If you can justify packing the 1.1 oz MSR Mugmate, which is marketed for brewing coffe and tea (I started packing it to brew loose tea, and then one day had this idea), it doubles as a neat water strainer. The bottom end of the Mugmate fits perfectly into the mouth of the MSR Dromedary Water Bags, and allows you to strain out anything that is visible. [Caveat: my 47 year old eyes may be missing some particles--but if so, the particles are too small to feel as I drink my strained water.] Leave the Mugmate lid/base at home, and you are under 1.0 oz. When I combine this with the MIOX, I'm set as long as I can find a stream.

Edited by bill.egger on 08/09/2006 17:22:36 MDT.

THANKS ! - I am going to look into this, because particles are the one downside to my SteriPen.

URL for this?
The MSR website doesn't seem to have a search function... :-(

Thanks

MSR Mugmate
I've got one. It works great for both coffee and tea. Never thought about using it to strain water. Great Idea

Edited by dag4643 on 10/26/2007 15:51:06 MDT.

I was actually thinking about doing this yesterday. Do you boil the mugmate to make sure it doesnt have any nasties hanging out in it? I guess if you brew your coffee pretty hot it shouldnt be much of a concern.

Hi Daniel

Thanks for the URL. Seems to me that MSR need to upgrade their web site somehow, since I couldn't find it. The lack of a search function seems ridiculous.

The Mugmate is interesting, but it weighs 28 grams. I made something rather similar out of stainless steel mesh, but it weighs only 9 grams - about 1/3rd. You can see it here:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/caffins_4_month_gear_list.html#Item43
Anyhow, the general idea works well.

Harris Coffee give something similar away for free at times, but theirs is really heavy at 85 grams. Too much.

I must confess I never thought of using it as a prefilter for water! Hum ... floaties in my coffee ... maybe not.

As to the question cleaning the filter - I suspect that pouring boiling water through it when making coffee should be all that is needed. I have never had any problems with mine, even after the 3 months in France.

cheers

Cloth is lighter. Both as a prefilter (small square of bandanna mateiral or similar) and as a coffee bag. To be honest, I don;t prefilter much, becuase the water I use (cascade mountains and foothills, eastern Oregon) doesn't need prefiltering.

I've used one cotton cloth bag for a coffee filter for a while now, and they work great. I bought a five pack for a few bucks at the local overpriced groovster grocery boutique, and gave one to my mom. One used one lives in my pack and three others are in teh kitchen box in our store room.

After making coffee, I dump it, scatter the grounds, and attach it to my pack to dry out during the day. Works great.