MSR  Guardian Purifier

If you're reading this review you already want a Guardian, but haven't picked one up because you've probably read way too much and are still on the fence. The bottom line....based on nearly 90% of feedback from Guardian users, it's a great pump and you will love it. I have used it a ton and can highly recommend it based on how well it works and how it compares to the many other filters I have abused over the years. Here's some specific insight I have gained that I will pass on. First, decide if you really need a filter or a purifier. Sounds a bit silly but a vast majority of water filtration systems sold at REI and other retailers do not purify the water for a couple good reasons- a majority of people hike/camp in areas of the world where filtering water is critical but purification is not. Filtration systems are far cheaper and generally lighter than the Guardian so products are geared towards the needs and price point of the users. If you want a brilliant filtration and purification system in one easy to use unit, then you are going to be spending some $$$. Second, REI and MSR have a great return/fix it policy which means the purchase risk is significantly low. If you're like me, every piece of camping gear you buy is risky because you typically end up relying on it when you're way out in the bush where it would really suck (or you could die) if it didn't work. That's the way it goes. Lastly, the more popular and expensive the product, the more specific issues people will post in reviews. If the product is great, people will still recommend it by a vast majority but you will also find a lot more individual complaints get brought up which shouldn't affect your decision, or are easy to resolve if you really like the product. For example, every filter system clogs over time and some water sources are notoriously bad at killing water filters. I generally know ahead of time what I'm in for, so I pack extra coffee filters or other low budget stuff to assist my water filter out. When I bought the Guardian I still planned on using that stuff when I hiked in high silt/clay/ash locations. The Guardian backwashes the filter while you pump, but in some areas of the world you will still have issues if you aren't aware of what's happening at the time. Related to the filter clogging is an issue with the handle. Over time the filter clogs and the handle takes more strain when you pump. The handle also probably just gets weaker the more you use it. I pay extra attention to the angle and action of the handle when I am filtering. May still break, but I can say that about everything in my backpack the more I use it. As far as the "leaky gasket" issue that everyone seems to panic about on the internet - when my doubts grew before a recent trip, I found that the rubber gaskets throughout the device were very easy to replace and the "life threatening leak" I found during an integrity test was actually the seal between my Nalgene bottle against the filter and not one of the internal rubber gaskets. Good thing I didn't throw it in the bin! Want better taste? Throw on a bit of tubing and a charcoal filter from a Platypus and run the other end directly into a collapsable water bottle rather than a huge Nalgene. If you've stuck with me this far down the post, my thought is this - I suppose I haven't yet read or experienced anything that would make me reconsider my purchase. I wanted an easy to use, self contained water filtration AND purification system, that would last longer than others on the market. I wanted something that didn't break when I left it out of my bag at night and it froze and I wanted something that was quicker to filter than my gravity bags when I was solo hiking and in a hurry to get somewhere. The MSR Guardian does the trick.

I purchased the MSR Guardian after speaking with MSR on 3 different occasions as well as several local shops. All assured me the Guardian was the perfect filter to take to the Grand Canyon to filter silty water. After filtering 15 liters of moderately silty water the filter died, all the water was being returned via the outlet hose. Following the directions, I cleaned the pressure relief valve but found it to be perfectly clean. The next step in the instructions is to replace the filter, unfortunately not an option deep in a remote section of the Grand Canyon. The filter appeared to be perfectly clean. When I called MSR, they admitted the Guardian has problems with silty water and was told “we’ve had problems with this pump”. Of course this is unacceptable since they advertise this pump as being made for “worse case sediment”. This ruined a 7 day backpack and forced us to hike out and drive 50 miles to purchase some treatment tables. I should have had a backup but everyone I talked to about this pump assured me of it's reliability. I expected much more of this product and from MSR Customer service.