Online: www.REI.com
URL for this product:

From the U.S. and Canada — Call 1-800-426-4840
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
International — Call 1-253-891-2500
Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter

$89.95

(205)

Item # 695265

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Gear and Advice You Can Trust

This item ships for free! Learn more

To view videos or use the zoom feature on REI's websites, please download the latest version of Adobe Flash Player.

NOW PLAYING

The compact MSR MiniWorks EX water filter with EX technology has been proven reliable by thousands and thousands of adventurers around the world.

Ceramic/carbon Marathon™ EX element effectively removes bacteria and protozoa including giardia and cryptosporidia
Also removes unpleasant tastes and odors caused by organic compounds, such as iodine, chlorine and pesticides
Filter can be cleaned over and over for maximum field life with no tools required
AirSpring Accumulator™ increases filtration speed up to 1 liter per min.
Bottom screws onto an MSR Dromedary® Bag or Nalgene® water bottle for easy operation (both sold separately)
Easy disassembly lets you troubleshoot and maintain the MSR MiniWorks EX filter in the field

Weight reported dry, without accessories.

Please note: MSR products can only be shipped to U.S. addresses.

Made in USA.

Item 695265

$17.99

with coupon code ANNV13
May 17-27 Details

Not a member? Add a Membership

View all MSR products

REI Membership

REI Membership $20.00

MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter

4.1

(based on 205 reviews)

83%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Good filtration (173)
Easy to clean (169)
Easy to pump (130)
Maintenance (122)
Lightweight (88)

Cons

Hard to pump (50)
Heavy / bulky (48)
Poor filtration (10)
Hard to clean (7)
Heavy (6)

Best Uses

Backpacking (180)
Hiking (131)
Day trip (98)
Car camping (63)
Kayak / canoe / rafting (4)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (123), Casual/ recreational (57), Casual adventurer (12), Outdoor professional (10), Military/law enforcement (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (59)

Reviewed by 205 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-10

Previous | Next »

Apr

2013

4.0

Good filter, but heavy and takes space

By Xrp

from Vancouver, WA

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Low maintenance

Cons

Bulky

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

I've had this water filter for over 5 years and it continues to work flawlessly.

Its pros are great functionality and ease of use and maintenance.

Its cons are that it is heavy for a water filter and it is on the big side.

I take it everytime I go backpacking. I'd like it to be lighter and smaller (now that I have learned more about backpacking), but live and learn.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Superb filter!

By MuleyJ

from Colorado

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Low maintenance

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

Have owned this filter for 9 years and use it in the field anywhere from 10-30 days every year. I have used it in conditions from the cleanest spring seeps to silty trenched driplines at the base of timberline snowbanks in the afternoons(looks like chocolate milk). It has NEVER failed to provide wonderfully purified water. I have had geardia before from purification systems that were not up to the task, but never an issue with this pump.

It is a water filter so when it becomes more difficult to pump, you take it apart and clean it. The worse the quality of the water you are filtering, the more frequently it needs cleaned. I have had to replace the element, but that was because I dropped it on a rock. These elements will last a long time, and if you take proper care of this filter it will take care of you.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Small package big results.

By Secondlake

from Tooele,utah

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Lightweight
Low maintenance

Cons

No Repair Kit

Best Uses

Backpacking
Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

purchased this filter over a year ago and have had no problems at all other than replacing the filter is all, used it on just about all water types and have had no trouble with it.

Comment on this review

Feb

2013

(4 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great filtration system

By Terry US Army

from Santa Maria, CA

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Ceramic Filter Last Long
Good filtration
Great taste
Lightweight
Pump And Go
Works On Any Water Source

Cons

Hard to Clean
Hard to pump
Have To Clean Often

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

I very much like the MSR MiniWorks EX. I have used it from backpacking to Military field operations. It has never let me down. It does have some cons but are from diffrent water sources. In clear water, the filter pumps easily but i have used some nasty muddy water which will clog your filter much faster, but what would you expect, clean it and drive on. No matter how muddy, dirty, grimmy or nasty the water i am filtering from, the MSR MiniWorks EX has done its job, with no after taste and clear tasty water.

Comment on this review

Jan

2013

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Pure Clear Water

By Mountainman Sam

from Beulah, CO

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Lightweight
Low maintenance

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Canoing And Kayaking
Car Camping
Day trip
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

My Sister purchased this filter about 5 years ago and it still works awesomely! We have used it all over Colorado and parts of Utah and it has never failed us even when the water is cloudy with suspended sand and silt. It did need cleaning more often in these conditions but this was no problem and only took a few extra minutes out of the day. A trick we found is that if you throw a clean sock over the intake, it slows down the water flow a little but keeps the guts of the system cleaner for a longer period when the water is cloudy. The advice given by others to be gentle with the filament when cleaning is good advice but the system when assembled is very tough and stands up to a pretty good beating. Maintenance is quick and simple which is a life saver if something clogs up or the like in the back country. I have noticed that it takes a little more force to pump compared to some other filters I have used but this is only a miner draw back when I compare the rest of the attributes of the different systems. My sister is getting married soon and moving out so it looks like I am going to have to be purchasing my own here pretty soon. It's nice to know that this is a product that won't be a waste of money and that I will be able to rely on in the years to come.

