Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ordered two of the Survivor Filter PRO in Nov 2019 after reading the many great reviews. Disappointing and scary results using this product. I bought two filters for my son and I for an 11.5 mile Boy Scout backpacking trip in a remote area where the only water source was an old hand water pumping station that provided non-potable water for livestock (see pic). I thought this was a great opportunity to use such a filter. Several gallons of non-potable water was hand-pumped into some large heavy-duty plastic buckets. It was from there that water was filtered (carefully following the directions) to fill four 2-3 liter bladders and several 1-liter bottles. Drinking this “filtered” water Immediately afterward, it had a very strong metallic taste but the water appeared clear in color. The next morning (less than 12 hours later) the water color in every container had turned a light brown; the metal had oxidized and turned to rust (see pics). The side-by-side picture is very telling, filtered water with this product on the left and the original purchased water on the right. The worst part was not having any water but this “filtered” water to drink on the second day while hiking back to our vehicles. I tried to drink as little as possible but being exposed to the sun in a semi-desert climate during a Santa Ana wind event, dehydration sets in quick. I kept one bottle full of this “filtered” water for a week to let the rust settle to the bottom (see pic). I don’t know what’s scarier, seeing what it couldn’t filter out or not being able to see what else it may not have filtered out. Cleaning out our two water bladders we filled with this “filtered” water failed to remove a rusty film staining the bladder and the metallic taste contaminating any water added into the bladder (see pic). Both were ruined and had to be replaced. The product headline reads, “Survivor Filter PRO – Virus and Heavy Metal Tested 0.01 Micron Water Filter for Camping, Hiking and Emergency.” But I guess my experience falls under the caveat in the body of the ad, “REDUCE MOST HEAVY METALS, TASTE and CHEMICALS.” I suppose the metal in my “filtered” water wasn’t one of those “MOST HEAVY METALS” it can filter out. I will say that this filter is light weight, compact, and traveled well in my backpack. Operating the filter was simple and all the components seem well-made. It did not take long to fill a 3 liter bladder. However, if it doesn’t work, none of that matters. I am returning both water filters for a full refund and I’m contacting the seller to seek reimbursement for the cost of replacing our bladders. I will update this review with the results of my efforts.