Soto Windmaster (see image) is the superior one for almost every feature except the compactness, it boils faster, weighs less, uses less fuel, offers better pot stabilization, makes less noise, works slightly better in windy conditions.
Soto Windmaster vs Pocket Rocket Deluxe, they are both great backpacking stoves that have several differences.
After extensive research of both stoves, I have created this article to help you pick the most suitable stove for you.
In summary, Soto Windmaster is the superior one for almost every feature except the compactness, it boils faster, weighs less, uses less fuel, offers better pot stabilization, makes less noise, works slightly better in windy conditions.
On the other hand, due to its foldable pot supports MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe is more compact and packs down smaller.
Windmaster vs Pocket Rocket Deluxe: Main Differences
SOTO WINDMASTER | MSR POCKET ROCKET DELUXE | |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
Stove Weight | 2.3 oz w/TRIFLEX | 2.9 oz |
Ignitor | YES | YES |
Boil time (700 ml) | 3 min 20 seconds | 3 min 39 seconds |
Fuel Consumption (700 ml) | 12.9 grams | 16.7 grams |
Distance Between Pot and Burner Head | 7 mm | 10 mm |
Package type | Cloth Sack | Cloth Sack |
Prices |
Detailed Overview of MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe vs Soto Windmaster
Pot Support
Their biggest difference is the Pot Support, Soto Windmaster comes with two different pot supports so you can use the proper one depending on your trip.
Its pot supports are called TRIFLEX and 4FLEX. TRIFLEX can be used for ultralight backpacking and but it has a smaller diameter, 4FLEX can be used for more luxurious trips, it’s heavier but has a bigger diameter, therefore, offers a better pot stabilization. But MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe‘s pot support is attached to the stove.
With Soto Windmaster you can use 4FLEX and have a better Pot Stabilization or you can use TRIFLEX and have a lighter backpack, Due to this versatility, Soto Windmaster is the superior one when it comes to Pot Support.
Here is a picture that I’ve created to demonstrate the pot support diameters:
Ignition
Both stoves come with an integrated piezo igniter that is hidden within the center tube of the stove to save space and be more compact.
Compactness & Packed Dimension
Compactness & Packed Dimension are the only two things where MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe is better than Soto Windmaster.
Due to its foldable design Pocket Rocket Deluxe is more compact and packs down smaller than Soto Windmaster.
Weight
Weight is the most important factor for ultralight backpacking enthusiasts. As I’ve mentioned before, Soto Windmaster comes with 2 different pot stands, for ultralight backpacking you can use TRIFLEX pot support, when TRIFLEX is assembled Soto Windmaster weighs 2.3 oz, when 4FLEX is assembled it weighs 3.1 oz. MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe, on the other hand, weighs 2.9 oz.
Sound
It might not be the first priority when buying a backpacking stove, for those who seek a quiet stove, Stove Windmaster is much quieter than MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe, it is probably the quietest stove that I have come across with.
Boiling Time
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe (see image) is the better option only for compactness, due to its foldable design it’s more compact and packs down smaller.
When tested with 700 ml of water, MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe boiled this amount of water in 3 min 39 seconds, on the other hand, Soto Windmaster boiled the same amount in 3 minutes 20 seconds.
The difference is not so big, both boil water in much less time than the other alternatives on the market, but still, Soto Windmaster is the superior one when it comes to boiling time.
Fuel Consumption
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe used 16.7 grams for boiling 700 ml of water, while Soto Windmaster used 12.9 grams for boiling the same amount.
Soto Windmaster is %29 more efficient than MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe for fuel consumption.
Wind Protection
Both of the stoves have a design of raised ledge at the crown of the burner head which acts as a windscreen. But to be fair, Soto was the first brand that brought this design into the market, MSR copied it afterward (with Pocket Rocket Deluxe).
Another important factor that most backpackers miss is how close is the pot sits to the flame. The closer the pot sits to the flame, the better the wind protection, and the more the efficiency.
With Soto Windmaster, the pot sits closer to the flame, the gap is only 7mm. With Pocket Rocket Deluxe, on the other hand, the gap is 10mm.
To sum it up, they both do the job well, but Soto Windmaster (as it can be understood from its name) performs better in windy conditions.
Heat Level Adjustability
Both stoves have micro regulators, they both offer great simmering control. So Adjustability-wise, one is not better than the other.
Conclusion: Soto Windmaster vs Pocket Rocket Deluxe
There are 9 factors to consider when buying a backpacking stove.
Soto Windmaster is the superior one when it comes to:
- Pot Support, it offers the versatility of using 2 different pot stands
- Weight, when lighter pot stand is assembled to the stove, it weighs 2.3 oz (which is 0.6 oz lighter compared to MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe)
- Sound, Soto Windmaster is much quieter than MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe
- Boiling time, it boils water faster than Pocket Rocket Deluxe
- Fuel Consumption, when tested for boiling 700 ml of water in the same conditions Windmaster used %29 less fuel than Pocket Rocket Deluxe
- Wind Protection, although they both do the job Soto Windmaster performs better in windy conditions
MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe is the better option only for:
- Compactness, due to its foldable design it’s more compact and packs down smaller
One is not better than the other for:
- Ignition, they both have an igniter to start the fire
- Heat Level Adjustability, they both offer great simmering control
To sum it up, Soto Windmaster is the better option for almost every feature, but if you want the one that packs down the smallest no matter what, then go with MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe.
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If you are not satisfied with both of the stoves, you can check out my article where I compared Jetboil MightyMo to MSR Pocket Rocket 2.
