User Review: MSR MiniWorks EX

MSR does it right every time.  This water filter pump is very easy to use even for a first timer.  It is easy to clean and continue using  without leaving the water hole.  The pump is bigger and heavier than a bottle of tablets, but it makes a superior product an a fraction of the time.

I  have been to places like the bottom of Grand Canyon, Mt Whitney, Mt Rainier, Buckskin Gulch, Zion Narrows, several fifty milers, backcountry skiing, and always taken at least one MSR filter pump.  Even under a snow field there is running water  somewhere.  It is so much faster to pump a little water than to stop and melt snow.

When packing for a hike/ trip, consider how much space this item will take, how heavy it is, and how many times will I use it? 

I have tried other brands and styles of pumps that wore me out or clogged up before I filled one water bottle.  I have used bad tasting tablets and added drink powder after the waiting period was over.  What a pain in the neck to wait for the tablets when you're thirsty.

I buy a new filter every year at a local outfitter who has a half price sale on Thanksgiving weekend.  I bought my pump in 2004.