PUR Explorer Review

"I recently bought this purifier and I love it. It has a backflush system so virtually anyone could use it and it is extremely resistent to clogging. PUR makes some great filters, and if your worried about the size of this one, any litre of water will weigh more anyway."

"junk ! bad design of the end caps to filter cartridge seal puts the filter under excessive torsional stress, then it fails by twisting itself apart. the deal is that you cannot inspect the filter without destroying it. this is not a good feature. mine died at a cattle pond in the middle of a desert in new mexico, so i got to drink dead cow in the water soup. this fluid could not have gone thru me faster if i had had cholera. as an additionl bad feature the design the overpressure bypass valve so that it is not serviceable in the field, or anywhere. if a blade of grass gets in the valve, the unit is useless. good idea, bad product. bought a msr, works great."

"I have used my Explorer about 50 times. I have not been impressed with its performance. First, I conclude that plunger-type purifiers are hard to use when you're down on your haunches next to a stream trying to get the job done... they want to twist in your hands and are hard to keep aligned as you continually try to push the plunger into the cyliner/housing some hundreds of times as you fill a standard bag. Second, my Explorer has developed cracks at the plastic nipple on the body where the intake line attaches with the result that it now sucks only air, not water; i.e., it's broke. Last complaint: it's a very slow way to refill your water bag! On the positive side, the filter is quite long lasting and the unit takes up very little space in the pack."

"I purchased a PUR Explorer used and it worked famously for 3 years, pumping probably 200 liters of water from the Colorado Rockies, southern Utah, and the Olympics. Always fast and easy, until it's last trip to the Gulch, where it served it's last duty at a desert spring and then finally clogged. If I can find a replacement filter for this, despite the inconsistent reports on PUR filters, I'll continue to give it a chance."

"I have been using the pur explorer exclusively since it first came on the market. I was sold on the internal iodination thru the mesh. After hundreds of trail miles and a couple of replacement filters, I still love it. I got a bright idea and rubber-banded a drip style coffee filter over the inlet hose and found the filter lasts much longer. Those little white coffee filters are just pennies and weigh next to nothing. Yea they are heavy but I've never had a filter problem anywhere I've been."

"I was very impressed with the Bacterial/viral filtering qualities of the filter, and the self-cleaning feature. Water output impressed several of my camping friends, but weight was higher than theirs.
I used my explorer for about 5 years, and had several problems. First, the base developed cracks, and there was a replacement base, which I received when I bought a new filter for $40. It then worked great for 2.5 more years of occasional camping, untill I used it with glacial runoff in Ecuador. (known for clogging filters with clay). I had let the water settle for 1/2 hour, but it was not enough. Then I discovered that the filters were no longer available, but Katydyne would replace my $190 explorer with a $59 Scout, for the low price of the filter cartridge $39. Hmm, what a deal. I guess it was fortunate, since the base was again developing cracks and leaking. Oh, well, no more viral filtering (back to iodine). I hope it does not clog too fast. I'll trash it when the filter wears out, It's not built to last."

"I have been using my explorer for 5 years. It has been nothing short of GREAT! Others in my group have gone through many other systems. They all finally gave up and I pump for all using mine."

"Purchased filter years ago. Stored in closet most of time. Took it on 60 mile canoe trek weeks ago. Have always been impressed by design (i.e., filter backflush filter capability. Adirondacks setting sun, 6 guys depending on my water filter... and the top of the handle comes off in my hands snapping clean off. Katadyn disavows any responsibility for what is clearly a latent defect in design or materials. If anyone has a copy of the warranty would appreciate a cy. Very impressed with the unit... until it died."