Water filter choice, what's popular?

[gbolt]

Thanks for the info straight from the Trail kzab77. I was upset that I jumped the gun on purchasing a Sawyer Squeeze last Summer, only to have the mini hit the market at 1/2 the cost +. Was thinking of passing this on to a brother that doesn't hike as often as I, in exchange for the lighter mini. However, I am glad you posted about the flow rate tending to be faster. I love the regular squeeze other than the size/weight, so I may just hang on to it.

[illabelle]

If you are concerned about chemicals then be careful, nearly all of the water sources on the A.T. contain huge amounts of dihydrogen monixide and none of the filters suggested above will remove much of it.

Is this chemical dangerous in small quantities, mister elf?

[lemon b]

I have two the sweet water and the KPro. Sometimes if i know the area I use aquimire. And have that little packets the one has to wait on.

[AfghanVet]

I got a Sawyer Mini last weekend and used it last Sunday. It was worth the twenty dollars I spent just for the peace of mind alone.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Is this chemical dangerous in small quantities, mister elf?

Well it depends. In it's common liquid form it is perfectly safe in small quantities, however I have heard that there are a number of industrial processes that convert dihydrogen monoxide into a sold or even a gaseous form. If it is processed into a solid or a gas then it can be dangerous in much smaller quantities.

[HooKooDooKu]

...I am glad you posted about the flow rate tending to be faster. I love the regular squeeze other than the size/weight, so I may just hang on to it.

According to Sawyer, the Mini's flow rate is about half that of the original squeeze.

There is a youtube video that shows an original squeeze can filter 1L of water in 31 seconds. So the mini should be able to filter 1L in about 1 minute.

I tested my used (but recently backflushed) mini with my gravity feed setup. Without any squeezing at all, the setup filtered a 2L Evernew bladder in 4 minutes (1L in 2 minutes).
0715141949.jpg
I punched a hole in the corner of the Evernew bladder and hung it from the knob of a cabinet door. The angle of the bladder and the relatively slow filtering helps allow silt to sink to the bottom corner of the bladder causing less silt going into the mini. The hose on the platypus hoser has been replaced by the medical tubing that came with my Sweetwater filter. The medical tubing coils up much easier than the much thicker walled tubing that comes with the hoser.

[gbolt]

That's a great set up HooKoo, especially the slight angle to cause less silt. I also purchased the Tornado Tube and tubing to allow better flow into Smart Water Bottles as well as back flushing with some force every time I filter water. Of course I don't carry the syringe on trips any more. Although I have read about some alternatives that work for the mini, I really do like the system I have been using "on the trail". I may have to look into tubing that coils rather than "crouching over the creek rocks" while filtering. Once again, the idea's shared on this forum make the choice of product tougher but the methodology that much easier!

[thecyclops]

Ive owned the MSR mini-works,the Katadyn Ive used a bit as my parents own it and Ive owned the life straw and the Sawyer mini blows them all out of the water(pun intended) its not even close.

[ChuckT]

If you are concerned about chemicals then be careful, nearly all of the water sources on the A.T. contain huge amounts of dihydrogen monixide and none of the filters suggested above will remove much of it.

But seriously, the Sawyer Mini is probably the best combination of price, convenience and quality that is on the market these days.

That thar Di hydro gen Mon oxide is dangerous stuf'! Like to kill a feller lessen ya tame it down a bit wd some Mr. James Bean er one 'o his buddys.

[lzeplin]

Here is a link to a review of 15 of the most popular water filters..
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpa...Filter-Reviews
I own the platypus gravity works and love it, its super fast

[troutalope]

I use and love the Sawyer Squeeze. I have had no issues with it at all. I prefer it over the old MSR pump filters that I have used.

[The Splitter]

I have an MSR Hyperflow and love it, I would definitely buy one again.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tipi Walter]

I too like my Katahdin hiker pro, it's a true work horse, but have recently bought a (you guessed it) Sawyer mini. I'll not get rid of the old pro, again it's a work horse and deserves it's place in my pack if conditions dictate.

