MSR MiniWorks Ex Ceramic Water
Filter
No other filter available offers the field maintainability of the MSR MiniWorks
EX filter, that's why it was selected by the Amphibious Raids &
Reconnaissance Division of the U.S. Marine Corp as the filter of choice for
fast-and-light missions. The Ceramic Element can be cleaned to 100% efficacy in
seconds! Lightweight and bomber construction makes it the choice of hard core
outdoor voyagers as well. The MiniWorks EX will filter up to 1 liter per minute
and solid block carbon takes care of any odors or chemicals in the water. Screws
onto a standard Nalgene bottle or any MSR dromedary bag.
Bottom Line: The MSR MiniWorks EX filter is the best value in the water
filter market whether you're on a day hike or an expedition.
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Review
Excellent filter! 06-13-03
Lew: I've used a buddy's 2002 model Miniworks and my own new 2003 model
Miniworks EX on multiple outings in a variety of conditions. I've also used the
PUR (now Katadyn) Hiker and bought the Miniworks. Some folks think a filter is a
heavy luxury, but consider that it weighs less than half a liter of water and
the immediacy of filtering leaves you carrying less weight in the end. No more
trying to remember which bottle got the iodine when or finding a water source
and having to wait an hour to take a drink. There were a couple of important
differences which led me to choose the Miniworks EX over the Hiker. First and
most important, there's little point in filtering your water if you're just
going to contaminate it by flinging drops of untreated water into the treated
water. The Miniworks has a cover over the "clean" side which you only remove
when it's time to use it and otherwise prevents cross-contamination from the
hose you put into the possibly contaminated water source. Sure beats trying to
keep the clean end in a ziplock baggy or somesuch. Secondly, the Miniworks will
attach directly to any Nalgene wide-mouth bottle or bag including the MSR
Dromedary bags. No more three-handed fumbling trying to keep your water bottle
from tipping over and dumping out your hard-won water as you pump. Screw the
bottle onto the bottom of the filter and off you go. Or simply pull the
bitevalve off your hydration hose and plug the hose into the nipple on the
bottom of the Miniworks. Pump fresh clean water into it until its full. Another
important consideration is field maintainability. What will you do if the filter
quits working and you're three days out? Of course you should always have a
backup solution, but I'd rather field strip and fix a filter in ten minutes than
spend the rest of the trip drinking iodine-water. With the clear body and easy
disassembly on the Miniworks, this is an easy option if you're so inclined.
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