MSR AutoFlow Gravity Water Filter
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Now with an even lighter filter cartridge, the AutoFlow™ Gravity Filter is the latest evolution of backcountry hydration, combining filtration, storage and collection into a pump-free system.
Shop similar products- Featuring the latest hollow-fiber technology and the power of gravity, the AutoFlow filters more than 1.75 liters per minute without a single pump stoke
- Filter physically removes particles, protozoa, and bacteria down to 0.2 microns in size, including Giardia, salmonella, cryptosporidia and others
- 4-liter reservoir allows you to filter large quantities at once, making it perfect for groups
- Weighing in a mere 10.5 oz., the AutoFlow carries easily on lightweight backpacking trips
- Filter cartridge is fully field-maintainable and does not require tools for complete disassembly; can be cleaned repeatedly without disassembly for optimal flow recovery
- Filter directly into most any bottle or reservoir with included Universal Bottle Adapter
- Included shutoff clamp lets you control the water flow so you won't waste a drop of clean drinking water
Made in USA.
View all MSR Gravity Water Filters| Best Use | Backpacking |
|---|---|
| Filter Type | Gravity |
| Filter Medium | Hollow fiber |
| Removes/Destroys | Protozoa And Bacteria |
| Pump Force | Not applicable |
| Pump Strokes per Liter | Not applicable |
| Output | 1.75 liters per minute |
| Housing Material | ABS plastic |
| BPA Free | Yes |
| Field Cleanable | Yes |
| Dimensions | 6 x 4 inches |
| Weight | 10.5 ounces |
Review this Product
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We use it all the time, multi-purpose product
It filters pretty quickly but you most definitely have to back flush it periodically to maintain a good flow. My wife and I like it particularly because it can double as a water reservoir/carrier/storage bag. If we camp not super-close to water, we'll walk to the water and fill the bag, then carry it back to camp. This reduces foot traffic to and from the water source (which would beat a path into ground). Sometime we fill it with snow (on the days we have to melt snow for water). I used to use various pump-style filters. I think I like this a little better. But, it definitely needs to be back-flushed to maintain the flow rate, and this is the worst aspect of the filter as it is not easy to back-flow clean water through the filter. The red fabric of the bag itself is very durable, as are the carrying straps. We replace the filter cartridge every year and feel overall happy with the product.
Comparison to Sawyer
I now have 5 trips into Sierras with friend. He has the MSR system, I have the Sawyer system so I can give real life/use comparison of the two. Of note, I adapted my Sawyer to directly fill my hydration bladder so I only need to carry the gray bag, filter and tubing. . . . . Both filters worked well. There were 2 practical differences between the two systems: the MSR bag was much easier to fill in shallow water. The Sawyer filter NEVER clogged whereas the MSR did a couple times, in spite of back flushing it each time. In its defense, some of the water was pretty murky. If I had it to do over again, I would buy just Sawyer filter system and a cheap hydration bag that opens on top ($10 on Amazon) . . . .this would be more convenient, cheaper.
Best filter for large groups PERIOD!
I purchased this for a 35 mile group hike (12 people) into the South San Juan wilderness in Colorado. I was unsure if this would be able to keep up with that many peoples needs but after the second day I knew it was well worth the cost. The Autoflow easily filters water and in large amounts. I actually watched some of the hikers in the group stop pumping their own water and ask to use it! It is so simple. Just backflush like it says and this filter keeps on going! One of my favorite pieces of gear now. Yes there are cheaper models out there but after buying and using this I wouldn't trust or change to any other brand. I still carry another filter or tablets just in case but this product is pretty much bomb proof!
slow but steady supply of water, minimal effort
I've only used it on one 3-day hike so far, but it seems durable enough. I appreciate that the bag can be filled so quickly. You can leave it hanging on a tree and and let it drain through while you're doing something else. I'd recommend at least one camelback-type bladder to use as a receiving vessel so that you could use it for the back-flushing. I had only rigid bottles so I had to set up a siphon to back-flush--not terribly difficult, but not as easy as a bladder would have been. I think the universal adapter is pretty slick--worked well with all of the different containers I had on the trip.
