Equipment Store

MSR MiniWorks Ex Ceramic Water Filter

MSR MiniWorks Ex Ceramic Water Filter description

Filter your water year after year with the MSR MiniWorks Ex Ceramic Water Filter. Clean this lightweight, compact filter back to like-new condition, without any disassembly tools. The MiniWorks ceramic element ensures long-lasting protection against bacteria, protozoa (including crypto and giardia), and particulate, and the carbon core removes yucky tastes. MSR's little wonder can filter up to 1 liter per minute. As a bonus, the MiniWorks Ex Ceramic Water Filter screws onto a standard Nalgene bottle or any MSR dromedary bag.

I've had this pump a couple weeks now. Easy to operate, comes with user manual. I did quite a bit of online research before choosing this pump and was concerned about several negative reviews concerning o-ring failure and the pump literally breaking after become very hard to pump. However after owning and using this pump, the only thing I can attribute the negative reviews to is either failure to clean this pump properly which would cause the filter to clog over time, and yes I can see if you tried to force water thru a clogged filter how it would break; and regarding O-ring failure, I just pay attention during reassembly and check to make sure the O-ring isn't leaking when pumping. Thats my take on this little pump. I also read how the ceramic element was very fragile and would break easily. So far I haven't experienced anything to justify this claim. The only time I handle it is when cleaning or boiling it. While I believe that being made of ceramic if you dropped it it might very break, the simple solution for me though is not to drop it. lol... All in all I think it's great little filter.

I have used this water filter on numerous occasions in many environments. I have used it in the glacial rivers of AK, which have a lot of very fine sediment. I have also used it in many mountain lakes and slow to fast moving rivers. It needs to be cleaned more frequently when used in silty rivers, but does a great job. When used in lakes or clear streams it needs very little field maintenance. this filter is lightweight and very easy to use it is threaded to screw directly onto a Nalgene water bottle size thread. The only draw back is the 1 ounce per pump fill rate, but who is in that big of a hurry when you are remote enough to need a filtration system. This little filter has made it possible for me to get to some very remote places without having the extra weight of water to worry about. I would recommend this for any one, over pills or UV devices. Bottom line easy to use, easy to clean, small, and I've never in three years of use gotten sick because of contaminated water.

Well, if you're looking for an arm work out, this is it! I just returned from a section on the AT and shared this pump with a friend. Many thru-hikers we met also used this pump and were satisfied with it. It works. However, this thing is much heavier than chemicals or a steripen and is a ton of work. Expect to have to clean it often (at least once a day, especially if you're sharing with a friend). And most importantly, be prepared to pump pump pump! Whew! I'm getting steripen.