View Full Version : Water Filtration System
GSUCorey
11-05-2011, 15:38
I am currently in the planning stage for my early march departure on the AT. The hope is that I can make it the whole way and in planning for this, I am looking for the best filtration system that will last me the longest but still at a decent price. Or if there are any other suggestions about water purification from former thru hikers, that advice would be very welcome as well. thanks!
Walkintom
11-05-2011, 17:15
Aquamira. We plan to start our thruhike in March as well. It takes 5 minutes prep and another 15 or so of waiting after you put it in your water for it to do its thing.Weighs very little and does not leave a bad taste to the water. When considering water handling we initially chose it for weight, but in reading other people's experiences I am glad we didn't choose to filter because you have to keep the post-filtration side of your filter free of contamination and that seems like it would be tough over the course of a thruhike. And if you fail to do so - you only find out if you get sick.
I have been using Aquamira but went back to an MSR Sweetwater filter, have not used it yet but it is VERY nicely put together. Next hike in 30 days.
I have used the MSR waterworks, which is the old version of the newer "miniworks", for over 20 years. IMHO is is a fantastic bombproof filter. I still choose to carry even at the 16oz weight, nothing beats filtring out of questionable somewhat murky water and getting clean clear great tasting H2O.
swjohnsey
11-05-2011, 18:25
You see all kindsa stuff at the beginning, folks pumpin', folks with there chemistry sets treatin', guys with their magic wands. By the end most folks are just drinking it out of the side of the mountain. I start out drinking it out of the side of the mountain. In big flowing streams that might have flowed through or near towns I use chlorine bleach. I think I treated water about twice.
I have a Katadyn Pocket filter, iodine tablets, and Aquamira. I don't use any of 'em.
garlic08
11-05-2011, 18:50
You see all kindsa stuff at the beginning, folks pumpin', folks with there chemistry sets treatin', guys with their magic wands. By the end most folks are just drinking it out of the side of the mountain. I start out drinking it out of the side of the mountain. In big flowing streams that might have flowed through or near towns I use chlorine bleach. I think I treated water about twice....
Pretty much my experience, too, except I packed a set of Aquamira bottles and brought it home nearly full after the AT. I only used it a few times. That Appalachian spring water is among the best on Earth, though I did hike pretty early in a pretty wet year.
You'll do better health-wise if you wash your hands before eating and don't let others put their hands in your food.
bamboo bob
11-05-2011, 19:01
I have used the same PUR Hiker filter for over 10,000 miles. Yes it weighs more than iodone or aqua mira, etc but It filters out all of the badies. If i use a coffee filter as a prefilter i don't have to drink floaties like chem treatments. i guess after a 1000 miles or so IT may get clogged if I do something stupid. I thinkI t's 10 ounces. I mainly like the no waiting. Pump and drink.
Mr Breeze
11-05-2011, 20:20
If there is a natural spring or a stream near where i am hiking, i will just drink from those. I have never gotten sick once. But i always carry Aquamira with me. It's easy to use, and leaves no bad aftertaste in the water being treated
Northern Lights
11-05-2011, 20:43
I use the Katadyn Pro, I'm not a thru just a sectioner, but the handle broke on my last trip. I sent an email to the company and they are sending me a new handle. I would have paid to replace the part but they just said they would send me a new one. I like when companies back up their product
I have put the Sawyer 3way inline filter on my blatter and am happy with it. I too am guilty of drinking straight form piped springs and have never gotten sick, however, this little filter will give me the security I desire with out the weight of a pump filter. As long as you don't use real dirty water with this filter it should last for a million gallons.
clsvideo
11-05-2011, 20:58
We use a First Need filter most of the time. Love it. For our AT section hike we are using Katadyn tablets. Those are great too.
Blissful
11-05-2011, 21:12
Aqua mira is all you need for the AT. I have seen too many hikers out with broken or slooow pumps two weeks into their trek.
