Travel water filter

For over a decade I've been using a MSR Miniworks water filter -a lot. I first got it for backpacking and it did a fine job. While my stomping grounds have plenty of free flowing water, it also has the giardia organism. Believe me, nobody wants those little buggers multiplying in your small intestine. The symptoms are unpleasant and possibly even life threatening.

When my lovely wife and were traveling around the country, we still used the water filter for our drinking water. The quality of the campground water or even municipal supplies varies. Why take chances?

Now I make to bring it on our little sailboat. We've filtered water right out of fresh water lakes. Of course it doesn't work with salt water, but we bring it along anyway. One never knows the quality of marina water supplies. It also gives us the ability to filter and rain water we collected on the boat.

The MSR is easy to clean and replacement parts are available. Mine has seen a couple of filters and all the gaskets and O-rings changed.

There are a number of good backpacker type filters out there. I've used some other good ones before I got the MSR, but they've been discontinued. When looking for a portable filter system, at the bare minimum get one that can filter giardia and most bacteria. Make sure it's tough enough to last and can be serviced. A cheap filter that fails, allowing you to get sick, is an expensive filter.

-Sixbears