Which filter do you all use and suggest? Would appreciate advice before I buy. Thanks!

Katadyn makes very good products IMO. I've used various ones thruout the years.

We use the Pur Hiker and Guide Microfilters (they appear to be sold by Katadyn now). About the only issue we ever had with either was when the Hiker clogged with glacial silt on day three of a five day trip on the Yukon (these days we let cloudy water settle before filtering it). I feel the Guide has somewhat better ergonomics.

I've used the Pur Guide (now Katadyn) for the past six years and have nothing but positve feedback for it. Two of my best friends use these as well with the same results. And we have drawn water from some pretty suspect sources with no ill effects.

One of the keys to getting the most out of a filter is maintainence of the filter element. After every trip I wash mine by dipping it in a diluted solution of vinegar and water and rinsing it. Then let it dry thoroughly. I get about Two seasons out of an element.

Katadyn are about as good as they get.

I have never used one myself, but I saw a guy drinking from a toilet, a puddle of mud and a green looking pond through a thing called "Life straw".

' Must be good he is still alive and well.

...pull up www.msrgear.com and have a look at the MIOX purifier, quick start. Not inexpensive, but small, and easy to pack. A lot of the troops in the desert are using them.
I just purchasd one off eBay, and have not, as yet, had the opportunity to use the device.
JLS

After using a bunch of the other filters and treatments, all with good results, I've settled on the SteriPen UV system.....if the water is cloudy, there's a prefilter....then it's 90 seconds to 32oz of pure water....no pumping, no muss, no fuss....weighs 8oz, batteries and all.....uses common AA batteries.....very easy on the batteries. Is spendy though.

Joe

Ms AZwriter has our best filter with her; she is backpacking in Malaysia. IMO, a filter is a fiter; the difference is in the ease of pumping. Our filter has a lever that makes pumping a piece of cake. No more plungers for me. The model we use screws right to the Nalgen plastic water bottles. Can't beat it. Easy to clean the filter too.

Like JLS mentioned,
Check out the MSR web link he posted. Been using an MSR brand "SWEETWATER" filter/pump purifier for the last coupla years for hunts/scout trips here in SE Alaska. About 3-4 minutes of pumping will fill up a nalgene bottle.
Works great and is actually a few ounces lighter than the newer looking style MSR pump. I'd rather carry a lightweight pump than dead water weight (except for a single bottle/bladder to be refilled on the trip in / out.)

I do ALWAYS carry water purif. tabs as a backup in case of mechanical failure. Good luck so far (knock on wood.)

Never used the MSR "miox" chemical purifier. All's I know is that it's just about the size of a penlight flashlight.

As I remember MSR is owned by REI so check with REI for supplies.My BP stove is a SVEA uses coleman fuel or unleaded we carry it in my jeep for quick hot tea or soup and my water purifier is First Need.

quote:

Originally posted by p.e. n' sitka:
Like JLS mentioned,
Check out the MSR web link he posted. Been using an MSR brand "SWEETWATER" filter/pump purifier for the last coupla years for hunts/scout trips here in SE Alaska. About 3-4 minutes of pumping will fill up a nalgene bottle.
Works great and is actually a few ounces lighter than the newer looking style MSR pump. I'd rather carry a lightweight pump than dead water weight (except for a single bottle/bladder to be refilled on the trip in / out.)

I do ALWAYS carry water purif. tabs as a backup in case of mechanical failure. Good luck so far (knock on wood.)

Never used the MSR "miox" chemical purifier. All's I know is that it's just about the size of a penlight flashlight.

Ms AZ says that is the brand we have. It is the best I have ever used.

For most places (in Colorado at least)..... the Katadyn "Hiker" MICROFILTER (ceramic filter)would be perfect.

But there a some places where environmental pollution (mine tailings etc.) would make a water filter with a carbon filter a "better" choice. NOTE: I say better...... the best choice is not to drink from water sources that you know might have heavy metal or chemical pollution!

If you are in an area where Hepatitus A, rotovirus, Norwalk, water borne polio...(or any kind of viral infection is suspected), you need to use a chlorine or iodine disinfectant!

A tip I picked up from a friend in "Doctors without Borders"! (Médecins Sans Frontières/Ärzte ohne Grenzen )

These folks are TRUE HEROES! Send them some support, if it's in your heart!

PS - I'm sorry..... but I wouldn't/didn't make the toilet water test. Though, a friend of mine has (although he didn't know it)!

Forget filters... Pain in the ass, if you ask me, and they take up too much room. I suggest Aquamira. Have a look: http://giardiaclub.com/aqua-mira.html
Absolutely zero taste, very effective, very small, very lightweight. Two thumbs up!!

There is potentially much more in the water than Giardia. I have a MSR Sweetwater that I've used for 6 years. Pumping a filter sure beats the rumbly-grumblies and the shits when you want to go hunting.

Man Cannon, I agree with your high opinion of Aqua Mira! It's the best chlorine based water "treatment" that I know of ......

Tasteless? Eh.... I can still taste it. It's not "swimming pool" flavor by any means! But you get a wiff and a bit of chlorine taste with it still.

Would I recommend Aqua Mira? ..... You betcha!

BUT.... I like a micro-filters to to get the "big chunks" out of less than chrystal clear water!