GSUCorey
11-06-2011, 00:26
thank you guys so much for all of the comments! it has been a big help in my planning process! I can't wait to start the trip I have been planning for years!!!!
Odd Man Out
11-06-2011, 10:23
I have the ULA gravity system that is no longer made. But it is very simple and could be rigged yourself (I think I have seen a DIY web page for it, but don't have the link). It is just a sil-nylon water bag (maybe a gallon capacity?) with an outlet tube at the bottom. Inside the bag, attached to the outlet tube is a Katadyn filter. Fill the bag, hang it up, let it flow. As mentioned above, keeping the clean-water outlet tube from getting contaminated while filling the water bag with this set up is a bit of a pain. My next plan would be to go with something Sawyer squeeze system. With an in-line filter and some quick connect fittings, you only take your dirty water reservoir to the stream to be filled, so there is no chance of contamination there.
rmitchell
11-06-2011, 22:05
I have used the same PUR Hiker filter for over 10,000 miles. Yes it weighs more than iodone or aqua mira, etc but It filters out all of the badies. If i use a coffee filter as a prefilter i don't have to drink floaties like chem treatments. i guess after a 1000 miles or so IT may get clogged if I do something stupid. I thinkI t's 10 ounces. I mainly like the no waiting. Pump and drink.
+1 on the PUR (now Katadyne) Hiker. I only wish it weighed less. If you have to carry a quart or more of water that you can't drink yet because the chemicals haven't taken effect, is chemical treatment lighter?
From experience, it takes 6 weeks to recover from giardia. I got lazy in GA during heavy rains did not filter and paid for it.
swjohnsey
11-06-2011, 23:14
Most folks who think they have giardia don't.
Another vote for drinking out of the side of the mountain.
I can't tell you the number of people I've seen using filters that were sitting there pumping away taking no cross contamination precautions.
The Cleaner
11-07-2011, 19:17
Most folks who think they have giardia don't. In the fall of 2000 I spent 4 nights in the hospital after having a fever 102-104 for 5 days which would not go down.Earlier I had drank some untreated spring water.They tested me for all kinds of ailments,never finding the cause.Finally the fever went away&they sent me home.Diagnosis on paperwork said,"Fever of Unknown Origin".Anyway I was so weak I could'nt even mow my small level yard for over 3 weeks.....
swjohnsey
11-07-2011, 21:37
Giardiasis is easy to find with testing.
I've been using a MRS Sweetwater for years with no problem. They are abit on the largeside but I've been sick once from bad water and am not going to repeat the experience. I carry a wee bit of bleach also. If I can find something as effective and durable that is smaller I'll get it. For now why fix something that isn't broken.
Started w/ Aquamira for its weight and simplicity of use, but switched to bleach after about 700 miles due to its superior weight and simplicity of use (not to mention low cost - you can buy a gallon of bleach at the dollar store for a couple bucks. Compare that to Aquamira!). No mixing, only one small eye dropper bottle to carry, and only three drops per liter. Works for me.
The Cleaner
11-11-2011, 12:41
The main reason I got a filter was to make it easier to get water from sources that had no pipe or were just a very shallow puddle.Never worried much about getting sick just don't like drinking silt&other crap.Hate to hijack this thread but what do some of you do to get water out of a 1" deep pool w/o getting too much dirt&junk ?Before I got a filter I would use the lid from a nalgene and very slooowly&carefully fill it about 2 tablespoons at a time.With a fiter you can pump several liters w/o getting any crap and not be bent over the puddle for several minutes.Also with a filter I can use creek water which I wouldn't normally do.
swjohnsey
11-11-2011, 18:57
You won't see many places like that along the trail.
MuddyWaters
11-11-2011, 20:47
Use a ziplock bag, fill it slowly keeping lip near surface not to entrain sediment . Filter thru bandana or coffee filter if you prefer.
garlic08
11-11-2011, 21:37
I just use a small plastic cup and bail it out, but I never had to do that on the AT. That's a trick I used in some nasty cow tanks on the CDT.