Why Choose? You need a sturdy gravity filter for backcountry use Specs: Even though it looks similar, it isn’t compatible with the system. Note that the filter on the Trail Base is not the same as the MSR TrailShot. Another cool feature is that you can drink directly from the clean water reservoir. The wide-mouthed bags are easy to fill and can be flipped inside out to dry. In theory, you could even attach them to the top of your pack and filter water as you trek. The reservoir bags on the MSR Trail base are very tough. With this system, residue won’t affect the outlet hose. The outlet is at the bottom of the bag with other filters, which means it quickly gets clogged by falling sediment when filtering murky water (think pond scum). I love the MSR Trail Base gravity filter because the outlet hose is set slightly up on the side of the bag to create a sediment trap. You don’t have to use the clean water reservoir the filter can be aimed into any water bottle or your mouth. The gravity filtration system comes with a dirty water reservoir (4L), a hose, a filter, and a clean water reservoir (4L). It is also versatile since the gravity filter component can be removed and used as a pump filter when you need water quickly. The Trail Base system is one of the most innovative designs for a gravity filter that I’ve seen. Their Guardian filter is one of our top picks for survival water filters. MSR makes serious products for outdoor use, some of which were designed for the US Military. Can be used as: Gravity and pump filter.Why Choose? A well-designed system for wilderness backpacking or bugging out Specs: I’d either stick with the Lifestraw Mission or get the MSR Guardian pump, which has a self-cleaning feature. Note: The MSR Guardian Gravity filter is similar to the Lifestraw Mission but easier to use and has a charcoal filter for removing chemicals. If you are in a group, don’t be surprised if people accidentally use the dirt water outlet to fill their bottles! You will have to teach everyone how to use the filter before hanging it in a public space.īecause of all these flaws, I would only recommend the LifeStraw Mission in situations such as traveling abroad or treating clear water (definitely not for pond water or other murky water). However, it is all pretty confusing to use. They try to solve this problem with the “dirty water valve” and a red pump which clears the filter. Likewise, the LifeStraw Mission will clog quickly. Since the clean water hose is short, you must stand there for a long time holding your bottle and waiting for it to fill. The water barely trickles out of the filter. However, like with any filter that removes viruses, the LifeStraw Mission will go VERY SLOW. There is no activated carbon filter, so the system won’t remove chemicals or bad tastes from water. The standout feature of the LifeStraw Mission is that it is 0.02 and not 0.2 microns (like most water filters).Īt 0.02 microns, the LifeStraw Family is small enough to filter out most viruses, bacteria, and protozoa. Filter medium: 0.02-micron hollow fiber.Why Choose? Large filter, which also removes viruses Specs: On the positive side, the Flex filter can be unscrewed from the gravity bag and used as a straw or screwed on a plastic bottle to use as a squeeze filter. Further, there are many reports of the Flex Gravity leaking where the hose connects to the filter. If the water is even slightly murky, you might only get 1 liter per hour in practice.Īlso, expect the filter to get clogged frequently and spent a lot of time backflushing it. For clear water, you might get the advertised 30 liters per hour. The downside is that the LifeStraw Flex gravity system is SLOW. The second stage is an activated carbon filter which removes chemicals and bad tastes. The first stage is a hollow fiber filter which removes bacteria and protozoa. Simply attach the Flex filter to the included 1-gallon gravity bag, hang it high, and aim the water into a (preferably) wide-mouthed bottle. While I’m not a fan of the original LifeStraw (see why we prefer the Sawyer Mini), the LifeStraw Flex with gravity bag is a cool setup. Lifespan: 2,000 liters (hollow-fiber), 100 liters (activated carbon).Filter medium: 0.2-micron hollow fiber and activated carbon.Can be used as: Straw, squeeze, gravity filter.Why Choose? You need a versatile water filtration system at a low cost Specs:
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