Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Water Filter...

I know this subject has been brought up before, but with new stuff coming out all the time maybe we can revisit it.

I'd like to get some recommendations on a water filter, for 1-3 people, and my main concern is to stay giardia free . What do you guys use that works for you?

I switched from water filter to AquaMira drops/tablets and MicroPur tablets.

The drops and tablets are far lighter though not as quick but if you plan right you'll be fine. Some pantyhose material makes a great pre-filter.

MtnHtr

I use the Katahdin tablets, make the water taste like city water, but it's not strong. Minimum's times are realitively quick, but keep in mind that those quicker times are based on n warmer water temps. I spent 3 days/2 nights out last week and treated all water. No weight to them, realatively quick and taste fine.

Effective on Giardia as well.

http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442539437&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302875763

Mike.

I like these ... http://www.katadyn.com/usen/katadyn...untry-series-products/katadyn-hiker-usa/

http://www.amazon.com/Katadyn-80136...ting-goods&qid=1245785843&sr=8-2

Katadyn Hiker Pro is what i've been using for the last 3-4 years now. Have used in the middle fork of the Chandalar, the Kurupa, Colville, and several creeks in unit 13.

This thing works like a charm and I have never got sick from drinking water after using it. It packs into a nice little pouch and comes with an adapter for your Nalgene bottles. I could fill a 5 gallon water jug in about 15-20 minutes.

I used a Pur Hiker (now Katadyn) for years and was happy with it, but got an MSR Hyperflow and I like that better. It's much faster, and lighter at between 7-8 oz.

I've got the MSR Miniworks EX, and am very happy with it. It filters relatively quickly, without much work. It weighs close to a pound, so the tablets are clearly much lighter. I carry a few coffee filters and a rubber band to attach to the end of the intake for really dirty conditions. Time will tell how long the ceramic filter lasts, but I bought this model because of the filter. It's field cleanable, which may come in handy some day. For now, it just saves having to purchase new filters.

Have the Katadyn Guide, easy to use, cleanable filter ($35 to replace), plenty of torque on the handle, filters a liter in a minute or so (depends on the sediment level in the water).

The MSR large filter (looks like an old style water pump), filters fast, filter is ceramic (field cleanable), and it is light weight. Have seen two in the field with broken pump handles, when the start to get clogged it is a lot of pumps to get a liter, so most user apply more pressure, they just snap.

The Katadyn tabs are good, I think they take 20 or 30 minutes to work as compared to the old PureTabs which taste horrible.

Most times contamination comes from not cleaning the bottle threads with treated water from in the bottle. The tabs work well and are lighter than the filters. Some of the tabs do have a wait to work.

The filters do not always get the cryptospor stuff and giardia, only chemicals get these.

I use a Katadyn "Pocket" filter. That is a mis-leading description to be sure. It is heavy (21 ounces with hoses and case) and slow (1 liter per minute like the MSR Miniworks EX -- .2 microns as well) but it is built like a tank and is easily cleaned in the field. Although the ceramic element could break if you dropped it on a rock or something, it is very well made. The only plastic on it is the body. The pump mechanism is all metal.

I'd like to go lighter with something like smokepole's new Hyperflo but the dang thing just works, particularly in the relatively clear type of water I am generally filtering. I would never have paid the full price they want for them but got it for $75 when they came out with the "new" version that is a cool black color instead of blue. As it is rated for a filter life of 13,000 gallons and came with an extra cartridge, I doubt I'll ever wear it out. From that sense it could almost be considered economical compared to tablets and other filters.

I've also used the Scout (discontinued -- I think --purifier model of the Hiker) which was decent but not nearly as robust and the Katadyn Mini-Filter which makes the Pocket look blazing fast when it comes to filtering.

Ive got an MSR and like it a lot.

I use Katadyn Micropur tabs, no need for a filter with these. But if you want to speed up the 4 hour wait time use them with a filter.
Only a slight taste, no more then city water in most places. Ind. wrapped so you dont waste the rest of the bottle if you dont need them all.

I have a minworkw EX which ai like because of the repair kit availablility and the way the pump action works. I also have two of the coghlan's filters whicha are much cheaper but a bit bulky for backpacking.

I like the coffe filter rubber band idea. I confess to having tried holding the filters with a baggy and pouring the water through that in advance, much as I have done with a bandana.The coffee filters, even the premium ones, don't work well for that.

I've been using a Sweetwater Guardian since 1993 with no problems at all. MSR has since bought them out but it's the same filter. It is easy to clean in the field and pumps on both the up and down stroke resulting in the ability to pump a quart a minute. I've used this filter in the Northeast to New mexico to North Idaho with no problems. It also comes with a bottle adapter for 1 quart Nalgene bottles and the hose fits my adapter to fill my Camelbak.

One time in Boy Scouts we were on a training hike before we went to Philmont in 95 and the only water available was a tricle of water downstream from a stagnant beaver pond/swamp. My friend and I took my filter out and pumped some of the best tasting water and never got sick. It works that well.

I'd stay away from the PUR Scout. My Troop used those at Philmont and we had nothing but problems with them. Both of them kept breaking and clogging. They also left a nasty taste in the water. The second time we went out there the Troop used them again contrary to my friend's and my advice. Again they had problems but this time I brought my Sweetwater. I had no problems.

If I had to do it again I'd buy the Sweetwater all over again. The only thing I don't like is that since MSR bought them out replacement filters went from 20 dollars to 40 dollars. Each filter will, depending on water conditions, will last for 200 gallons.

I think the Katadyn Base Camp is the best thing going. Let gravity do the work, forget the pumping!

If solo and trying to go really light, I'll use a lighter pump or squeeze bottle, but for 2 or more, I think anyone that tries the Base Camp will have a hard time going back to the pumping chore.

Taking tasty mountain water and putting chemicals in it isn't for me.

Pur Hiker (now Katadyn) is what I have used for about 8 years now, love it.

For anyone in the Denver area, I just saw a new MSR Miniworks EX on the Boulder Craigslist for $30.

I use the Katadyn Hiker Pro that others have mentioned and have had no problems with it. It's on the cheaper end of pump filters, but I haven't been sick on it.

MSR HyperFlow - very fast and light.

ime, water is one thing you can't do without.

so redundant systems make sense to me to obtain water


no matter what filter you use, some of the tabs in your kit just make sense to me. Everyone of my packs in addition to my primary filter has a water straw filter or a bottle with filter in the cap, and some tabs to treat water.

like someone else said I prefer not to add "city" tastes to country water

I also prefer to let gravity do my pumping for me, glad to see the commercial offerings now available I used to make my own before the commercials got on board

I've run out of water twice while hunting, once while packing a sheep out and having to go uphill. got sick as a dog as a result

the other time when I had to siwash from out late chousing moose and we overshot the boat in the dark after getting turned around a few times earlier.

had an old fashioned water filter straw in a long plastic tube, we used it several times and then my pard stepped on it in the dark.

drank my fill of beaver water before building a fire and turning in. got the giardia, but my syptoms were mild.

a little redundancy in potable water suppy is a good thing ime.

Murphy likes to visit your filter occassionally. YMMV

Be careful with a MSR Hyperflow. Once frozen you must test the filter to see if its good or not even if you flush it of water. If you don't you could be pumping unfiltered water into your bottle and not even now it. The time to do that and the chance I could be left w/o a filter made me exchange mine for a sweetwater. You can freeze and w/o concern. I mostly use Aquamira drops and emergency filter now.