This was a good filter but very slow. I would recommend getting the MSR HyperFlow Microfilter. I used this filter on the same trip that I used the MiniWorks and the HyperFlow is so much faster.

I use it now for more than 2 years. and it make me carry lass water! make green nasty stream to crystal clear drinking water!!!
if you dont like a havy backpack, buy it!

Love this unit, everything I own MSR I have been impressed with...

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.

Taken on numerous multi-day backpacking trips. A little slow compared to the catadyne, but the cleanable filter has saved me hundreds on replacement cartridges. I found that wrapping the intake with my bandanna helps keep the silt from getting into the duck bill valve. If the duck bill valve gets dirty, you loose the back pressure to force the water through the filter.

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.

I have used this filter and it's predecessor. I have filtered from clear to complete crap water and in 8 year and uncountable usage I'm on my third ceramic replacement. The only reason I even moved to this newer version a few years ago is because the new unit had a lot better flow rate.
RobL

I have been happy with the speed that the MiniWorks filters water. It does much better than the super old PUR I had years and years before.

The ceramic filter is fragile... I was filtering water from a river, slipped and dropped the filter a couple feet onto a rock and the ceramic filter cracked and busted into hundreds of pieces. Needless to say, I was boiling my water for the rest of the trip. Replacements aren't cheap.

Lessons learned: 1. Don't drop your ceramic filter on a rock, 2. Have a backup (iodine tablets or something), 3. Buy something more durable next time.

Happy drinking!

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.

The MSR MiniWorks is a good filter. My only complaint is that is is pretty slow. If I were going to get a different filter I would get the MSR SweetWater Microfilter. A fellow backpacker had that filter and it was a lot faster.

The MSR MiniWorks is an effective filter that will turn sludge into unsoiled drinking water. I have used it on several occasions where I was quite skeptical. However, the MiniWorks proved faultless and provided me with crisp, clean H2O.
The only issue that I initially had with the MiniWorks was slow filtration and difficulty pumping. This was resolved by cleaning and scrubbing the ceramic filter. Initially I was afraid of wearing the filter out too fast. But, after a coarse scrubbing, just to remove a thin layer, the filter worked flawlessly.

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!!

Our group used 3 of these on a recent 4 day Uinta trip. They seem to be quite effective with purification but are really slow. This gets worse really fast, even after a small amount of use. When you are sitting at a stream trying to pump several liters amidst a swarm of mosquitoes, the last thing you want is a slow pump.

This is the filter. Replace the pre-filter with much lighter and better hardware store parts, and your good to go. Keep clean and lubed, and it'll pump for years.

Like this MSR filter. I also have a SweetWater, but you have to assemble the handle every time you use it. The MSR filter has lasted me a long time. I filter clean running water with the MSR also, never know what was up stream.

Got this filter for a trip through South America. Worked amazingly well in all conditions. Does tend slow down when using in slity/muddy conditions, but the filter is super easy to clean. It is quite fragile but if you pay attention it is no problem. The ability to attach to a 64mm bottle is a lifesaver and makes contamination nearly impossible. It will pump 1L/min with a crystal clean filter, so keep it clean or enjoy the forearm workout. Would not recommend it filter water for more than a few people.

It is a great piece of equipment that I am glad I bought. The outlet of the filter fits the hose of the camelback too! You can lay it on the ground and pump it full. Watch out for the hose kinking right where it connects to the filter body. This make pumping difficult to say the least. Just cut off the end and hook it back together.

I bought this filter becuase it had good reviews, and MSR makes good products, but when it came time to use the filter in the field, I was amazed at how slow it took to filter one liter of water. There are many other filters (i.e Katadyn Hiker) which filter much faster and get rid of the same harmful stuff.
Would not recommend...go for the Katadyn...I have used that one as well, and it is much better.

I've had it for a couple of years but only used it three times. The little sping and black seal in the handle leak air/water in both directions. Kind of disappointing.

It could have been a fluke, but i had to end a backpacking trip early once becuase of this water purification system. I was only used for five days(4 people) and clogged up so bad that stopped working. luckly we had some backup tablets to get us the rest of the way back