Survivor Filter PRO - Hand Pump Camping Water Filtration System Survival - Water Purifier Survival

I was amazed by some of the reviews I had come across (Amazon, YouTube) re the Survivor system and this was after I had picked up a garden variety "filter" for home use at Walmart (which I returned after ordering the Survivor). the Survivor was able to take water that was virtually IMPOSSIBLE to even consider for ANY type use (even bathing) let alone DRINKING and yet it purified the water AND made it taste good at the same time. not exactly the same thing as turning water into wine but this was clearly a close second!I have been using my Survivor (I have both the manual and electric models) for TAP WATER mainly to double clean it (just in case) but also to improve the taste (typical city water) and it works great.compared to buying a Brita or similar home filter that only improves water taste (maybe some filtering as well) the Survivor is overkill in terms of cleaning tap water of pathogens but given the fact that it also acts as a "regular filter" for taste, I think it's well worth the money. Also, if there is ever a situation where I need to get drinking water in an emergency situation, I know that the Survivor can do that, the Brita (etc.) can't.The Survivor is also very compact. it's a great design and I'm a student of good industrial design.I highly recommend this kind of filter over any other "home filter" (except maybe RO units) because it serves double duty -- can improve taste (just like a "regular" home filter) AND it can purify water at any time if you need to do that (including camping out, backpacking, but also travel to other areas where water quality is questionable).I consider the Survivor system to be in a class of its own. a great tool with many advantages.one more thing ...Survivor has had its filter claims verified by an independent lab. it's one thing to claim something but when you have proof to back it up, that helps a lot.this is a tool that not only can make water taste better -- it can save your life.

EDIT: This review has been updated to address my concerns about the listed weight. Previously it was stated the filter was 8 oz. However my own measurements were around 12-13 oz. After posting my initial review I see the manufacturer has now updated their website to list the current version at 12.8 oz, so I am giving this filter 5 stars!The filter seems to work fine - I've tested it on multiple occasions and it does what it is supposed to do.I do have one gripe, but this hasn't actually been an issue yet - the pre-filter isn't really a pre-filter per-se... It is a 0.1 hollow fiber filter (similar to a Sawyer or BeFree) that then goes into a carbon filter and then another finer 0.01 hollow fiber filter. That means if your water isn't pristine, the hollow fibers of the "pre-filter" might get clogged up with gunk just like a Sawyer would. However, I have not yet experienced this problem yet; I am just basing this on my own experiences with identical 0.1 hollow membrane type filters - they all do this. The solution of course is to place a coffee filter or bandana rubber banded around the pre-filter before you pop it in the stream, lake, stock pond whatever. This is just my opinion, but a real pre-filter would have a removable and user cleanable fine-mesh protecting the hollow-fiber element that goes directly into the water in order to protect clogging. See MSR Trailshot or MSR Guardian for what a mesh pre-filter looks like; the purpose of them is to keep silt and other large debris out of the hollow-fibers. Again, easily remedied with a coffee filter here for a fraction of the price of a Guardian.Anyway, I have put this thing into a couple nasty pools of water - one was chock full of algae. The other one was from a spring that was piped into a nasty rusty bucket full of mud and other debris. I was able to get reasonably clear, decent tasting water both times and this is a huge morale and confidence boost on long distance hikes. I have previously filtered from the same algae ridden source with an MSR Trailshot, and the water was still kind of green and tasted foul. Not so with the survivor filter - from the same source there was still a tinge of green to the water but it tasted totally fine. I say if you are concerned with the lightest weight possible, then this filter may not be for you - it weighs 12.8 oz. But if you are sick and tired of smelly green water from nasty sources that, while technically are safe to drink after filtering with a 2oz Sawyer, and want your filtered water to actually taste, smell and look pretty close to tap water, then I would wholeheartedly recommend this filter.

I stumbled across this looking for an alternative to the expensive MSR ceramic and micro filters that I already own. My sons are now needing their own filters for their Scout trips. I saw all the RAVING reviews and figured I couldn't go too wrong for that price. Boy, was I right! It's slightly lighter than my ceramic and pumps easier. I've only used it on one trip, but it pumped all the water for all three of us, because we all wanted to try it. Our water source was VERY heavy with sediment, but we just let it hang in the collapsible bucket for a bit, to let it all settle. Water had no taste and the filter was easy to use.The only quirk I noted was that the inlet hose seemed a little "too" flexible. On the up, or draw, stroke - the hose collapsed. You really want to wait until it expands again before pushing down and squirting water through the filter. If not, there isn't much water in the filter and it's almost a wasted stroke. So you just take a little time to pump slower. Not a big issue, but I wonder a thicker-walled hose would alleviate that, or just cause more issues.Customer service on this was FANTASTIC! I wanted a spare filter to take with, and I'd forgotten to order one initially. With COVID-19, these things are in HIGH demand. But I went to their website, where they have the ability to notify when something is in stock. I signed up, they notified me later when production caught up, and I ordered. The filter got here 2 days later, with no fuss. Great service! I plan on ordering more of these, both for us and for gifts for other Scouts. Sorry MSR, but you're too expensive!