Hi;
I would like to buy a water filtration system. I don't want to spend more than about $100, so I am looking at the Camelbak "All Clear", the Katadyn Vario, and the MSR Miniworks EX, and possibly others.
I was curious when I saw the Camelbak All Clear. I wasn't aware that UV technology was adequate to purify water on such a small scale.
One thing I worry about with the All Clear is that the water on the outside of the bottle is still contaminated - easy to get this contaminated water into my hydration bladder while pouring.
On the other hand, the Katadyn and MSR use hoses, so the contaminated water is never going to contact the filtered water, unless you store the hose next to the filter. I have always used a plastic baggie to hold the hose. My previous filter was a PUR Explorer, which was very heavy, but worked very well.

The other issue with the battery-powered All Clear is that you have to make sure the batteries are charged before you start out on a hike. While I expect the most use on day hikes, there is the possibility that I will do a thru-hike someday. Recharging might become an issue in that case.

So, at this point, I am pretty much leaning towards the tried and true ceramic/carbon filter method and going with either the Katadyn or the MSR.

Any comments/suggestions?

Thanks
Arden