An MSR water filter is a good investment...

An MSR water filter is bound to be some of the best money you will ever spend on camping gear. There are several available but the one I have chosen for my own use is the MSR mini-works. It’s an awesome filter and does it’s job very well. Because I own one I can tell you this information first hand. The one I own is shown below. You can click on it for pricing...



Like I said on the previous page, water is heavy and if weight is a concern, i.e. you’re paddling or hiking, then you need to have a reliable way of getting water. An MSR water pump is just what the doctor ordered. Naturally you have to be near a body of water to use one but it’s amazing just how good of a job these filters do. They even remove the colour from the water making it look as if it just came out of the tap in your home.

It uses a ceramic filter that filters down to 0.3 microns. Their claim is that they remove pathogenic bacteria and protozoa (giardia and cryptosporidia).

This Particular filter screws right onto the mouth of the Nalgene Bottle pictured below...



Naturally the cleaner the water you use, the safer you will be and the longer your ceramic filter will last before it needs to be changed. My understanding is that the bacterial concerns are more of an issue in places in the world where there is lots of heat and poor irrigation and such and that for camping in most places in North America it’s not too much of a concern. However, when you’re using your MSR water filter you should be aware that these bacteria do exist so it’s always wise to get your water from sources that are not stagnant and be sure to stay away from beaver dams or you run the risk of getting “Beaver Fever”. I’ve not had it myself but I know people that have and I’m told it’s like having a bad case of the flu for up to six months.

Big lakes, moving streams and rivers are the ideal place for you to use your filter for drinking water.

Click on the link to return to the top of the MSR water filter or click on drinking water to return to the previous page. Go back to the home page for more information on camping.