My wife and I received the First Need Deluxe purifier for a wedding gift. My initial experience with it was fine. The water tasted great and was perfectly clear. I like the fact that it has only one hose to mess with because it simplifies the process when you're uncomfortably kneeling in a thicket at the edge of your water source. What didn't I like about it? To start with the float on top of the prefilter wasn't buoyant enough to keep it from sinking, so even if you have a water source that is a foot or two deep the prefilter ends up down in all the silt which would shorten the lifespan of the filter. Another thing that I don't like which leads to my real beef with it, is that you cannot clean or maintain the filter in the field, and to replace the filter you have to replace the entire housing at a cost of $50. I found this out this past weekend when my wife took me on an overnight trip on Mt. Hood for my birthday. As I knelt beside the lake filling out bottles I noticed that the device seemed much easier to pump than usual; not as much resistance. Although I would have liked to believe that I had simply developed much greater arm strength since it's last use, I figured this was not the case. When I looked into my bottle I saw quite a bit of sediment floating around. Since you cannot open the filters housing I had no way to see what was going on and just had to accept that it was broken. I suspect that the actual filter must have become misoriented somehow and the water was passing through the device but not through the filter. Now, to be fair I do have to state that it does come with a little bottle of blue food coloring that you are supposed to use before each trip as an integrity test, and on this particular trip I neglected to do so. So I am partly to blame for this. Most likely, it was broken before we left the house and I could have known this if I had not failed to test it. However, we had only used this filter for two or three one or two night trips before it broke. In addition, I am one of those people who thinks everything is too expensive so I take good care with my gear so it will last. I just cannot imagine how this filter would have been damaged. So, in closing I would say, when it works it works really well and produces great tasting clean water. But, the above dislike greatly out-weigh the likes. I would definatly recommend a different product that can be maintained in the field. And of course, always have back-up tablets or drops in case your filter fails.

Customer Service

I do want to give some props here to REI, because, like I stated at the beginning, we recieved this filter as a wedding gift,had no reciept, and it actually sat in our attic for two years before we remembered and used it for the first time. When it failed after only a few uses, REI took it back without a reciept and gave us store credit toward a new filter without any grief. So REI earned to serious respect points from me there.

Similar Products Used:

This time we are trying the Katadyn Hiker Pro. We have not used it yet, but will be next weekend.

Until someone comes out with a maintenance-free, battery-powered water purifier that weighs six ounces--okay let's say three ounces--we all have much to complain about in water filters and purifiers. There is something magical and satisfying about instantly converting opaque, foamy muck into clear, delicious water. But then it happens, the clog, and the anguish, anger and ultimately the buyers' remorse sets in. How you respond to the clog defines what type of filter or purifier you should have. If your inner mechanic takes over and you have the urge to take the thing apart and scrape muck, then a ceramic filter is for you. If your inner shopper takes over and you have an urge to visit your favorite retail establishment for a replacement cartridge, then the First Need Deluxe is probably your best bet. And for those who really would prefer to enjoy both experiences MSR provides WaterWorks EX. The First Need does something wonderful when it clogs. It allows to keep pumping water, only at a slower rate. You can finish your trip without the hassle of carrying a spare cartridge. The First Need does not squeak in use or require boiling before the trip. It's easy to pump with a Nalgene bottle attached, at least until the clog slows you down. On the negative side it does leak water from the pump. This is a nuisance rather than a threat as the unfiltered water can be channeled back down the intake tube by holding the pump side slightly lower. In any case the Nalgene bottle can be overflowed with purified water to rinse away any unfiltered water from the outside of the bottle mouth. Do I have complaints? Absolutely. But until someone comes out with something better, my inner shopper will manage the water purification portion of the trip. I don't visit the wilderness to work on gear.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

MSR Sweetwater Guardian Filter and Katadyn Exstream XR Purifier.

I am sorry I ever bought this filter. I bought this filter for a year of backpacking through South America because I wasn't sure what I would run into with regards to water supply. A fter 10 days in the field this sucker completed clogged on me. Used it primarily in glacial fed streams, with a bandana tied around the pre-filter for really fine sediment. I used it in one brown stream. In total, I probably moved about 5 gallons of water through this filter. The company claims it is good for 125 gallons. Backwashing did nothing. The much ballyhooed "gravity feed filter even when clogged" did absolutely nothing. The pump handled started leaking and the white tube between the filter cannister and the pump mechanism continually popped off so I finally zip tied it on (have talked with other users who say this is a problem). I ordered a Hiker and used that the rest of my 10 months in South America.

