Water Filtration

[lindseyk]

My goal is to Thru-Hike in 2014.

I get kidney stones frequently and must produce 2-4L of urine per day in order to properly flush out my kidneys. Working at a sedentary office job this requires drinking between 3-5L of water per day. This would obviously increase due to exertion. According to my urologist it could be anywhere from 5-10L per day. I should also mention that I love water and don't drink flavored beverages.

My dad bought me a Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter (http://www.rei.com/product/830745/katadyn-hiker-pro-water-filter) for my birthday. Is it realistic to use this filter for my hike?

I know there are many of you who don't clean or treat your water at all, however, I will be treating my water, and posts that recommend not doing so aren't helpful.

[RedBeerd]

It all comes down to preference. I started with that filter and like how its bombproof. But it gets old pumping away. Put a coffee filter on the dirty end to help the cause. And if you're an ounce weenie its heavy.
Then I went to sawyer squeeze. Which I like. But I find dealing with the bags a pain and squeezing water a pain too.
Now I use aqua mira. Its easy, light, and fast enough. No pumping or squeezing either.
So what I'm getting at is everyone prefers different water filtration methods. They ALL have their pros and cons. Half the fun is finding out what gear you like :)

[RedBeerd]

But if I had to drink 10L a day, I would NOT want to pump that.

[HooKooDooKu]

But if I had to drink 10L a day, I would NOT want to pump that.
The mini-sawyer is (in part) designed to be used inline. In other words, get a water bladder with a hose and bit valve. Cut the hose and insert the sawyer.

[bamboo bob]

I used the same Hiker Pro for 12000 miles. All of the above is true. Bomb proof. But a coffee filter/bandana strain is a wise move. Any filter can clod. But I switched to a gravity filter. Less weight by a bit but mainly it does all the work. I'm not big on chemical treatments. The gravity filter has been a winner. I've got maybe 1750 miles so far. The filter is good for a zillion gallons in round numbers. Remember if you use aqua mira or any chemical treatment you still have floatees and gunk to contend with.

[Paul the Brit]

I will filter when I can and use bandana and Aqua Mira when I cannot (not my preference as I dislike the taste). You don't necessarily need to stick to one method. As you said 10 liters to filter a day is a lot and if you filter twice a day ( that could be 6 liters for example) and aqua Mira 4 liters it's not so bad. Or variations of that type of system.

[DugK]

Hate to hear about kidney stones, I am in the same boat.
Couple of buddies have the Katadyn hiker pro, never heard a complaint about them. I bought a Katadyn Vario, it heavy, it's huge and bulky but it pumps in both up and down stroke. I can filter two bottles, pack up before everyone else is done with one bottle. It's super easy to clean and maintain. But it is bulky and heavy but worth every ounce.

[Blissful]

I would definitely use some kind of filtration (pump, Sawyer, gravity - which you might look in to) rather than chemicals for that kind of hydration. I'd also think you need to watch your diet to avoid stone formation

[Violent Green]

It will work fine, but there are lighter more convenient options. You might look at the Sawyer Squeeze or Mini. With how plentiful water is on the AT you could easily carry less than 2L at a time with a filter setup. So, I would use the lightest filter possible.

Ryan

[slbirdnerd]

Look into the Sawyer Squeeze. You can actually carry unfiltered water in the Sawyer bags and drink right from the filter nozzle If you want. I have this filter and really like it.

[Statue]

pantyhose works great as a filter too.

[swjohnsey]

Do you drink bottled spring water at home? It comes right out of the mountain along the trail. I treat water a few times.

[Colter]

Do you drink bottled spring water at home? It comes right out of the mountain along the trail.

Explain, please.

[RED-DOG]

I used the Hiker-pro on all my thru's but if i had to drink that much water i think i would use Aqua-Mira.

[Pedaling Fool]

My goal is to Thru-Hike in 2014.

I get kidney stones frequently and must produce 2-4L of urine per day in order to properly flush out my kidneys. Working at a sedentary office job this requires drinking between 3-5L of water per day. This would obviously increase due to exertion. According to my urologist it could be anywhere from 5-10L per day. I should also mention that I love water and don't drink flavored beverages.

My dad bought me a Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter (http://www.rei.com/product/830745/katadyn-hiker-pro-water-filter) for my birthday. Is it realistic to use this filter for my hike?

I know there are many of you who don't clean or treat your water at all, however, I will be treating my water, and posts that recommend not doing so aren't helpful.Why are you (according to your doctor) so prone to kidney stones?

You say you have a sedentary job, but I don't see that as a problem, but if you have a sedentary life, then maybe that's an issue.

Are you sedentary?

I don't drink nearly as much water on a daily basis and I live a very active life here in :sun Florida and I've never had a single bout with Kidney stones. I know low-water intake can lead to kidney stones, but it sounds like you have something else going on.

I can't answer your specific question about using your filter to process that much water, since I don't filter/purify my water, but I do know that's a lot to filter everyday. You may want to look at some other way of cleansing your water.

[Slo-go'en]

So, you need to drink about 2 gallons a day, maybe 3 when it gets hot out. (I relate better to gallons then litters). I can't imagine it is a good idea to drink that much water in short periods of time so your going to have to have an unusually large water carrying capacity. It might also be a good idea to fortify that water with electrolites as you'll also be flushing those out at a faster then normal rate too.

I'd carry both the filter and chemicals. The filter is faster when you just need a relatively small amount of water to refill during the day. The chemicals take longer to work but for treating a large amount of water at the end of the day in camp it would be more efficent.

While for the most part water is abundant along the AT, at times and places it can be a long way away and down a steep hill to boot. Starting at about central Viginia and continuing up until you get in well into NY water can be scarce during the summer. This is also the area where the water is a long ways down the steep hill. And that water source maybe the only one you have for the next 20 miles, so you'll have to be able to carry the 2-3 gallons of water you need up from that source and through the day.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Do you drink bottled spring water at home? It comes right out of the mountain along the trail. I treat water a few times.


Explain, please.
Yeah, it comes right out of a mountain spring or well . . . from large pumps, into huge filtration units, gets adjusted for chemistry, gets UV sterilized, then bottled and capped, etc. Pretty much handled just like soda and beer with a few minor differences. In fact many soda and beer companies bottle/can emergency drinking water when needed during situations like Katrina, Sandy, etc.

[swjohnsey]

It is fun to watch folks at the beginning of the trail furiiously pumping and treating.