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MSR Guardian water purifier review
The MSR Guardian is a high-end water purifier that is built to be reliable. Originally designed for military squads, outdoor enthusiasts now also get to enjoy this advanced technology to keep them safe when exploring remote regions. We relied on it during our expedition through West Africa and primarily used it during hikes and as a backup device in the jungles of Gabon.
The Guardian is marketed for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts and tested to high standards. It offers great viral protection in remote and tropical regions, and will even purify the filthiest of water. Thanks to its advanced hollow fiber technology, it will remove cysts, protozoa, bacteria, and even viruses. After months of heavy use, it is time for a review.
What is the MSR Guardian?
The Guardian is a water purifier designed with portability in mind. The design is built to withstand accidental drops and heavy use in the harshest of environments. Originally designed for military personnel traveling to remote regions, it’s perfectly suited for outdoor expeditions in demanding circumstances.
Thanks to its advanced hollow fiber filter it constantly provides reliable and safe drinking water, no matter the conditions. The purifier offers great viral protection, which is much needed when traveling to developing nations and tropical zones. These areas have an increased risk of contamination due to poor sanitation, higher temperatures, and more animal-human interaction. The main filter will remove cysts, bacteria, and viruses, and the prefilter supports its function by keeping particles out of the intake hose.
Unique on the market, is the self-cleaning function of the unit. The pump cleans the filter at every stroke, providing a constant flowrate, whilst eliminating the need for manual backflushing or filter-scrubbing. The filter cartridge can filter about 10.000 liters of water, enough to keep you going for quite a few years.
Specifications
- Filtering capabilities: Removing bacteria, cysts, and viruses
- Testing standards: Meets NSF protocol P248, a testing standard used by the U.S. military, for the removal of viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and sediment from “worst-case” water conditions.
- Output per minute: 2.5L / minute
- Filter longevity: 10.000L
- Size: 21 x 12 x 9 cm
- Weight: 490 grams
Pro
- Filters up to 0.02 microns, which also stops viruses from passing through.
- Very high water output (2,5L / minute).
- The prefilter makes sure you can safely use it in shallow water.
- Fits perfectly on Nalgene bottles, but it will sit quite nicely on the Front Runner jerrycan as well (don’t screw it on though, as this will cause the Guardian to leak).
- Its self-cleaning mechanism ensures consistent flow rates and no hassle with filter cleaning.
- Including a transport bag and waterproof manual.
Cons
- It does not include a carbon filter, so it won’t filter out chemicals or heavy metals.
- The pumping handle is prone to damage in transport due to it sticking out.
- The locking pin of the pumping hinge sometimes gets stuck in between the mechanism, risking damage.
- If you turn the bottom locking ring too tight, it will start leaking around the seams.
- During a quick inspection, we found that the O-ring of the piston was damaged during assembly in the factory.
- The transport bag is nice, but doesn’t offer great protection during transport.
Would we buy it again?
This water purifier surely is top of the line. But, it all depends on your needs if it’s great for you too. Whilst the military standards sound nice and all, our experience has shown that the device has some flaws when it comes to the design. Nevertheless, the output level is amazing and unlike anything we’ve used in the past. Having a purifier that filters out viruses is essential in remote and tropical regions, which it does well. This makes it a great filter when you need larger volumes of purified water.
Looking at the ever-evolving market, the MSR Guardian has gotten some competition in the last few years. Yet it remains to stand out in the crowd due to its ease of use, design, and output levels. Whilst a purifier like this might not be your main filtration device when overlanding, it is surely worth considering to take with you. We always recommend long-term overlanders to travel with a backup of sorts when it comes to food and water. For overlanding, you most likely want to have a way to store and filter water, something this handheld filter can’t offer. But, what it can offer, is a great backup solution when something in your main system breaks. Having the means to purify any water from anywhere, is vital when traveling through remote regions. With the Guardian on the shelf, you know you will have a high-end, reliable, and high-output filtration device as a backup. Whatever happens.
In our opinion the MSR Guardian is perfect for people who require virus protection and a high water output, as this is where the product shines.
Besides serving as a backup for overland travel, we believe that the Guardian could be very useful when hiking. Many handheld filters don’t offer the same level of viral protection as the Guardian does. With that in mind, this purifier is ideal for travel families or groups, in need of bigger amounts of safe drinking water.
With that, we can conclude that the MSR Guardian is a great piece of kit, but relatively expensive depending on what you use it for. Thanks to the ever-developing market there are some great competitors out there.
Our approach for gear reviews
As long-term overlanders we fully understand the need for high-quality and reliable gear. We know that if gear isn’t up to standard it can hinder your adventures, resulting in discomfort or a dangerous situation.
We write our reviews after extensive testing and with you – an adventurous overlander – in mind. We hope you appreciate our information, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions.
Don’t forget to check out our comparison review between the MSR Guardian and LifeSaver Wayfarer!
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