Comment on this review

Dec

2012

4.0

Small package, big benefits

By Doc Adams

from Fort Polk, LA

About Me Military/Law Enforcement

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Low maintenance

Cons

Bulky

Best Uses

Backpacking
Day trip

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

Pretty good water filtration system. Took this on a 3 day trip to the Ouachita National Forest in AR and it performed well. Great buy, and has the added bonus of directly attaching to standard nalgene and camelbak bottles, and army issued hydration bladders. Makes it super easy to get the water in the right place and not wasting any pumps.

Comment on this review

Oct

2012

5.0

compact quick

By runabout199

from North Georgia Mountains

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Filtration For Dummies
Good filtration
Lightweight
Low maintenance

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Bug Out Bag
Car Camping
Day trip
Emergency
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

I take this with me where ever i go.When i first got it I was worried about all the posts about it being hard to pump.So i pumped aprox. 6 quarts of tap water through it at home, with no problems at all.I have used it only one time in the wilderness and it worked flawlessly.If I am not mistaken the U.S.M.C. used or uses a simular product to this.If our troops can use it and put them through what they do I am certain it will last forever.(with proper upkeep). All in all this is a very good product and a need to have on the trails for safe drinking water.

Comment on this review

Aug

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Does what it says.

By byoc

from Moses Lake, WA

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Lightweight
Low maintenance

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

This is the only water filtration system I've ever owned, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I have no complaints about it. I've used it for 2 years now and I've yet to get sick from any of the water I've filtered through it. The water tastes great, but then again, I've never used it to filter water out of a warm, stagnant pond before, only ice cold mountain springs and streams that probably don't have any bacteria in them anyways. It's easy to use. I love that it hooks right up to my canisters and bladders. Taking it apart to clean seems easy enough. I've taken it apart completely just to see how it works and it looks like a good design with quality parts.

Comment on this review

Aug

2012

4.0

Just what I expected

By Big Swede

from San Diego

About Me Casual/ Recreational

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy to clean
Easy to pump
Good filtration
Lightweight

Cons

Best Uses

Backpacking
Hiking

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

Bought this pump for our Mt. Whitney trip. Chose this one because I read that the Marine Corps had chosen it for our Marines as part of their gear. We used it over 3 days up at Trail Camp and at several other spots along the Whitney Trail. Several times we had to fill four 100 oz. Camelbak reservoirs along with our 32 oz. bottles. That took a lot of pumping. I thought that the pump would be a little more efficient. The pump slowed down after about 300 ounces, so I removed the filter element, scrubbed it with the green scrubbie, and it worked as well as it had before. The water we were pumping was really clear though, so I was a little disappointed that I needed to scrub the element so soon. The pump action and the hoses all worked fine. I am not a water snob, I do most of my water drinking from the tap, but the water that we filtered tasted really good.

Comment on this review

Jul

2012

(2 of 4 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Complete failure!!!

By Inga the Hiker

from Rocky Mountains

About Me Avid Adventurer

See all my reviews

Pros

Cons

Clogs IMMEDIATELY
Hard to pump
Poor filtration
Slooooooooooowwwwww

Best Uses

Comments about MSR MiniWorks EX Water Filter:

I brought this on a recent 3 day backpacking trip, and got only one Nalgene out of it before it stopped working. We would have been completely screwed had another person not had a Pur water filter with her that she let us use. Before attempting to use her filter, another person who had this exact same filter, also brand new, offered to let me use his. The exact same problem was happening.

A few issues:
After the first nalgene bottle, the pump became EXTREMELY hard to use. It took HUGE effort just to press the pump, was very tiring, and then only a few drops would come out the bottom. This was in pretty clear water, mind you. We tried following all the instructions for wiping the filter with the enclosed sponge, lubricating one of the rubber rings...and it improved very slightly for a few pumps, but then was right back to the same thing.
It spews water right back out the intake tube. This seemed to be the main issue for why, although water would get suctioned into the unit, it would not come out the bottom, through the filter. It seems the valve that should keep the water from going back out the intake tube, is defective.

So all in all, it seemed a couple issues were coming up. Since cleaning the filter helped a tiny bit, I'm guessing this clogged ridiculously fast. (after one bottle in clear water). Two, the valve is defective.

The woman who lent us her Pur filter said everyone she knows who has an MSR filter always has similar problems. This is so strange, since most MSR products are so reliable. Maybe this latest version is just a manufacturer defect, since both of us with brand new units both had the same issues...who knows. Either way, I returned it as soon as I got home, and am looking for another brand.

I would give this zero stars if it were possible, as the product is not just a pain, but completely useless, and it could have cost us our health and safety, had another person on the trip not had another brand we could use.