I like being able to see through what I'm drinking!

And micro-filters are inexpensive and lightweight. The MSR Sweetwater and the Katadyn Hiker and others are dirt cheap and do the job.

You might try boiling your water for about 5 minutes: fairly foolproof if you beat the water occasionally to put air back into the water thus avoiding the flat taste

I have been trying to find the Kadadyn Pocket filter everywhere , All the sites that are supposed to carry them [Don't] I wrote to the support page at Katadyn for their assistance , NO Help Yet ! There are several places in PA that have them but Pittsburgh is not an option ! E-Mail ordering is $9.90 Ship and $219.99 for the filter , Gander said they were $195.00 when they had them ! any PA people out there who have these filters ?

www.Campmore.com has everything in case you might need something

Concho
here is Katadyn's website and on-line store.
http://www.katadyn.com/site/us/home/

Thank you Dave ! Campmore has everything at better prices than the home site for them

I forgot to add a couple of things.
Katadyn micropur tablets work really well for ensuring that nothing is living in the water you drink. Basically the same end result as the MSR miox unit in tablet form. There can be a slight odor from the chlorine dioxide, but any off tasting water can be easily fixed with the single serving Crystal Light flavor packets (lemonade is the best). One per a 32 oz nalgene bottle works great. Otherwise use a carbon pre filter to eliminate taste and odor from filtered water. The carbon can also remove herbicide, pesticide and petroleum contamination.

Dave I read about AquaMira liquid , Have you tried that stuff for water purification ? I want the pocket Katadyn $200. and thought the aqua Mira was best to go with the Pocket Katadyn . Thanks Concho

Concho,
Yes I have used it. The taste of water after use is the same as the Katadyn tablets. I have found the tablets easier to use instead of mixing aqua mira A & B together. One tablet per liter.
On your filter, I have several Katadyn filters and find a pre-filter to be usefull for keeping junk out of the pocket filter. Just a bit more to carry and a slight increase in effort to pump.
If your water source is relatively clear, the tablets alone will do the job. Just use a separate container to collect the water, then add tablets, wait 30 to 45 minutes (longer if cloudy), then put in your nalgene bottle (or whatever you use). DO NOT fill your nalgene bottle from the source and add a tablet to it. The water inside the bottle will be fine but now you may have critters on the outside threads of the bottle, right where you drink.
MSR dromedry bags work great for transporting water but I prefer the soft clear plastic collapsible 2 gallon water jugs that I can see thru. Fill them in the stream, add 7-8 tablets, wait an hour and you are ready to use.
Considering the cost of Aqua Mira and the tablets ($13.00 for 30), you can afford to try both and see which one you like the best.

If you are looking for fast drinking water in a compact package, try a Katadyn Exstream filter bottle. They work well and have only a slight iodine flavor, but the volume they produce is only fit for 1 person.
One note on the Exstream filter when flying commercial: the carbon part of the filter element will show up on the TSA's scanner as something to look at closely and they will unpack your bag. It is better to have the filter separate as you go thru security.

Where do you plan to use your filter?

Dave I'm going to New Mexico D-Cross mountain range North of Magdalena , party of 2 ! Mules not horses and going in light as possible ! Guns and only light camping gear ! It's called malpass country , [badlands] Driving there from PA I have a Ford 7.3 Diesel Excursion and Sunny Brook 33ft trailer will camp somewhere near Pie Town ,Not sure just where never been there ! I'm gearing up for the trip that's why all the questions about water treatment . I really thank you for your input Dave , Concho

Never been there. Sounds like fun though.
My comments on the filters come from experience in Alaska, Colorado, and Wyoming. I do not know what NM has for water quality.
Good luck and have a great trip.

Thanks Dave Tablets it will be & Pochet Katadyn

I've used a MSR filter that screws right on the top of my Nalgene bottles during warmer weather. works very well, the water tastes good and I don't get any contamination on the outside of the bottle. The intake hose also makes it very easy to get water from tiny "cricks and seep-springs".

I don't use the MSR system during cold water because of the possibility of freeze-up. Aqua Mira is my choice for cold weather. Sorry to disagree but I think the water tastes like a swimming pool. On the other hand I've never gotten the squirts while using it, so I'm quite satisfied.

To avoid contamination I use an old "sierra cup" to ladle water into the Nalgene bottle before adding the Aqua Mira.

Just as a point of interest I carry a package of charcoal tablets with me on all back-country trips. They are sold to "reduce" gass etc. seems that they also take care of a minor case of the squirts. I've used them a couple of times with good luck and when I was guiding I "suggested" to my client that they "might want to try it" but it was "purely their choice". Generally cleared things up in a day or so.

Thank you Montana !

I used an MSR Sweetwater on a hunt a few weeks ago. It clogged when I was taking water from a moss-choked lake, but cleaning the filter out was easy afterwards and I suffered no ill effects.


Okie John

Katadyn Pro Hiker Deluxe kit, we used it for 8 days on our float hunt and probably filtered close to 15 gallons of water. It would take close to 15 minutes to do 5 gallons but it was worth having good clean water to drink and the Nalgene attachment was a nice little bonus. The only problem I see with this filter system is if gets below freezing you could crack the ceramic filter but if you keep it inside with you it should be fine.