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I've been using an MSR mini works filter for the past 10-15 years. They work ok but aren't the fastest filter on the planet. I've been thinking of the bag type filters.

What are you guys using?

Sawyer.

+1

Sawyer.

This year I want to set up a gravity feed through the filter for a large camp water bag.

Hmm .. I would caution against the sawyer mini it can clog quickly.

Another , although slightly heavier but super simple one to use is the RapidPure gravity bag and big filter. It weighs 13 ounces, capture a couple gallons in the bag and filter away fast. It's also freeze proof, which is why when it's cold that usually gets the call.

+1 on the Rapid Pure, its ability to freeze and still function makes it my filter of choice

I own four water filters.

I use the Platapus GravityWorks when I have to filter for a crowd, like a boy scout troop. The gallon bags make it good for filtering a lot of water when you have time. Coupled with a few one gallon milk jugs, the system works pretty good. But it's the heaviest system that I own.

Of course I own a Katadyn Hiker Pro. It's the standard by which all other filters are measured and it's the fastest system. But you have to pump it and that gets especially boring and time consuming if you have to filter several gallons.

I own a Sawyer Squeeze Filter which I have converted to a gravity filter. I squeeze the first quart then let the rest gravity flow while I'm heating water. The largest bag they offer is two quarts and that's kind of limiting. But this system is the one that I use the most. I haven't used a sawyer mini. But the standard Sawyer Squeeze filter is the easiest to back flush because it comes with a plunger (looks like a hypodermic needle) made for that purpose.

I also have a Rapid Pure Scout filter and it's the lightest filter that I own. I use it as a gravity flow filter right into a Nalgene bottle. I have to attend to it constantly while it's working because the containers are small compared to other filters. I suppose that I could use the larger containers from the Platapus system or the Sawyer system, but I haven't gotten around to trying that yet. You can insert it into the hose of your water bladder. But I don't use bladder.

I use to own a Katadyn Base Camp Pro. It leaked out of the bottom of the bag. I sent it back and they sent me another one. The filter was prone to clogging. I sold it because I didn't trust it. The filter is housed inside the bag and I think the in-line systems works better.

One disadvantage of the bags is that you have to have flowing water or deep water to fill the bags with water. The Katadyn Hiker Pro will work in an inch of water.

I have started carrying an empty milk jug tied to the outside of my backpack. This allows me to filter water in camp, not at the stream.



KC

Will look into the RapidPure system. Wish they offered a bag smaller than the 9l. I'd like a 9l in a fixed camp, but a smaller bag for hiking. Maybe 2l?

Hey that pic looks familiar 😎

What did you use last year in CO?

Bill:

I think I used my Katadyn Hiker Pro. You never know if the water will be deep enough to use a bag type filter until you arrive at your destination. I didn't plan on filtering water for the entire group. If I had known that the creek was deep enough, I would have carried the Sawyer Squeeze filter that I converted to gravity type.

KC

KC - The rapid pure in the casing can be much slower than the filter itself directly in a bag (Think small waterproof bag with a filter in the bottom). The casing , sometimes can get air in it and therefore the surface area is much less. I tried them with my own gravity setup and usually ran into a hurdle. When I used the rapid configured in the bag it worked great.

I've owned a used a bunch of filter systems and use my Katadyn Base Camp most often. It's bulky and relatively slow, being a gravity system, but it'll do 5-6 liters of water in 10 minutes or so and accomplishes that hands free. I don't pack it around while in the field, but I use it in base camps all over AK and have found that's it's convenient even from a SuperCub and would be hard pressed to replace it. A year or two ago Katadyn began offering a high flow filter for it and I've had much longer life while using that style of filter.

Kevin:

You are right about bubbles inside an in-line filter slowing things down. I call that a vapor lock. I don't know if that's truly accurate to call it that. But while using my Platapus Waterworks gravity filter, I learned how to backflush the bubbles out of the filter. The Platapus filter has a little instruction card showing how to do it. You don't even have to know how to read to understand the directions.

KC

I've been using a Katadyn Base Camp for about 4 years. When I set up camp, I'll get it started and by the time camp is set up, I'll have a 1/2 gal or more of clean water.

I use a sawyer

Have been using the sawyer but just picked up an msr trailshot. Seems to work well. Will get a few overnights on it in about a month when the snow melts in the whites.