Do You Pre-Filter Your Water? Millbank Bags USA

Do You Pre-Filter Your Water? Millbank Bags USA www.millbankbagsusa.com/
History and Application
The Millbank bag was used by the British military worldwide since the 1940’s. It was issued to every soldier along with chlorine tablets to provide a simple and effective means of treating dirty water. Millbank bags used to be readily available from army surplus stores. But when the army stopped using Millbank bags some years ago, they became more and more difficult to come by.
Intended to filter out mud and debris but not protozoans, bacteria, or viruses
Extends the life of commercial filters
Key Features
Heavy duty canvas
Double stitched
Heavy duty stainless steel gromet
36” Paracord
1 year warranty
Made in the USA
Physical Specs
Large
Length 14.25” / 36.2cm
Width 9.5” / 24.1cm
Weight 3.2oz / 90.7g
Capacity 169oz / 5l
Small
Length 10.5” / 26.7cm
Width 6.5” / 16.5
Weight 1.4oz / 39.7g
Capacity 48oz / 1.4l
Operation
Submerge in water and ensure it is soaked through (10 minutes
Fill with water to the very top
Suspend from branch, tripod, etc
Allow water to drain until it reaches black line
Collect filtered (but not purified) water
Maintenance
Turn bag inside out and scrub and rinse any particulate
Use warm but not boiling water. It will shrink
Hang to dry (do not store wet)
Short term storage for carry in a zip-lock bag
Can be chemically sanitized with water purification tablets or weak chlorine solution
Pro
Will extend life of filters
Simple to operate
Can be used to carry other items
Con
Will take time to dry
Has some weight
Slow to filter

[@carlosmelick7075]

Mr Young is such a great resource!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks for commenting

[@rhettoracle9679]

I carry collapsible silicon funnels in my kit and paper coffee filters. Dual purpose

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I have had mixed results with coffee filters. Often they will clog up quickly. Thanks for commenting

[@jamsessionrecordshop8872]

Excellent info Mark!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting

[@rwtwpg]

Unless you have clear mountain streams nearby, this bag is a necessity IMO. Too bad you didn't have a glass container for your Millbank demonstration Mark. In my tests, the before and after filtering is amazing considering it's just a canvas bag.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I thought about a glass container in preparing for the video but forgot the day I went out. Thanks for commenting

[@Rainbow.Rising]

I added jungle knots to the cordage that the bag hangs from as an extra aid if other methods of securing the Millbank to a tree/bush were not available.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Good suggestion. Thanks for commenting

[@terryw.milburn8565]

Great They Shared These For You To Share As Well, Great Product, Thanks Mark ! Love Their Provided Vid. ATB T God Bless

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting Terry

[@starlingblack814]

Thanks Mark. I've never heard of these. I always use a bandana, but this looks easier and more effective. Appreciate the review!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Happy to help! Thanks for commenting

[@paulhayes9765]

Thanks Mark for sharing this product review. This is something that I'm going to look at adding to my water kit. Looking forward to your next video review. Cheers

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting

[@karenporter3156]

Thanks for sharing, although I've heard of pre-filtering, I had never heard of Millbank bags. Take care and thanks again.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad to help. Thanks for commenting

[@thecreeper6799]

Thank you for making this video! I been looking for a millbank bag for a while. When I go to the sites I know they are always sold out. I ordered this just now! This paired up with a Grayl filter seems like the perfect water purification system. Thank you again!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

That would be a great combination. Thanks for commenting

[@kevinobrien6714]

I have used mine every time I go down to the river. Once I have done that, I run it through my Sawyer filter or other filter system I'm using . It saves the filter from clogging up with debris. Another great video Mark. Happy New Year.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes, exactly. Worth the time to pre-filter. Thanks for commenting

[@neonsamurai1348]

Yep I generally always run the water I need though my millbank bag a few times before putting it through my filter. Helps extend the life of the filter, while preventing it getting clogged up with silt and other junk.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Right on. No sense in making your filter work harder than it has to. Thanks for commenting

[@elderhiker7787]

Thanks Mark ~ I just ordered one as you recommended. I have known about the Millbank Bag for many years and have seen them demonstrated on Dave Canterbury’s channel, but your recommendation spurred me to action. Thanks for sharing this information with us. Ciao

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting

[@MichaelR58]

Good review Mark , thanks for sharing , God bless !

