MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter

This summer I watched with glee as two ultralight hikers watched both of their steripens fail on them. Not because I wanted anything bad to happen to them (they had Aquamira tabs as a backup, thankfully) but because this validated my backpacking philosophy that the best gear is simple and has less things that can break. After all, our most negative experiences are usually associated with things going wrong, not going right. (remember that time your car started up without any problem whatsoever and your day was great?)Several tips for using this filter: the amount of time it takes to filter water depends on how dirty the water is to begin with and how much water flow/capacity your filter has. If you are in an area with filthy water your filter will clog more. The more surface area your filter has the more water it can filter (size matters) and if your filter is dirty it will not work as fast. Thankfully MSR includes a scour pad to clean their filters with so you can CLEAN YOUR FILTER IN THE FIELD (make sure to sanitize both the spout and your hands afterwords). Also, if you have a large group of people you can use a camelbak/platypus/dromedary bag at base camp. Filter all your water for the night or fill it up and filter as you need it. If it freezes overnight you can usually warm it up faster by pumping water into it and letting it sit for a few minutes. Sleeping with your filter with not only strengthen the bond between you and your filter but will also keep it from freezing overnight.Finally, filtering water is really about Leave No Trace. If the rivers weren't contaminated by feces from cows, horses, and humans, we wouldn't have to worry nearly as much about giardia, cryptosporidium, et al. Respect the restrictions on human waste where ever you hike and if you aren't "allowed" to poo somewhere that is so you can drink the water there and not die.ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP.

I did not test this filter before I needed it because of time. I ordered and received it at the last minute. In the field, ( Myakka State Park, Florida ) I found water had to be treated or filtered, and after a four hour hike and drinking up my supply of bottled water, Had to use the pump for the first time. I did follow the instructions, except used well water instead of clean water to run a liter through it before first use. It pumped so easily and quickly I thought it was bypassing the filter. I checked the drawings, and everything seemed in place, So I went ahead and used it for five straight days. When I cleaned it out at home, again by the instructions, all was well, although I could not get every little bit of water out of the piston area. I ran fresh water through everything, let it dry, and my only concern is there is a little swamp residue dried to the inside of the drinking tube.
Since it is my first filter, I am not 100 percent sure I cleaned it properly, but that is more my own paranoia than anything else. I am keeping it and am sure it will be fine. I want to give it four stars, but it really deserves five, It was just because I expected it to be harder to pump that got me confused. The clear parts are nice too- you know when it is free of water when cleaning it.

This is a great filter. There are some reviews that state it slows down in "silty/ muddy" conditions, but there isn't a filter available that doesn't slow down when filtering silty water. The only way to prevent this is to "prefilter" as much as possible with a coffee filter or bandana if the conditions warrant such extra effort, but it is better to avoid very silty water if you can. I have had to filter some pretty muddy water in a pinch, and it does slow down, but, once you're done, the cartridge cleans up fine and you're good to go. With all that said, this pump has been awesome. I have owned one for several years and many people I know have owned theirs for years as well and they are always reliable and have never left me or anyone I know without a steady supply of water, and I have never known any of my backpacking friends to get sick from filtered water from these units. The only reason I wouldn't give it 5 stars is for the weight....not that there is a better option out there. There are a couple of new filters out there such as the hyper flow from MSR, but it hasn't had enough time in the field to prove itself, in my opinion. If you need a good reliable, field maintainable filter, get this one!!

Filtering water was always one of the most annoying things to do while backpacking. I'd have to hold a bottle while making sure a tube stays in it with another tube in the water and then trying to pump water on top of all that. When I went backpacking with a newbie who bought a brand spanken new water filter (msr miniworks) I fell in love and had to go out and buy myself the same filter the second I got home. It is so easy, just screw it onto the top of your bottle, hold the thing in water and start pumping. It was the fastest water pump I had used, but after filling about eight 32 oz bottles it started trickling and took like 10 minutes just for half a bottle of water. As soon as we figured out it was the filter we gave it a tiny scrub with the included scrub brush and BOOM it was working perfectly again. Read the manual and this thing won't let you down.