The Brown Filter Bag Group Size

The Brown Filter Bag just got Bigger!

Now endorsed by SAS Legend Lofty Wiseman, the launch of the Brown Filter Bag was a huge success and so, as with the old MOD Patrol Milbank bag we are glad to bring you a larger Group Brown Bag is ideal for larger groups, expeditions, Scout camps, disaster aid or for your Base Camp. 

"Making water safe to drink from an unknown source is a two way process. First by filtering, second by treatment with a modern purification unit, or, by chemicals or boiling. Filtering removes all the suspended matter from the water extending the life of a purification unit, or allowing the chemicals used to be more effective. A Millbank bag is perfect for this and was standard issue to our regiment in the Far East, where 90 % of all ailments were water related. The resurrection of the original Millbank bag, to the same spec and using the same fabric makes The Brown Filter Bag a great asset to anyone interested in the outdoors or survival and preparedness!   

John 'Lofty' Wiseman

Description:

The Millbank bag pre-filters turbid water removing any organic material and sediment. Today, even with the advances in modern purification systems the Millbank bag is a necessity. You will have heard the adage that you should always start with water that is as clean as possible, but most if not all of the systems available today to purify water have just a basic sponge pre-filter.

Turbid water is water with sediment suspended in it, so if the water that you have access to is muddy or cloudy you could have matter such as decomposing organic materials, sand, mud or silt in it. These alone can upset the balance in your digestive system, but more importantly are known to reduce the effectiveness of chemical purification as sediment and organic matter hinder effective chemical treatment. Such water is also know to clog purification systems, increasing maintenance and reducing life expectancy. Pre-treating water reduces wear and tear on purification systems.

These bags are made from fabric woven to exactly the same spec as the MOD canvas, by the original fabric company; producing a new filter bag that performs as well as the original. The advantage of the new bags is that the canvas is a more subtle brown colour and also the canvas meets the current MOD specification with regards to toxic treatments and coatings. The earlier Millbank bags had a Cuprammonium (CA) chemical treatment that is not used on the new canvas as it may be hazardous. The end result is a proven, high quality product, 100% UK made.

The bags do what they say, they filter out large particulate matter and are not designed to remove bacteria or parasite eggs (Cryptosporidium). However, some fluorescent beads were used in the testing which are slightly larger than bacteria, mimicking parasite eggs and these were decreased by two thirds in number by filtration. So whilst all water passed through the bags should be boiled, chemically treated or passed through a water purification system, it is good to know that they are already assisting and taking the pressure off the next step.

Same proven spec as the Military version (no longer available)

Same Rot resistant fabric as the Military version

Brand new and in good supply

Patrol (Group) size available

Durable, Compact, Lightweight, Unbreakable

No fixed lifespan

56 inch length of paracord with brass aglets for hanging and to stand in as an emergency boot lace along with a multitude of other uses...

 

HOW DO YOU USE IT?

Simple:

Soak the bag thoroughly by squeezing it under water

Fill the bag to the top with dirty water

Hang the bag up and allow water to run as waste until the water reaches the fill

line.

Place a collecting vessel under the bag to collect the pre- filtered water Boil the collected water or use a chemical treatment or purification system to purify it

Please note these bags require a bit of work to begin with to break them in. Upon initial use you will find that the flow rate is slow, this improves the more life you give the bag. It really needs to be broken in before "for real" use. It needs to be screwed up, thrown around, bashed and battered before it works to its best capacity. One way to speed this up is to put your washing machine on an empty cycle to clean all detergent out of it and then pop the bag in the washing machine on a rinse and spin to loosen up the fibres.