The MUV Nomad by Renovo Water

"Pure water is the world’s first and foremost medicine." 
– Slovakian Proverb

Every now and again, I'm thrilled to come across a product that somehow manages to do everything right simply because, well, it keeps things simple.

That said, I'm happy to introduce the MUV Nomad filter. In the deeply saturated market of water filtration, this one stands out as a scintillating example of what a water filtration system should look like: nothing special and nothing extraordinary. 

Don't get me wrong - the aesthetics injected into the construction of the MUV Nomad are excellent - it's sleek design alone probably makes the water taste that much better. But it's the fact that the Nomad's not like every other bulky or tangled system of water filtration. There's no hose, no pumps, no reservoir, no bladder, no assembly (well, no repeated assembly) required with respect to the Nomad.  

The ease at which it collects water is an absolute relief. The slim design means it's easy to pack and easier to carry. The leak-proof cap, the tight-closing and easy-opening spout, the simple filter are all leaving me with a need to try and squeeze out some kind of con to a product filled with pros. This product is simply perfect - though it's worth mentioning that it's only perfect because of it's intended application.



With the MUV Nomad, it's crucial to temper expectations. This isn't a product that's branded as a survival filter (though, Renovo Water produces these as well and the MUV3 filter that comes with the Nomad is more than up to the challenge); no, this filter has adopted a more versatile and real-world application.

As per Renovo's own description:

"Whether you are traveling through a third-world country or visiting a beach in the Caribbean, the Nomad will make sure your drinking water is safe. Simply fill the MUV water bottle from the tap in your hotel room or public drinking water source, insert the filter which is connected to the screw top with a tube, and begin to drink through the mouth piece."

It's a breath of fresh air to see a water filter being marketed in a such a uniquely pragmatic way, because more of us spend time travelling and encountering questionable water sources on the go in developing countries than we do drinking out of stagnant water sources in the wilderness.



That’s where my experience with the Nomad filter comes in, because I chose to bring this along with me on several outdoor excursions and had been blown away by it’s ability to out-do products that it doesn’t even intend to compete against.

While the folks at Renovo Water do a great job in branding the MUV Nomad towards a particular consumer market of travelers, they’ve also happened to create a product that impresses outside of this intended niche.

For someone who enjoys quick and mobile dips in the wilderness, trail running past horizons without a need to camp or squeeze water out of mud, the MUV Nomad is, for lack of a better word, perfect. 

I had used this water filter in various settings. Small lakes, ponds, stream beds, and rivers. After each use, I had been pleased to have not encountered any stomach trouble whatsoever. I had also been pleased with the swift manner by which I could collect water and the rapid flow rate of the filter itself. 



So what is it that makes the MUV Nomad really stand out? It’s the convenience that it brings to a not-so-convenient experience.

In many parts of the wilderness, mosquitoes and other insects tend to be tenfold worse as soon as you come across any kind of water source. And as these insects defend (or try to feed) their breeding ground, the last thing you'd want to do is spend ample time unpacking your water collection system, screwing it together, assembling all the components, fumbling with hoses, trying to collect water, packing it back up in hopes that you don't lose or misplace a cap or a hose or a pump or a straw as you both swat at mosquitoes and try to distance yourself as fast as possible from wherever you just sourced water. 

There's something noteworthy to be said about the ease of use that a product can afford to anyone who finds themselves in such situations. To be running a trail and have to stop and take five or ten minutes to simply collect some water; to curb the momentum of a trail run or hamper the swiftness of an outdoor trek - these are all factors that come into play. 



It felt like I had been stealing unearned water as I ran by a stream bed. It was all too easy to fill up at a lake and go - it was liberating, really. 

And, for those who are looking for more heavy-duty wilderness applications, the MUV line features numerous water filtration systems and a variety of filters that can be tailored to any kind of excursion; it's Backcountry Pump Filter, Tote Gravity Water Filter and Survivalist Water Filter all offer an array of different options for any kind of expedition while the MUV1, MUV2 and MUV3 options allow for a wide range of applicability. 



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Photo courtesy www.http://renovowater.com/about-muv/


The MUV3 Nanalum Filter Itself

It may be useful to introduce the filter itself by outlining the specs as featured on the Renovo Water website:

  • Filters chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, and viruses

  • Filters 99.999% of bacteria (Giardia, eColi, Cryptosporidium)

  • Filters 99.99% of viruses

  • Blocks sediment and large particulate

  • Improves water taste and clarifies water

  • Nanalum electrostatic filter technology

  • Filter capacity: 90 gallons

The MUV Nomad utilizes the MUV3 Nanalum Filter, which provides full chemical, bacterial and viral protection, also offering a truly fast flow rate and a 90-gallon lifespan.

Working through an absorption mechanism, the filter removes heavy metals (like iron or lead), chemicals (like chlorine or arsenic), bacterium (like giardia and eColi), and viruses (like hepatitis A and E or polio). Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) is impregnated into the carefully-engineered water filter paper to achieve this effect; to quote Renovo Water:

"The Nanalum module has a strong positive electrostatic charge when wet. Like a strong magnet, the positive electrostatic charge of the Nanalum attracts and traps organic contaminants."

It's worth noting that the manufacturers post the test results of the filter itself on their website, which in itself provides an array of information worth taking in. 



All in All

If, and only if, I were forced to come up with some qualms about this product, I could maybe think of just one. The strap, attached to the cap, is too small to fit around a wrist. In situations whereby one fills up the bottle (it's sleek design makes it rather slippery on it's sides when wet), it's easy to see the bottle slipping out of hands and possibly cracking with an impact on the ground. And there we may have a second potential issue - whether or not the plastic construction is impervious to drops and impacts of any kinds. 

But when that's the only issue (or issues) that can be considered, at such an affordable price, there's really no reason to overlook a product of this caliber. 

Above all else, Renovo Water provides an abundance of cleverly-designed water filtration options for any kind of situation - cycling, hiking, travelling, camping, running. 

This particular product, the MUV Nomad, surpassed my expectations outside of its intended niche as it paired various convenient features (fast flow rate, easy collection, simple design) with an effective filtration system. In so doing, I'm now prone to reach for the Nomad whenever heading out on a trail run or, really, any outdoor excursion whereby I know I'll be encountering some running water. 

For more information about the MUV Nomad and many other filters, don't hesitate to visit http://renovowater.com/about-muv/