RE: [pct-l] Water Filtration

["Mayer, Jim" <JMayer@crt.xerox.com>]

Robert,
 
I'm curious about your buddy's experience, since it doesn't agree with
mine.  I have an MSR Miniworks filter and have used it successfully on trips
up to about 10 days or so.  The thing that puzzles me about your buddy's
experience is that, with mine, the pumping action does not get harder as the
filter clogs.  Instead a bypass valve shunts water back into the intake. 
The effect is that pumping effort stays constant, but the flow rate drops.
 
In my experience, the MSR works well as long as you clean it often...
perhaps as often as every two to three days.  On the plus side, I really
like the way it attaches to wide mouth bottles and the Nalgene "canteen"
bags.  I also like the little cover that keeps the outlet from being
contaminated by the water hoses.  Also, you CAN clean it.  On the minus
side, it's heavier than I'd like and you HAVE to clean it!
 
-- Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: ROBERT E RIESS [mailto:CDRRIESS@prodigy.net]
 
I hike with a buddy who has an MSR.  He liked their stove, so he bought
their filter.  That gadget works okay using tap water at home.  50 or 100
strokes, no sweat.  But it gets dirty on the trail and then it is another
beast altogether. I know of two people who have broken their MSR's.  The
pump handles break due to very hard pumping.   Eventually, they are all
going to break (IMHO)  

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