I have always used the Katahdan Hiker-Pro anything else just doesn't measure up . . . so in my personal oppinion the Katahdan Hiker-Pro is the best filter out their, you can use it in slow moving water, mud puddles, any kind of water source and you get no floaties or any type of chemical taste, so my Advice to you is to stay with the best and get another Hiker-Pro if you don't you will be kicking yourself in the butt every single time you go hiking with anything else.

I've been using the PUR now Katadyn hiker filter for the last 15 years and it has several drawbacks and is in no way the best but I'm sticking with it for the duration. What's so crappy about the Hiker filter?


The Hiker pump shaft is attached to the pump palm handle with this tiny little plastic weld---and it will fail!! Over 15 years I have snapped 4 pump handles in the field and it sucks.



Here's another shot of the tiny surface area of the handle weld---it's just not beefy enough to withstand rigorous pumping and seems engineered to fail. Then you'll need to either get a replacement pump handle or go to Plan B, below.






The fix solution is easy enough---Put in a long screw and let it seat in the shaft groove. Dang thing won't break now.

Other drawbacks to the Hiker filter? The filter cartridge clogs up fast and costs about $40 or more to replace. I have been through around 15 cartridges over the years and they used to cost about $25 so what the heck happened?

[FlyPaper]

Based on your preferences, you might want to stick with what you got, even if it means buying a new one.

I've got a Steripen, an MSR filter, and a Sawyer Mini. Sometimes I carry all of them. The Steripen is great when the water is clear already and I prefer using it when getting water that is fast flowing and clear. The Sawyer Mini is cheap and light weight. But I've had trouble getting water out of muddy trickles along the ground. It is lighter weight, cheaper but less versatile than a pump. I like drinking the water from the MSR best of all. It is clear, safe, and tastes great. The Kayadyn that you have is similar to my MSR, except the Kayadyn pumps faster.

As for me, whenever there is a question of water availability, I take my pump because it get basically draw clean water from a wet spot on the trail. But if we're hiking around plenty of water, I might leave my pump at home and rely on either the Steripen or the Sawyer Mini.

[BirdBrain]

Other drawbacks to the Hiker filter? The filter cartridge clogs up fast and costs about $40 or more to replace. I have been through around 15 cartridges over the years and they used to cost about $25 so what the heck happened?

Complete agree with your assessment. I loved my hiker pro. I changed to the Sawyer Squeeze last year because of the clogging and filter cost and weight. Sawyer lasted fine. Loved it. Changed to mini this year because of further weight savings and reduced replacement costs.

[Poncho Hiker]

I have had success with the MSR miniworks pump. i've had it for 7 years and it hasn't failed me.

[Cadenza]

I've had the MSR Miniworks EX for about 7 years also and it has never once had a problem. Good solid filter.

I just bought the MSR Hyperflow. It's smaller and just slightly over half the weight of the Miniworks EX, but it delivers water three times as fast!
It has an advertised rate of 3 liters per minute. I can fill a 96 oz bladder in one minute, 15 seconds.

[perdidochas]

Is this chemical dangerous in small quantities, mister elf?

Yes, every dead adult known has consumed dihydrogen monoxide in various amounts at different times.

[WillyJoel]

Hi,

I am planning a 4-day canoe trip this fall.


Recently I was researching portable water filters and bought a LifeStraw. Have you any experience with it?


I read this review and decided to buy it, but haven't tried yet: http://campingandcamping.com/8-best-...-reviews-tips/

[turtle fast]

I rarely run into other hikers on the East Coast that use the General Ecology First Need water purifier. It has a good flow rate, comes with a prefilter attached to a hose that is easy cleanable. It's a purifier that works to remove viruses. Cons that's it's a tad heavier filter, a back washing pain, and the expensive filter needs replacing after roughly 500gal.