RAK WisMesh Pocket V3: IP67 Meshtastic Handheld for $84.97

Rokland just opened pre-orders for the WisMesh Pocket V3, the third version of RAKwireless’s all-in-one Meshtastic handheld. It gets an injection-molded IP67 case, improved GPS and a built-in notification buzzer, keeps the 3200 mAh battery and OLED screen, and ships with Meshtastic already on it. It’s $84.97 in Bone White or Mint, with the first units shipping this week.

Photo: Rokland

The Pocket V2 has been one of the easiest ways into Meshtastic for a while: radio, screen, GPS, battery and case in one box, flashed and ready. Its housing was 3D printed. The V3 is the same idea in a production case built to take weather. RAKwireless developed it with Rokland, and it’s $7 more than the V2, which Rokland now sells for $77.97.

We don’t have one in hand yet. Everything here comes from Rokland’s product page and the MeshCore project’s GitHub, and the photos are Rokland’s. The Rokland links in this post are NodakMesh affiliate links. The checkout price is the same either way.

What’s New in the V3

Injection-molded case. The V2’s printed shell is gone. The V3 uses a molded enclosure, which Rokland says improves fit, finish and durability.

IP67 rating. IP67 means dust-tight and able to survive temporary submersion, tested at 1 meter for 30 minutes. Rokland’s listing adds that the rating applies “under specified test conditions,” which is the standard caveat. That covers rain and a dunk in a creek, not swimming with it. The V2’s listing gives no IP rating at all, so this is the biggest practical change for anyone carrying one outdoors.

Rokland’s render, which they label as computer-simulated, not the actual interior. Image: Rokland.

Improved GPS. Rokland says position tracking is better than on the V2 but doesn’t name the GPS module, so we can’t tell you yet whether that’s a new chip, a better antenna or both. We’d want to see time-to-fix numbers from real units before calling it.

Notification buzzer. New messages can now beep, so you don’t have to be looking at your phone or the screen to know something came in. Handy when the phone is in a pocket and the node is on a pack strap.

Rubber power and action buttons on the side. Image: Rokland.

What’s Inside

Rokland’s page doesn’t name the core module, but MeshCore’s developers have: it’s the RAK4631, the same nRF52840 plus SX1262 module as the V2. Liam Cottle confirmed in the MeshCore issue tracker that the V2 runs the standard RAK4631 firmware, and an early V3 owner flashed that same firmware onto theirs.

That’s good news for battery life. The nRF52840 draws far less power than the ESP32 chips in boards like the Heltec V3, and the V3 keeps the same 3200 mAh battery.

The one hardware change that matters for firmware is the screen. RAK told the MeshCore team the V3 uses an SH1106 display controller, where the V2 used an SSD1306. More on why that matters for MeshCore below.

Full Specs

WisMesh Pocket V3 vs V2

The core and the battery didn’t change. What you’re paying the extra $7 for is the case, the weather rating, the GPS work and the buzzer.

If the node lives on a desk or in a car, the V2 still does the job and runs MeshCore today. If it’s going hiking, hunting or into an emergency kit that might get wet, the V3’s case and IP67 rating are the reason to pick it.

MeshCore Support

Rokland’s listing says the V3 isn’t compatible with MeshCore yet and that support is coming in the next MeshCore update. The details are in MeshCore issue #3296 and pull request #3651.

According to the MeshCore developers, the screen is the only thing in the way. The V3 uses the same RAK4631 as the V2, so it takes the same RAK4631 firmware, but that firmware was hardcoded for the V2’s SSD1306 display. On a V3, the screen boots up as garbled static.

Liam Cottle’s fix, merged on October 21, checks for an SH1106 display when the node starts and falls back to the SSD1306 if it doesn’t find one. That means the V3 can keep using the regular RAK4631 firmware with no separate build needed. The fix is on MeshCore’s development branch, so it isn’t in v1.18.0, the current release. It should arrive with the next one, which lines up with what Rokland is saying.

If you plan to run MeshCore on a V3, it can stay on Meshtastic until that release is out. Then flash the RAK4631 companion firmware from the MeshCore flasher. Our MeshCore firmware guide walks through flashing if you haven’t done it before.

Ordering and Shipping

In the box: the Pocket V3, an external SMA antenna and a USB cable. Image: Rokland.

• Batch 1 (orders through October 21) is sold out and ships October 22 to 27.
• Batch 2 starts shipping October 30.
• Bone White and Mint are available to order now.
• Black, Military Green and Desert Sand come in late November.
• Returns: Rokland lists it as final sale except for defective units. Pre-orders can be cancelled for a full refund before they ship.

The black version arrives in late November. Image: Rokland.

Who This Is For

On paper, the V3 is aimed at people who want a Meshtastic node that works out of the box and lives outside: hikers, hunters, ATV and snowmobile riders, and emergency kits. It would also make an easy first node for a family member, since there’s nothing to assemble and no case to print.

If you’re already running a Pocket V2 indoors, there’s no reason to replace it. If you’re on MeshCore, plan on switching firmware when the next release ships. Both of our device guides now list it, the Meshtastic devices guide and the MeshCore devices guide, next to the card-sized trackers if you want something smaller.

Order the WisMesh Pocket V3 from Rokland (affiliate link). Got one in the first batch? We’d love to hear how the GPS and the case hold up, especially once the snow starts.