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Thanks, you too!

[@MrBadger]

Great video. I've got one of these in my emergency water kit. If the city water goes out, the nearest water source is a creek bed that often has stagnant pools. I would use the Millbank bag to pre filter the water before processing through finer filter elements.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Right on. So good to have in your kit. Thanks for commenting

[@gregvose4281]

Candian outdoor equipment has them a little pricey but better than a dotor bill

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Tim at COE gives great service. Thanks for commenting

[@MBW4449]

It looks like the inside pocket from somebody's jeans.😂😂😂

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

wow...large pair of jeans😂. Thanks for commenting

[@srpeters]

Thanks for another great and informative video. I carry a millbank in my "water kit". I got mine from across the pond though. I have seen videos showing improper use of the millbank bag. They will not soak it long enough and start immediately collecting water. Again thanks.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

A little patience with some experience goes a long way. Thanks for commenting

[@pedroclaro7822]

Hey Mark, great video as usual! Seems great to save your water filters. Something I didn't know I needed it, been using a bandana and it is as you said, not nearly as easy, but it dries rather quickly. I'm thinking you can soak the bag inside out, take it out, flip it, fill it and then anything that drips will have no particles since anything that could have gotten stuck on the bag will already be in the inside, along with all the dirty water.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes, exactly. Thanks for commenting

[@raf321]

Highly useful in extending water filter life. Even those with in-line pre-filters on their water purifiers may find that such small pre-filters are easily clogged and an unwanted fuss to clean at an inopportune moment. IIRC, these devices were commonly issued by Commonwealth armies in the past.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Totally agree. Thanks for commenting

[@markmartello]

Thanks Mark. I have considered using a coffee filter to pre-filter water before putting it in my be-free. This seems like a better way to do this. Thanks!

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I find coffee filters tend to clog up too quickly. Thanks for commenting

[@markmartello]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft that's what I thought would happen, thanks.

[@margueritemitchell1829]

Hello from British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦🖐👍♥️🥳❄🌲🛣🚍🦝🏒🦝🌨☃️ I had thought of making my own ...also nutmilk bag

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

A nutmilk bag should work. Would be lighter as well if not be as durable. Thanks for commenting

[@jimf1964]

What on earth is a nut milk bag?

[@margueritemitchell1829]

Cotton bag to strain food processor mushed up nuts to get "nut milk "

[@jimf1964]

@@margueritemitchell1829 Huh. Not sure why anyone would want to do that, but thanks. 🙂

[@margueritemitchell1829]

Possibly vegans 🥳🤭😱😭😥😪😁😂🤣😄😅

[@eyeofthetiger4184]

G'day Mark, I did actually have an original military surplus job back in the day, lost it on a trip, but anyway great to see the brand back in town, the only other commercially available option to my knowledge are the "Browns Bags" and last time I looked not cheap. I'm currently using a Grayl which does take care of the lumpy bits, though as you say even just to extend the life of filter elements, it's a must have and I will be hunting one down. A plastic bag is a great tip, I carry couple already, another use for an existing item is always a win. Thanks for bringing them to our attention mate. Cheers Duke. P.S. edit - Google tells me there is quite a range out there under various brand names .... and prices. I am looking at a Helicon Tex branded model, 3 litre capacity, (incidentally comes with its own integral storage bag), 26.75 AUD @ Survival Supplies Australia for those of us down under.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I was aware of Brown Bags in the UK but not the Helicon-Tex. Thanks for commenting Duke

[@jimf1964]

Morning Mark, Is that a new Christmas present you’re wearing? 🙂 For the lake water where I do most of my camping, I have a terrible time with my gravity filter(when it’s all 4 of us), so I came up with the idea of putting a gun cleaning patch inside the filter, before the carbon cartridge. It blocks pretty quickly too, but they cost like a penny each. It cuts down on all the back flushing, but isn’t the best, and probably wouldn’t work to well on water that dirty. Since the site says only American orders. Maybe I’ll stitch up a pant leg or something for next summer.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Hey Jim. I have sent an email to the company owner to ask about international shipping. Pant leg would work great. Thanks for commenting

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Had to think about what I was wearing. The wool coat was a Value Village buy a few years ago

[@jimf1964]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft No way! It looks brand new, and looks good too. Your VV is a pretty nice one. I found an amazing pair of hiking boots when I was there, but I had no space in my luggage to bring them back, but I got some awesome toys for one of the kids, almost brand new leather belt for another…. Good store.

