Customer Reviews

MSR SweetWater Purifier System

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've used three different purifiers and this one is my favorite from a water taste and ease of use standpoint. The safety valve is a nice feature--when the filter begins to clog causing water pressure to be too high when pumping, the valve allows the water to release. This serves as an indicator for filter cleaning--more importantly, if water is NOT squirting out the valve there is no need to clean the filter. Doing so wears out the filter prematurely.

The instructions included some practical tips such as 1) don't attach the translucent, outgoing tube when you use for the first time because the charcoal-colored water that comes out initially can stain it; 2) if you drop the filter, the water may come out charcoal colored so be sure to clear; 3) pump with the safety valve facing away from you or you may get wet; 4) don't overclean the filter or you'll wear out unnecessarily; and 5) the filter may take on the texture of 'lizard skin'--not to worry, this is normal (didn't know what that meant until I saw it, and yes, that would have concerned me!) Gives you confidence that the manufacturers has YOU in mind.

We bought the "MSR SweetWater Purifier System" for packing in on long hikes or camping since the little bit of extra weight is well worth the peace of mind of knowing that we can make local water safe for drinking, cooking, and washing if the water we packed along runs out. This does not have a huge flow rate, but it does the job at a reasonable pace.

Be sure to read and follow the very helpful directions before first using the system. It has important setup, use, and maintenance tips that are not intuitive or obvious by looking at the pump.

One thing that we added to the kit was a pack of coffee filters and a rubber-band to put over the intake hose to keep additional fine particles out of the pump and to improve the internal filter's lifespan.

We are seriously considering getting a second SweetWater Purifier, and additional spare MSR SweetWater Filter Cartridge, for emergency use in our mountain top house since we do get snowed in a lot and have lost power for days at a time. As I tell my kids having emergency equipment and not needing it is far better than not having emergency equipment and really needing it.

Highly Recommended!

CFH

The MSR SweetWater filter worked very well. We used it several times a day to pump about 2-3 liters at a time for a week without any problems. The other filter we had in camp left water that did not taste as good as with the MSR, so after a short time, we only used the MSR.

It is not a very fast filter but I am happy to have the compactness & light weight at the expense of taking longer to pump a given amount of water.

We did not use the sodium hypochlorite solution since we were mainly concerned about giardia.

I had read many good things about the different MSR purifying systems. I am pretty excited when I decided on and received the Sweetwater system. When I received it I followed the instructions and got it all cleaned and ready to go. I tested it on 1 liter of water in my home and was pleased as to how fast it worked. Unfortunately my experience in the field proved to be quite different. Camping in the mountains I used the sweetwater on a the river near the camp site. I was able to pump about half a liter before it broke. Inside the pumping mechanism that puts the water through the filter a small plastic piece sheered off and that was the end of pumping any more water. I have initiated the return process and have chosen to have a replacement shipped out. Everything I have read indicates this should be a great system. I am hoping my experience is a fluke and that the replacement will work better. It received one star for breaking on the first use. If the replacement does better I will update my review.

This filter is outstanding. I used it to replace an MSR filter that I previously had. This filter pumps three times faster with much less effort. I would tell anyone to buy this. Compact and light, it is a reat deal.

This thing rocks! Works great and has kept me safely hydrated on many wonderful trips with many more to come. I highly reccommend and use frequently.

Not the smallest filter, but compact and light enough and with good flow. In turbid water I'd suggest filling a container and letting the silt settle, then filter off the top. Overall, it's a simple system and easy to use.

One of the best filters on the market. We did replace the pickup screen with a higher quality pre-filter to save the main filter life.

In silty waters without optional the siltstopper filter this thing is intolerable as it clogs up after pumping only several liters of water. It must then be cleaned,which is a bit of a tedious process. In waters with lower silt content and with the optional silt stopper filter it becomes a more viable option but still needs cleaning more often than I'd like. Consequently I am ready to try another brand to see how it compares. Having said that, it has never truly failed me and that is always a good thing