To date I've always relied on the tried and tested methods for water purification; boiling and/or chemical treatment, I've had water filters in the past that used only mircofilters or carbon but not one that combined both.
Pics:What you get in the box:
Attached to standard screw bottle with bitevalve shown:
Manufacturer: AquaMira
Model: Fronier Pro
Input aperature: 6mm
Input connector: 28mm screw / 8" straw
Output aperature: 10mm
Output connector: Bite valve - variable
Cover: Cap - connected
Weight: 2oz (dry)
Length: 6.75"
Filter type: Active carbon
Pre-filer type: Porous plastic microfilter - replacable - filters down to 3 microns
Total filter capability: Microfilter - 99.9% of Cryptosporidium, Giardia, suppresses the growth of bacteria, algae, fungus, mold, and mildew. Carbon - chlorine, sediment, toxins.
Ratings: Durability: 7/10
Taste: 8/10
Efficacy: 7/10
Overall: 7/10
Review: I really like this filter it's compact and lightweight; offers the level of protection I'd like to see in all standard in-line filters and its versatility also wins it some points. I'm not usually a fan of filters that have components that need replacing, however in this instance I'm willing to make an exception. The fact that you can screw it onto the top of any normal 28mm plastic bottle out of the box is a big plus in my books, the bite valve is a little fiddly and takes some getting used to, but the fact that you can fully remove it and the surrounding rubber means that if you hung it upside down you can use it as a gravity fed water filter. Alternately the straw that comes attached to it is long enough (often a big mistake when buying filters is not having a lone enough straw). The replacement filters are super lighweight so they don't add much to the weight of my pack.
There's only three gripes I have with this system, the first being that the straw and bite valve connectors aren't compatible with my camelbak hoses, so my dreams of connecting my hydration bladder and bite valve to it are shot, its possible but it'd require a bit of hose jerry rigging which I'm not too hot about. The second is that you need to really read the instructions carefully, the paragraph which details that you need to wash it out a couple of times first is right at the bottom of the box, meaning that if like me you're a man and have no such use for silly instructions, you'll get a mouth full of charcoal dust on first use. The last gripe is that using it in gravity fed "mode" is a little slow, if you're leaving it overnight to filter through then great but if you're taking a 5 minute break and want to leave it going whilst you relax for a bit you'll notice that the flow rate isn't much more than a dribble as the volume filters and the pressure drops you wind up with just drops at a time, not really a downside if you're leaving it overnight but something to mention.
All in all a nice compact peice of kit that combines the two most trusted methods of water purification in one; I'm not ready to ditch my hexi stove and chlorine tabs just yet but for giving you the peace of mind when you fillup in that clear mountain brook I couldn't ask for more. There's no benchmark for how long each of the filters last, and to be honest its not an experriment I'd gladly run but theres enough of the filters provided to last you a solid fortnight at the very least, and they're pretty cheap.
Definitely reccommended for hikers and the like, there are simpler all-in-one systems out there and for long term/large volume work you'll not soon be jumping off the tried and tested boiling/chemical treatment bandwagons just yet. However for the peace of mind and sheer compactness I'd be stuck to find reasons not to include this in my pack.
Price: £22.50
Sore: Go Outdoors
