The pros about this product: very light and easily packable`;` simple design is very low energy and easy to use. The cons about this product: If you are in a location which has very limited water flow i.e. very shallow streambed it can be difficult to fill the water pouch. Also, if you are using it for large quantities of water i.e. cooking and/or multiple people I have found it to be slower and more tedious than a pump filter. However, for those half day solo or pair hikes, I have loved having it.

I used this for a solid week as my only filter system while in the backcountry in Yosemite. The system is easy to use, durable and trusted. I used the filter a few different ways; I would fill my bladder and attach the filter directly to the drinking tube and drink from the other end, and attached to the end of an empty Dasani water bottle. My son used his a little differently, incorporating the use of the pouch that comes with the unit. He filled the pouch with river water and transferred the water from the pouch to his bladder through the filter. Make sure to backwash the filter often. The filter, pouch and syringe are lightweight and take up very little room in my pack. The price and quality make this a must have piece of gear for hiking, camping, backpacking, and overseas travel.

Water purification has always been a battle between wanting your water right now and not wanting a lot of weight. No longer! This filter hits the golden trifecta of gear! Its small, light, and easy to use! with it coming in at a mere 2 ounces it is almost unnoticed while it's in your pack. And yet a power house while in use! I shared it with 3 other friends for a week and it preformed so beautifully they went and got their own when we were done! With that price though, who could blame them. Over all one of the easiest filers I've ever used both in maintenance and execution. Also why is there no time frame for between one and two years because I've had this for about 18 months