Category Archives: Water

Water purifiers and water-related articles and equipment.

Review: MSR Guardian Water Filter

The MSR Guardian is an amazing device that filters contaminants down to 0.02 microns. Most other filters filter to 0.1 – 0.3 microns. While these “normal” filters are fine for most applications they will NOT filter the ultra small organisms such as viruses. The MSR Guardian WILL filter most viruses and it can be used to filter extremely fouled water. If you do a quick internet search you should be able to find this filter for around $350.

The Guardian is portable and lightweight (only 17.3 ounces). It can filter 2.5 liters of water per minute. The Guardian pump filter is self-cleaning and about 10% of the pumped water is used to continuously clean the filter. The filter lasts for 10,000+ liters. A hose allows you to pump water from a stream other water source. The Guardian retails for about $350 and a replacement filter costs about $150. This filter can be used by backpackers or anyone that needs to filter a larger volume of water quickly. If you are in an emergency situation where the water supply was compromised then you should use a 0.02 micron filter such as the MSR Guardian. This is also an excellent choice if you travel to remote locations with questionable water quality.

Threads on the bottom of the Guardian connect to wide-mouth bottles such as Nalgene bottles. A duplex hose reaches from the filter to the water source. One of the duplex hoses is the water intake and the other is the flush line. About 10% of intake water flows over the ceramic filter to continually clean it. The cleaning water is then pushed out the flush line on the duplex hose. The clean, filtered water drops out of the bottom of the Guardian into a wide-mouth bottle.

Advantages

  • Filters water to 0.02 microns (most other filters are 0.1 – 0.3)
  • Continuous cleaning as water is filtered
  • Filters high-volume of water quickly (2.5 liters/minute)
  • Hose allows easy access to water source
  • Portable and less than 18 ounces
  • Filter water directly to a wide-mouth bottle

Disadvantages

  • Unit and filters are more expensive than other filters
  • Filter life good but less than other filters such as the Sawyer

Conclusion

If you want a serious water filter then this is one of two that I recommend. For a gravity filter consider the Sawyer Zero PointTWO. If you need to filter higher volumes of water quickly then the Guardian is an excellent choice.

Review: Sawyer Zero PointTwo

The Sawyer Zero PointTwo water filter is one of the few that filters contaminants down to 0.02 microns. Most other filters filter down to 0.1 to 0.3 microns. While these “normal” filters are fine for most application they will NOT filter the ultra-small organisms that can live in extremely fouled water.

The Sawyer Zero PointTWO uses either gravity or a faucet adapter. The kit contains the filter, faucet adapter, and bucket fittings including a spade bit to drill the hole in the bucket. You need only a drill to assemble the bucket kit. The filter has a quick disconnect so that you can easily remove it for backflushing. The filter is sealed and you simply replace it when it wears out. It is rated at 100,000 gallons of water.

Normally you fill a bucket with water and the water flows downward through the filter and into a clean water container below. It normally takes about 20 minutes to filter about 3 gallon of water. The faucet adapter allows a greater volume of water to be filtered more quickly. This filter retails for about $140. You will also need to purchase a bucket and install the fittings yourself (easy to do).

Advantages

  • Affordable at $140 for 0.02 micron filtration
  • Filters up to 100,000 gallons
  • Cleaning is easy by backflushing
  • Simple design and very easy to use
  • Gravity feed or connect to faucet

Disdvantages

  • Gravity filtering is slower than pump filtering
  • The hook included with the filter never seems to stay attached
  • Requires frequent backflushing for dirty water

This is a very fine product that I use in my home. It is simple, affordable, and extremely effective. I believe that every home should have either the Sawyer Zero PointTWO or an MSR Guardian filter readily available. I use this filter routinely for filtering tap water to make it taste better.

Sawyer Squeeze

The Sawyer Squeeze is the big brother of the Sawyer Mini. It connects to a (1) water bottle, (2) bladder (included), or (3) placed inline on a hydration pack. The Squeeze is slightly larger than the Mini and can filter a greater volume of water more quickly. Reasons that I like the Sawyer Squeeze include:

  • Filters to 0.1 microns which is better than nearly all filters
  • Long lasting and will filter up to 100,000 gallons
  • Can attach to a bladder (included) or standard water bottle
  • Small and can be easily carried
  • All-in-One kit allows filter to connect to a bucket
  • Reasonably priced at about $50ish
  • Easily cleaned by backflushing

Two Kits Available

The Squeeze is available in two different kits. Both kits use the same filter but they include different accessories.

The Personal Squeeze Kit includes the filter, backflush syringe, three bladders, and straw. I recommend this kit for hiking and vehicle kits. Use the three bladders for storing and filtering water. Take a Sharpie pen and write DIRTY on one of the large bladders and then always use this bladder for the unfiltered water. Use only filtered water in the other two bladders. This way you will not contaminate your clean water.

The All-in-One Squeeze Kit includes the Personal Kit plus bucket fittings (including a spade bit to drill the hole). With the bucket kit you can use the Squeeze as a higher volume gravity filter. Water added to the bucket flows through the Squeeze filter to filtered water container. If you are building a home kit then also consider the Sawyer Zero PointTwo filter.

Recommendation

I carry a Sawyer Mini in my hiking kit and I have a Sawyer Point ZERO Two filter at home. I think every hiking kit or vehicle kit should include a Sawyer Mini or Sawyer Squeeze. These filters are effective, small, long lasting, and affordably priced. Use the Mini for personal use, the Squeeze if you need a greater volume of water, and the Zero PointTwo for the finest level of filtration.

Sawyer Mini

The Sawyer Mini is my favorite filter because it connects to: (1) a standard water bottle, (2) water bladder (included), and (3) a hydration pack (inline). It filters up to 100,000 gallons, filters to 0.1 microns, is available in a variety of colors (to distinguish filters), costs about $25, and can easily be cleaned by backflushing. Every hiking pack and vehicle kit should include a Sawyer Mini or Sawyer Squeeze filter. It is simple, lightweight, effective, and inexpensive.

Reasons I like the Sawyer Mini:

  • Filters to 0.1 microns which is better than nearly all filters
  • Long lasting and will filter up to 100,000 gallons
  • Can attach to a bladder (included) or standard water bottle
  • Small and can be easily carried
  • Reasonably priced at about $25
  • Easily cleaned by backflushing

Recommendation

I have a Sawyer Mini in my hiking kit and another in my Bugout Bag. I think every hiking kit or vehicle kit should include either Sawyer Mini or Sawyer Squeeze. It is effective, small, long lasting, and affordably priced. When carrying the Mini in your kit I take the filter and cleaning syringe and wrap then in the included water bladder. I then take the wrapped filter and store it in a poly zip bag or very small utility bag. This keeps all of the components together and protected.