Great for a group
Took along a weekend Canoe trip down the Patuxent River, with around 14 senior Boy Scouts(and 3 adults). A warm humid weekend- so the two 5 gal jugs would not be enough. Dipped the bag right into the warm, greenish river water (which was not yet noticeably brackish from salt), and produced about 30 L of clear, tasteless, safe water! Our last stop, the water was too brackish to use (filter won't remove salt ions). When starting a new 4L bag of river water, I'd let it dribble through for about a minute, then would break quick disconnect at bottom of bag, and blow to backflush the greenish stuff out around 4 cycles, which always restored flow rate considerably. I highly recommend this unit for its reliability, simplicity, and good productivity!
Great system
I'll just start by saying that I'm a huge MSR fan. Some years ago I broke part of my old Dragonfly stove. I called MSR and asked about how I might go about repairing it. "Oh, that's covered by the warranty, just send it in". They sent me a new one. As I was getting ready for a recent 8 day trip to the Boundary Waters I pulled out my old Seal Line 115 L dry bags. I had managed to pull one of the straps off of one of the bags on a heavy trip, so I called MSR to ask about what kind of glue I should use to put a new D ring on it. They sent me a new bag. Their products are really well thought out and their warranty is the best. When I was sorting gear for the Boundary Waters trip I found that my old Katadyn gravity filter wasn't working anymore, so I started looking for a replacement. I looked at the MSR Gravity and decided against it when I read reviews about it that talked about back flushing it. It seemed like a pesky and unreliable way to clean the filter. I've been used to being able to scrub filters to get them clean. Besides, how do you get the water into the hose to flush? After some reading on lots of different filters I ended up back at the MSR. If you add the Dromedary bag to the filter you end up with a complete system and the back flushing problem is solved. Just filter your water and when you're done reverse the bags, hang the clean water in the tree for a few minutes and let it back flush itself. Once you have a clean bag of water you put the spigot cap on the bag, hang it in a tree and, viola, you have clean running water. Sweet. For me, the gravity filters are the way to go. No squatting by the stream for ages pumping. Just scoop some water, hang it up and go do something else. We were in a lot of lakes that were high in tannin (something MSR tells you to avoid) and we didn't have any problems. Yes, you do have to back flush or it will plug up, but it's so simple to do that it becomes a non issue. We brought a pump for this trip, just in case, but we never broke it out. By the end of the trip we all agreed that this was one of our favorite pieces of gear that we had brought. Typical MSR. Well designed, tough and with a killer warranty. Can't beat it.
Great Idea!
I saw this filter in use last summer and was excited to get one for myself. Used it for the first time just last week in the Sierras for a week. The instructions direct you to backwash the filter every 8 liters or so using a nalgene bottle or an MSR compatible bladder. I have a different brand of hydration system so I planned to use a nalgene bottle. The second day out I hooked up the "clean" end to a nalgene bottle and flipped it but nothing went back through the filter. I tried squeezing the nalgene bottle but that is nearly impossible. I tried this backwash process twice more on the trip to no avail while the flow of the filtered water got slower and slower each day. By the end of the trip I was almost regretting not bringing my reliable pump filter. So I called MSR support when I got home to ask what I did wrong. MSR support said it sounded like I did everything correctly and that I shouldn't need to squeeze to get a backflow. They agreed to send me a free replacement filter and I agreed to test the backflow before I use it again. Bottom line: the gravity filter is a great idea and I'm not going to give up on it, especially after MSR was kind enough to send me a new filter.
Reliable, easy to use
I had gone backcountry canoeing with a friend who owned one of these for several years. Two years ago, I purchased a Sawyer unit for my own adventures. The MSR is easier to to pack with its more flexible tubing, longer-lasting with its replaceable filter, and far far easier to fill with it's open top compared to the Sawyer. I bit the bullet this year and replaced my Sawyer with this product and will never look back.
Great Fast Filter
Fast filter! Used it for scout campout in Havasupai. Bag fills fast and roll top is easier to fill than my friend's Platypus Gravityworks. Both are the same speed, it's just the roll top is faster at filling up. Bag itself is very strong and holds up well. Took us only 10 minutes to filter 5 gallons using both filters. We will never go back to pump filters!
Great once you get the hang of it
So much easier than pumping and the bag doubles as storage for washing dishes and putting out fires. The nozzle on the bottom sometimes comes loose, and you have to remember to allow air to escape from the container you are filling.