At Forest Fundamentals, we've long used the classic British Forces Millbank Bags. However, they've become increasingly harder to find and those we did manage to get our hands on showed signs of extensive wear, stains, and oil residue so we decided to start making our own!

Introducing the Forest Fundamentals Millbank Bag, Second Edition! We retained the same proportions as the original British Forces bags, but after testing, we made a few design modifications. The bag is handmade from a thicker 12oz unbleached cotton canvas. Unbleached canvas has not undergone any chemical treatments, it's safer for the environment and us. We tested various material thicknesses and densities till we found the ideal balance between filtration level and rate.

The Second Edition Millbank Bag: Now featuring taped seams and double overlock stitching, we've significantly enhanced its durability to reduce leakage. The waterproof carrying bags have been upgraded with reinforced stitching for added strength.

The lanyard is made from 550 ‘Survival Cord' featuring a strand of wax-infused cotton. This provides a back-up tinder source that ignites easily with a Ferro Rod, burns slowly, and remains lit in strong winds or rain. The extended 1-metre / 40-inch lanyard and carabiner clip enables easy positioning of the bag near the collection device, reducing spillage from the bag swaying in strong winds and saving time finding the perfect low-hanging branch!

What is a Millbank Bag? A Millbank Bag is a water filtration device, designed to remove detritus including sand, mud, silt, and other suspended particulates from water. Eliminating these elements before further sterilisation is crucial. Even if there is no waterborne diseases present, consuming turbid water can irritate and harm the digestive system. Using a Millbank Bag will also increase the lifespan and effectiveness of other water sterilisation systems including the well-known Life Straw, for example. Please note, a Millbank Bag only filters out pathogenic organisms if they are attached to the detritus it removes. Therefore, additional sanitation methods like chemical or heat sterilisation are necessary.

Please note, a Millbank Bag only filters out pathogenic organisms if they are attached to the detritus it removes. Therefore, additional sanitation methods like chemical or heat sterilisation are necessary. If the water source is already clear with no detritus, using a Millbank bag offers little benefit. However, few of us are lucky enough to find such water sources out in the field!