The MSR Miniworks Water Filter Review

The MSR Miniworks Water Filter

This is without a doubt the best filter for anyone planning on attacking a major hiking trip. The bottom screws onto my MSR Drommlite bag and my Nalgene bottle. It is long lasting and easy to clean if you ever get to that point.You only have to clean the outside of the filter, and only use clean water to do so. Soap is a cloggy substance and will be unforgiving to the carbon granules inside the element.

The filter is designed to last between 1000L - 2000L (264 - 528 gallons) of use. If your usage is less than this range, you might want to clean other parts of the pump to see if that will give you any improved water flow.This filter will not remove salt or any chemical that won't bond to carbon. Desalinators are super slow, really heavy and expensive. Unfortunately they aren't typically sold at outdoor gear sites and must be sought after at specialty marine stores or sites.

The thing most filters do, including the Miniworks EX, is take out mechanical mixtures, not chemical ones. So, for instance, bacteria, which hasn't chemically bonded with the water is taken out of the water via a very fine strain (0.2 micron strain to be exact). Anything chemical such as contaminants like pesticides, etc are bonded to the carbon core of the filter. Salt and chlorine derivatives aren't absorbed by carbon and therefore are left in the water.

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 myself 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!!