# MSR Guardian Water Purifier: specs and price

**Price (US):** $350.87 at cascadedesigns.com, as of 2026-08-16. A sourced, dated price of record — other retailers (incl. Amazon) may be lower. Among the 14 backpacking water filters we track it is the most expensive; category median $45.
**Brand:** MSR
**Deskmark:** Bronze Deskmark — pay-blind category standing 0/100, #13 of 13 in class (independent, computed from sourced data, never for sale).
**Price tracked since:** August 2026 (last change 2026-08-16: $399.95 → $350.87)

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Price (US) | $350.87 |
| Brand | MSR |
| Filtration rating microns | 0.02 |
| Flow rate lpm | 2.5 |
| Rated lifetime (L) | 10000 |
| Filter media type | advanced hollow-fiber membrane |
| Removes bacteria protozoa virus | bacteria, protozoa, and virus (EPA-compliant purifier) |
| Weight (oz) | 17 |
| Field cleanable backflush | Yes |
| Cartridge replaceable | No |

## Where it stands

At $351, the MSR Guardian Water Purifier is the most expensive of the 14 backpacking water filters we track, where the median is $45. On the spec sheet, its filtration rating microns of 0.02 is the lowest of the 11, its weight of 17 oz is the highest of the 13, and its flow rate lpm of 2.5 is above the median of the 9.

## Price over time

Since we began tracking the MSR Guardian Water Purifier on 2026-08-16, its price has held at $350.87.

## Frequently asked questions

**How much does the MSR Guardian Water Purifier cost?**

The MSR Guardian Water Purifier has a US price of $350.87, as of 2026-08-16.

**How does the MSR Guardian Water Purifier compare on price?**

At $351, the MSR Guardian Water Purifier is the most expensive of the 14 backpacking water filters we track, where the median is $45.

**Has the MSR Guardian Water Purifier's price changed?**

No — the MSR Guardian Water Purifier has held at $350.87 since 2026-08-16.

**What is the lowest price the MSR Guardian Water Purifier has been?**

The lowest we have recorded for the MSR Guardian Water Purifier is $350.87 on 2026-08-16.

**Is now a good time to buy the MSR Guardian Water Purifier?**

The MSR Guardian Water Purifier is currently $350.87; the lowest we have recorded is $350.87 (2026-08-16). Every price is dated, so you can judge it against its own history.

**What are the MSR Guardian Water Purifier's key specs?**

MSR Guardian Water Purifier (MSR): filtration rating microns 0.02, flow rate lpm 2.5, rated lifetime l 10000, filter media type advanced hollow-fiber membrane, removes bacteria protozoa virus bacteria, protozoa, and virus (EPA-compliant purifier). Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-08-11.

Source: https://www.cascadedesigns.com/products/guardian-purifier (cascadedesigns.com, accessed 2026-08-11)
Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/product/backpacking-water-filters/msr-guardian/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, the MSR Guardian Water Purifier price of record was $350.87 as of 2026-08-16 — https://frontdeskreview.com/product/backpacking-water-filters/msr-guardian/
License: CC BY 4.0. Price history: https://frontdeskreview.com/data/price-history.jsonl