McNett Aquamira Frontier Pro Ultralight Water Filter

5 Responses to “ McNett Aquamira Frontier Pro Ultralight Water Filter ”

1. Shagui
   January 16, 2010 at 4:55 pm

   This filter works in oposite way then the others do.
   
   You have to fill the water bottle and then drinking thru the filter as a straw.
   
   With a regular filter, you filter the wather and fill the bottle with the filtered wather

   Very portable, and seem to be very reliable

   You have diferent options of use , ataching it to a regular botlle, to a hidratation pack, to a bladder or using it as a straw
   
   Ideal for carring it with the camelback as a backup during your trip, or for carring it in a survival kit.
   
   4 stars because it’s disposable, no replacements for using it forever

   Rating: 4 / 5
2. alltheusernamesaretaken
   January 16, 2010 at 6:56 pm

   Despite a lack of reviews when I purchased this unit, I decided to risk the $20 due to its novel design. After a couple of trips, I have to say I’m impressed. I’ll be taking the filter with me on future trips.

   If you’re into ultralight backpacking or simple day hikes, this filter could save you a lot of weight. It screws onto any standard soda/pop/water bottle (think Coke, Sprite, Aquafina, etc.) and you bite/suck through the nozzle (like a CamelBak) to drink; the water is filtered between the bottle and your mouth.

   I coupled the filter with a 1.5L Smart Water bottle (available at most grocery stores) due to the Smart Water’s unique size/shape combination, which makes it easier to carry and squeeze. The system acted as an excellent backup unit during my trips. I just filled the bottle directly from the water source, screwed on the filter, and drank. Much easier than pumping.

   The unit is also supposed to work with the included straw (for drinking directly out of water sources) or with hydration packs (in place of a regular bite valve). I have not tried either configuration, so I can’t attest to their effectiveness.

   Pros:
   
   ———-
   
   +Works like it’s supposed to
   
   +Small and very light
   
   +Low-cost
   
   +Fits onto any standard soda/pop/water bottle
   
   +Stretchy silicone/rubber neck keeps cap in place while closed and safely attached while drinking
   
   +Floats if accidentally dropped into water
   
   +Comes with several replacement pre-filters

   Cons:
   
   ———-
   
   -Non-replaceable filter cartridge (you can just buy another one for $20, but this creates unnecessary garbage)
   
   -Flow rate isn’t terribly fast. It feels like a slow CamelBak, and you might have to start squeezing the bottle as it empties.
   
   -Only practical for one person (unless you don’t mind sharing)

   Things to watch out for:
   
   ———-
   
   *To increase filter life, make sure you use the included pre-filter
   
   *Leaks when used with handheld Platypus bladder-bottles (NOT the same thing as a hydration pack; these soft “bottles” are basically small bags with a water bottle opening). The filter screws on, but not tightly enough to create a vacuum seal. This makes drinking very difficult and gets everything wet. I had no such problem with a regular (hard-bodied) plastic bottle.
   
   *Long-term reliability/flow rate is uncertain due to a lack of reviews.
   
   *This unit does not filter viruses — no pump/mechanical-action filter does except for the First Need series. You’ll need chlorine tablets if this is a concern to you, though it should not be in most North American waters.
   
   *This will not work with Nalgenes (even narrow-mouthed ones), Kleen Kanteens, or SIGGs.

   Conclusion:
   
   ———-
   
   All in all, I love this little thing and will be taking it with my as a backup filter for future trips. It’s great if you’re camping near a water source and don’t want to have to keep pumping for drinking water. Just remember what it’s designed for: solo drinking out of a dirty water bottle, not group filtration into clean bottles.
   Rating: 5 / 5
3. S. Jay Hill
   January 16, 2010 at 7:13 pm

   OK, did lots of research on this product at the manufacturer’s site. Although the descriptions all say that you can use this as a gravity filter, I find that claim a bit enthusiastic. Even sucking water through this thing is difficult. (The instructions do state that flow through improves with use, but doesn’t state how long that is.) The only instructions/information are ON the packaging…you’ll have to go back to the website to get any details.
   
   Gravity feed turned out to be 46 minutes for a 2-liter bottle that I got tired of holding up and had to build a stand for it…didn’t do well in that as I was trying to use only what would be in my backpack already.
   
   Their philosophy seems to be “filter your water after you’ve put contaminated water into your container” instead of “filter your water before you put it in your container.” Doesn’t work for me. For those that want to filter water AS you drink it, this would work fine. Beware though that the unit CANNOT have a filter replaced. After only 200 gallons through this, it is waste and you have to buy another one. For this reason, if you backpack more than two nights in a row for a few trips a year, I recommend you get the pump type unit. It’s more expensive up front, but cheaper in the long run and will filter water waaaaaay faster.
   Rating: 2 / 5
4. dnicely
   January 16, 2010 at 7:42 pm

   This is a great product for the price.
   
   I use it as a gravity filter, filtering from a 2.5L platypus bottle into my hydration bladder (the jason klass method). Works excellent this way!

   You should use a chemical treatment as well, as others have noted, but I would suggest using the chemical treatment no matter what type of filter you are using.
   
   so its not like an extra process or something…

   The only thing that would make this better would be if it had replaceable filter cartridges. It does not, but will still filter well over the 50 gallons it claims as long as you keep your pre-filter clean and replace it as often as needed.
   
   For this price its worth it, it will probably take 2 seasons for me to go through 50 gallons of water.
   Rating: 5 / 5
5. Joe Mama
   January 16, 2010 at 8:12 pm

   If you don’t need to filter a ton of water to make fancy soup out in the sticks for some reason, this is perfect. In places with decent water access all I need is this thing and a Platypus bag, which this screws onto.
   Rating: 5 / 5