View Full Version : Gravity filter experiences?
Valentine
03-17-2009, 10:16
Hello all;
I am looking at the gravity filters and wondering if anyone has had bad experiences with them? Are they difficult to backflush? Is there more maintenance involved than say a regular pump filter? Looking for store bought not home made filter experiences. Thank you.
JimSproul
03-17-2009, 13:23
We used the Katadyn Base Camp Filter for a Philmont trek last summer. There is a simple "cover" material for the filter core that is easy to rinse off. It was nice to hang a bag of water when setting up camp and your waterbottles kind of fill themselves. I would/did cary their tablets as a backup but did not need them. Here is link from REI, you might find it cheaper at Campmor or elsewhere.
http://www.rei.com/product/737349
I first saw once of these are Hawk Mountain shelter in Georgia. Next large trip I bought one.
I have a Platypus Clean Stream gravity filter and have been very happy with it. Filters 4L of water very quickly, filter cleans by backflushing clean water back into dirty water bag by hanging clean water bag higher than dirty bag. So far no problems with it and I've used it quite a bit but I backflush often. If water source is very shallow you need to use something to scoop water out to get into the dirty water bag.
SGT Rock
03-22-2009, 10:00
I had one of the Safewater anywhere in-line filters. I got it to filter Louisiana Swamp Water.
It worked OK for a while - about 45 miles in the swamps.
Then I took it on the AT when I hiked from NOC to Amicolola. After about 30 more miles it started getting really slow. About 30 miles later it was practically useless. I threw it away at Neels Gap and went the rest of the way with iodine.