View Full Version : SweetWater Filter
OverLoad
12-31-2008, 23:43
I have a SweetWater fliter and am looking for input as to weather it should be ok for a Thru-hike or should I look into buying anthor system.
Will it hold up to freezing and how long a filter will last and such info.
garlic08
01-01-2009, 11:17
I think most hikers start with a filter but within a few hundred miles realize they're not really needed. There's so much excellent spring water out there, better water than you'll ever see coming out of a city faucet. The Sweetwater will probably break within a month or two, or you'll just get tired of maintaining it.
My system is a set of Aquamira, less than 3 ounces, for emergency use if you really need to drink water out of a cattle field. For $12, it'll last the entire AT. No moving parts.
Happy New Year!
My Sweetwater gave up the ghost in NH. I did get another as I prefer the taste of filtered water vs the Aqua Mira I also carried from that time. Yes, it is a bit more weight but instant drinking vs having to wait is nice. Each his/her own.
CrumbSnatcher
01-01-2009, 16:09
i used a sweetwater in 99' it became a pain after awhile. for the last 7 or 8 years i've been using my pur hiker pro.(now katahdyn?) IMO the best filter around, filters fast and the pumps always dependable. in cold weather you should always pump out the excess water inside the pump so it won't freeze and or crack.
sorry Garlic08,
I dont have to think I know you need to filter your water. I do know that the filter you bring will probably break. I broke my hike on the A.T. I love the way it filtered so quickly that I bought another one. The people that dont filter their water are playing a numbers game with poop.