Once upon a time

By cad3040163 Ranked #229 - Water Filters October 14, 2009

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.

View Details: MSR MiniWorks Ex Water Filter

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