as it would not really simmer, sort of a "one note samba" to me, which is of no interest to me at all. I also have the Pocket Rocket Micro, which is a good deal smaller, and has similar folding pot supports to the PRII, but the support seem flimsy to me, as do those on the original PR. So, you think the PRII is a definitely step upward, from it's two predecessors? I have an REI Dividend burning a hole in my pocket, and some 20% off coupons....... hummmmmm!!!!!!!! Thanks for the head's up! See you at CASG #10, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
@shagratork , @Doc Mark ,@hikin_jim , @hikerduane Optimus also makes a windscreen similar to the primus but taller and is readily available on ebay. I have both and can picture them side by side and give dimensions for both tomorrow. I do not have a pocket rocket but the Primus was the perfect height for my Soto Micro-Regulator. There was also a burner type warning like those seen on the primus HE pots that they should have a vertical flame pattern not a more horizontal one. This should not be a problem for any version of the pocket rocket. Mike
@Doc Mark The PR2 basically is the Micro Rocket but with improved pot supports, particularly for smaller pots. I'll bring my PR2 to the CASG, and you can have a look at her there. I think Soto is making the best upright gassies today, but unfortunately REI has stopped carrying Soto products except for the excellent Soto Pocket Torch lighter. As a part of my review, I have a lot of comparative photos on my blog of the Pocket Rocket series of stoves: https://adventuresinstoving.blogspot.com/2016/12/review-new-msr-pocket-rocket-2.html HJ
@Doc Mark That is a very good idea Mark, as long as you intended buying the stove and windshield anyway. If you were not going to buy them then please don't do it just for me. However I know you are a MSR 'nut' and will add one of these to your collection. Kind regards, Trevor
Greetings, All, @shagratork , @hikin_jim, @HunterStovie Trevor, I will most certainly be buying the PR2, "just because", and will probably use my dividend, and a 20% off coupon that came in the Post. I already have the Primus windscreen, and a neat set of pots to go with it. Just need to find it! So, no worries, and I'll score the stove, and then find the windscreen. I can take it to CASG #10, and see how it compares to HJ's, too, just for fun. May do the deed tomorrow, as I'll be near a big REI when I pick up SB from the airport. Fun stuff, no matter how you slice it!! Oh, and as a side note, at the upcoming CASG, I will FINALLY get to use and enjoy the excellent Meths setup I got from SBP not long ago!! I'm really excited about that! Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Mark
@hikin_jim I could not locate the primus windscreen yet so these will have to do for now, like most of us some things get buried. I'm using my windmaster for reference. Open the windscreen is roughly 4 inches or 100mm high and 5 inches or 125mm wide. It does not include cutouts for the pot supports like the primus but it's wider and can support slightly wider pot. Mike
Interesting. It would seem that the Optimus would be the more effective but the Primus the easier to pack. I understand that these have both been discontinued. I think there were problems with people using them in such a way that they conveyed heat back to the canister, perhaps with, uh, "unfortunate" results. At least that is what I have heard; I cannot substantiate that. Primus now has one that does not clip on to the canister but is rather suspended from the pot supports. It's not going to conduct heat to the canister, but it can pretty much only be used with the Primus Eta Express stove. There's a little red tipped "shelf" upon which the current windscreen is intended to rest. There's a slot in the windscreen that one slides the pot support into. And then two magnets hold the windscreen on to the other two pot supports. But this windscreen doesn't provide much coverage, and there's a BIG HOLE in the windscreen. I suppose this is to prevent any chance of heat build up and possible canister explosion which gives credence to the idea that Primus may have had a bad experience in the past, BUT in my opinion the lack of coverage combined with the big hole render this windscreen next to useless. I think its best use is as a paperweight at home. Which is not to say that I don't like the kit. I just don't like the silly windscreen. There's a really nice heat exchanger pot, the stove is a pretty good one (well, except for the piezo which is no better than so-so in my opinion), and there's a nesting plastic bowl that is actually useful for eating (unlike the little "cup" on the bottom of a Jetboil which isn't useful for much). By the way, I've had some excellent adventures with my daughter who accompanies me on much of my stove testing and hiking trips. We got a bit more adventure than we had anticipated on one river crossing! HJ