Customer Service

When I got back to the states I sent it back to the company and they basically wrote me back and told me tough. They basically said the filter life is dependent on the type of water used. Their advertising says nothing of the sort and as far as I am concerned, that is false advertising. The produced a piece of garbage and they know it.

Similar Products Used:

Pur and Katadyn Hiker, Pur Traveler, Katadyn ceramic, MSR ceramic

As long as I was getting a filter I figured I'd spend the extra $$ and get one that traps viruses too. The flow rate is good and pump force is comparable or less than other bacteria only filters. It's easy to backflush the main filter and the prefilter has come in handy to keep out vegetation and dirt kicked up in moving streams. I've only used it for part of a season on fairly clean mountain streams and glacial runoff, not mudpuddles for months on end,so I'm not the best candidate for severe use testing. It did get exposed to well below freezing temps(~20F)and the filter element didn't crack. The manufacturer supplies food coloring to test the filtering efficiency after freezing, or hard impact and it passed with flying colors. If the filter lives up to the mfg stated 125 gal before replacement it's worth 5 stars, until then only 4 as it's kinda spendy.

Similar Products Used:

Boil da' water!

Got this prodct after reading many reviews, great flow rate and never had a problem with it clogging, made the water taste great (even while filtering out of some water that looked like it had been sitting since the begginning of man), what else is there to say it works, and if I don't type another review it is because it is still working

Customer Service

never needed

Its the best so far. To be able to relax all day long and not worry about where the water is all day. The only problem is I don't like anymore with any of these filters. Is the PUMPs, the pumping thing you do. With all these little bitty pumps made today, they should have a battery powered pump even ligher than the hand job with the AA batteries. Why can whe put like 3 AA batteries and a electic pump that would porbably pump 50 gals and at a better rate then hand pumping and we could stick the whole thing in the velcro pouch in the bottom of our pack with a refill tub on the belt and the other end hooked up to a Platipus bladder. Ah, not in our lifetime.If I can find the right, lite, electic pump I wouldn't even have to unpack to refill the bladder. But anyway, I buy one every year regardless. Its your health......$

Great product! I'd rely on it in any situation. Never failed me and it has been put to the test. Pumps great and the "lazy mode" is a fantastic optoin. Only chemical free purifier that I know of on the market. Fantastic!!!

Customer Service

Great.

Similar Products Used:

Older First Need. MSR

I first loved the First Need and used it for a few trips and it worked pretty well but on my last trip it produced dirty water and was leaking at the pump. I used Polar Pure to treat it since I didn''t trust the dirty water. I took it to REI and they refunded my money and I bought a MSR Mini-Works. I havent used the MSR but from the reviews I think I will like it better. I intend to use the Sweetwater virus drops in addition to the MSR.

Customer Service

never called them

Similar Products Used:

Pur Voyager, MSR Miniworks

None

Though I do a bit of everything, I''ve used this purifier most on wilderness canoe trips in remote parts of Canada. Forget about all the other purifiers; you''ll be very pleased indeed with this one. Why? Well, easy to use, easy to maintain in the field, compact, light, durable, makes damn refreshing/clean water, and can be used in ''lazy'' mode with no pumping. This one is reasonable priced, and you''d be hard pressed to beat it at any price.

Customer Service

Haven''t had to use them yet.

Similar Products Used:

MSR

None

I''ve heard the rumors of this thing not being easy to use or that it''s just a toy. In reality, the low pump force and the fact that it purifies in BOTH pump directions with a much higher flow rate than say, an MSR Mini or Waterworks, makes this a great purifier. And yes, it''s an actual purifier at that, removing viruses and not just bacteria. It''s only a couple of ounces heaver than the MSRs, but certainly worth the protection! It''s also quite sturdy, with fewer and thicker parts. I don''t see this thing breaking any time soon.

Customer Service

None needed.

Similar Products Used:

MSR Miniworks. The MSR was neat to watch the water in the clear pump chamber, and the MSR overall looks like a tool instead of a toy, but it felt structurally weak and of course left me unprotected f