MSRTrail Base Personal Pump and Gravity Water Filter System

The only thing I really wish was different is the cap on the clean bag. It’s a square piece, but they don’t make square hoses. I found that a cap off a dawn bottle makes for a perfect hose adapter for hanging up at camp. Similar to the way Platypus does it. The trail shot is heavier compared to a sawyer squeeze, but the ability to pump and purge the air from the hose when using the gravity feature is super nice.

Hand can cramp but worth it. Way faster than sawyer. Took it to the Grand Canyon and it worked great. Three others on the trip stopped using their sawyer and we all just used this. Faster, less mess to worry about. Exactly as simple as you think it is.

I used this filter for a destination hike. I'm glad I had it with me because I ran out of fresh water after the first day (took 3 liters for overnight). It filtered water with great ease and I had no issues after drinking the water.Follow the instructions on testing your filter's integrity before you go out!

It came fine, quality material, but, wow, this is a dumb design. All I wanted was a simple gravity water filter. My advice is pass on this one.

Not a good quality product. Seams leak water. Had to return and get a new one, we will see if the new one they send doesn’t leak again. Good thing I tested it out on a short hike rather than the one I actually got this for!

Clean water bag developed pinhole leaks in less than a week of backpacking.Not rugged enough for back country travel.

Relatively easy to use once you get the hang of it. Didn’t notice plastic taste others have commented on — tasted fine. But during and after hiking — even with just a friend or two — 2 liters is not a lot of water. I don’t want to spend time making trips back and forth to bring water to camp so I purchased the 10-liter Dromedary bag to replace the 2-liter bag that is included with Trail Base kit. Unfortunately the MSR Dromedary bag lacks the necessary connectors and MSR doesn’t sell an appropriate adapter. I called MSR and they didn’t have a solution. So...I guess I can use the $49 MSR Dromedary bag to fetch dirty water and manually refill the 2-liter dirty bag as it runs dry but that will be a 2 person job and seems silly. In my opinion, a $49 Dromedary bag should be engineered to work seamlessly with the Trail Base gravity water filter system — or vice versa. Or MSR should offer an adaptor. Good filter system for 1-2 people max. I was expecting more adaptability and usefulness. Also concerned about storage — after following provided instructions and air drying for several days the filter is still wet — worried about mold/mildew.

MSR's filtration systems have always been a little behind the industry's frontrunners when it came to price, simplicity, reliability, and function. Not that they are unusable or even poor concepts but a bit on the quirky side and used more often by niche customers and techie gearheads that don't mind the extra costs, general maintenance, and/or troubleshooting. Unfortunately, MSR Trail Base Personal Pump and Gravity Water Filter System is no exception. The system's Dromlite bags, hoses, and fittings are proven durable and well designed. OTOH the TrailShot Filter, initially considered a game (or trail) changing design for ultralight/fast enthusiasts, has garnered a reputation for requiring more maintenance than its competitors to prevent clogs. Recommend checking out the MSR TrailShot's recent reviews. Also, the TrailShot's replacement filter cartridge alone cost about as much as the other competitors' entire system.Bottom-line: The Trail Base Gravity System works ok but there are much more versatile gravity systems on the market for half the price and weight. And for those who have already purchased the Trailshot, MSR does NOT offer the hose and connections as separate items. Another reason why Katadyn and Sawyer products remain the top choices for thru-hikers and trail runners.

Works very well, very convenient.

Great compact product. Multiple different ways to use. Regrettably chose the smaller 2L bag capacity. 4 L bag version is more suitable for 2 or more people in a camp situation. 2L version we had to refill at water source >= couple times daily for two people. An inconvenience when the water source is located in rough terrain.