[@garywood702]

I have and have been carrying one for about a year now, but have yet to use it. Just an fyi... Pathfinder Survival recently posted a video about using a French press to remove particulates from dirty water. I've been carrying a titanium French press for quite some time now as I do like my freshly brewed coffee. I'm certainly going to give the French press trick a try. The only downside to using it thusly, is that I'll need to somehow clean the French press before I can make my coffee. The upside is, I won't be dealing with a wet Milbank bag. Six of one, half dozen of another I guess?

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yeah, I saw that video. I don't think I will be using my French press for that, at least as long as I have another way to filter, including a bandana that I always carry. Thanks for commenting

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

I'm going to put one on my wish list. I listened to Paul Kurtleys podcast a while back about millbank bags he goes into great detail as well. Most of my activity is in canoe travel so easy access to easy water most of the time but there is still those time you reach from the bank of a stream and the water is questionable clean. I really like the concept of the millbank bag. Oh, Dave Canterbury just did a water filter trick with a coffee press, he dunked it right out of the muck in the ditch next to a road through the ice his coffee would have benefited from a millbank bag although I wonder how this will work in freezing conditions.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I saw Dave's video as well. I think I will keep my French press for coffee. The day I made this video was just above freezing but the stream had not frozen yet. Once things freeze up I tend to melt snow. If open water is available, I would keep the Millbank bag in plastic bag inside my pack. A little heat over a fire (not too close) should melt and ice. Thanks for commenting

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

@@MarkYoungBushcraft Good points, you could even run melted snow water through the millbank bag to take out the debris often found in the snow.

[@thebandplayedon..6145]

Snow water would be about my last choice, filters or not. Have you tried eating a handful of fresh fallen snow lately, lately as in the last 20 years? It taste so gross, so, chemical laden I guess, but its very off-putting for drinkin, I'd have to be very thirsty. I find it shocking how bad snow taste, and disappointing actually, also disappointing I found out, when the river froze up over night, is the ridiculous amount of snow, time, and energy it takes to melt a litter or two of water is way way too much and would not be sustainable in any way for a long term scenario.

[@downeastprimitiveskills7688]

@@thebandplayedon..6145 I actually haven't tried snow this year, we have had so little of it an inch of less then it rains and melts it, a very warm winter so far, out of the normal. But I have never found it to be off taste. If you didn't have any other water sources handy, as in frozen under a lot of ice and no easy method of chipping ice or access to the water then snow if just fine.

[@chives8420]

Thank for this video. Been wanting to order one of these bags but the company won't respond to my emails which makes me nervous about ordering. You covered the cleaning, what about drying? Hang in sun or in front of a fan I'm guessing. I'm worried about mold. Thanks

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I have recently chatted with the owner. Should be no problem ordering. I dry them in the sun mostly. I would be cautious of drying them with heat as you don't want them to shrink. Mold should not be an issue and remember, you will be filtering the water in any case. I would not recommend bleach but a bit or borax should not hurt the fabric. Thanks for commenting

[@btrswt35]

Is that some sort of hammock seat? Homemade or can it be bought?

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

Yes and yes. I do have a video on making them and they can be bought from the Econochallenge. Thanks for commenting

[@alf3553]

I’ve always wanted a Millbank bag for the reason you said, to help protect my filter. They are hard to get in Canada 🇨🇦 which means online order.

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I have been chatting with the owner of Millbank Bag USA about how to get the bags here cheaper. Hope to hear something soon. Thanks for commenting

[@shawnr6117]

The website says US shipping only , 👎

[@MarkYoungBushcraft]

I will ask the company owner