Water filter

[polarkraft]

New to the backcounty hunting thing. All of the info on water safety has my head spinning, what systems yall using. Will be in SW Co this year.

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[W.D. Crawford]

My self and a lot of other guys on here use a Sawyer filter. I use the standard size, works great once you get some water moving thru it. Just don't let it freeze. I also carry some Aquamira.

 

[marktole]

I used the Sawyer filters last year, the standard size (not the mini), and I thought it worked great until I had used it so much that the flow on it slowed way, way down. To the point where it was grueling to squeeze the bag to get water to flow through the filter. Would take several minutes to get a liter of water through it. Cleaning it via the instructions Sawyer provides would help for about 3 liters of water. Then it was back to being a major PITA.

This year I am trying the Katadyn Hiker Pro pump filter. Haven't used it yet so no feedback available on it. Also carry some tablets as a backup.

 

[Rthur]

Platypus 4L system.
With tap water it'll dump all 4L in 2 minutes 30 seconds.
This is a 4 foot differential between dirty bag and clean.
Obviously silty/dirty water will slow this down.
How much depends on the particulate size I'd imagine.
Have a better review around the 30th of September.

R

 

[TexAg09]

I use the Katadyn Hike Pro pump filter. I like it for it's versatility. There are times when we're getting water out of fresh streams, and times when we're getting water out of some suspect seeps that you only want to get the water off the top. I've had good luck with it, but I also carry tablets in case my luck runs out.

 

[tttoadman]

I have the sawyer mini. it is super light and compact, but it is slow. I don't like this system in late season because it gets my hands wet.

I have the katadyn mini. It filters well, but it is super slow. I don't think the savings in weight is worth it over the hiker pro.

 

[polarkraft]

Yeah, I've played around with the Sawyer a bit. Seems incredibly slow to get to a liter

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[hikerhunter]

I have tried most everything and for the last two years I have used the Katadyn BeFree. It is super lightweight and filters water plenty fast. I have the 1L and 3L but prefer the 1L. Also doubles as a water bottle if needs be.


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[gabenzeke]

Katadyn hiker pro if I'm getting water from a seep, otherwise steripen.

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[Becca]

We have been using the regular Sawyer in-line with the platypus big zip 3L bladder since 2011. It’s not the fastest as a gravity filter, but it’s so convenient to be able to dip dirty water right out of the creek and go. I backflush our filters religiously after trips using the sink adapter. You can also drastically improve the flow rate by getting all the air out of the filter (turn the filter horizontal and then upright to let all the air work out, using your mouth suction if you have to).

For basecamp style trips we use a katadyn hiker pro, but I confess I really hate pumping. Dip and drink thru the filter is so much easier!

 

[jmez]

I use a Sawyer Mini inline.

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[veganhunter]

IMO, the biggest downfall of the Sawyer system is how difficult it can be to fill the bladder if you don't have access to a lake or free flowing stream. Especially above treeline where you're getting water from seeps or trickles from a rock glacier - this can be hugely annoying. For me, I use the Sawyer system in summer and early season when I know there is an abundance of water but I always take the Katadyn Hiker Pro when I'm less certain of water availability. Its a significant weight penalty but its worth knowing I can use to to pull water from almost anything.

 

[Slim Jim]

I use a steripen it’s quick and easy. If there are floaters in the water or a little murky, I just use my neck gator as a screen filter. Also have aquamira tabs for backup


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[sodaksooner]

Sawyer with a 2 bladder gravity system. Also have the tabs. We have used pump filters in the past too. Its really about personal preference. That said, I may purchase a katadyn before our trip this year. My setup is reasonably light already, so the extra weight doesn't bother me.

 

[gelton]

check out the Katydyn 3L BeFree...I just picked one up and have high hopes for it over the Katydyn Hiker Pro I have been using over the last five years. Supposedly filters faster than the Sawyer.

https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/37914-8019640-katadyn-befree-3.0L_usa

 

[Owenst7]

IMO, the biggest downfall of the Sawyer system is how difficult it can be to fill the bladder if you don't have access to a lake or free flowing stream. Especially above treeline where you're getting water from seeps or trickles from a rock glacier - this can be hugely annoying. For me, I use the Sawyer system in summer and early season when I know there is an abundance of water but I always take the Katadyn Hiker Pro when I'm less certain of water availability. Its a significant weight penalty but its worth knowing I can use to to pull water from almost anything.

There's a thousand dirty water containers that attach to a Sawyer ranging from a Pepsi bottle to a zip top bag from CNOC. Using the stock bag is like running the stock insert in a pair of boots.

Backflushing a Sawyer is cake and takes a split second at the end of every liter. Just squeeze your clean water bottle slightly. Mine filter a liter in about a minute - same rate as my steripen - because I keep them clean. Let them plug up to the point they are slow, and you'll have to clean them thoroughly.

Any hollow membrane filter is going to perform about the same. A given surface area of .1 micron media is going to flow exactly the same, regardless of what logo is printed on the housing.

 

[veganhunter]

There's a thousand dirty water containers that attach to a Sawyer ranging from a Pepsi bottle to a zip top bag from CNOC. Using the stock bag is like running the stock insert in a pair of boots.

I use to use 2L Platypus bladders with my Sawyer and this became problematic when the filter began to get dirty and required more force to push water through. I've had dirty water from the bladder squeeze through the threads of the filter and into the clean water container rendering it undrinkable.

So considering this anecdote, I'll continue to not use any of the thousands of containers the filter can be forced onto.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

I have used the platypus gravity works for years with great success. Although a little slower with cloudy/dirty water it still flows fairly fast. sometimes I have had to backwash in middle of filtering, but that has never bothered me. One reason I think it flows faster than the Sawyer is the gravity works uses 0.2 micron filter versus 0.1 on the sawyer. I also used the Steripen last year and really liked it. Still trying to decide whether to take the steripen or gravity work on my upcoming high country trip.

Temps should be above freezing so that is not a factor (hollow fiber filters cannot be exposed to freezing)
If i'm going to area with good flowing clear water than steripen is a good option.
Weight: 4L gravity works weights 11.5oz. Steripen with 6L MSR bladder weights 10.5oz so wight is pretty much a wash

 

[Owenst7]

I use to use 2L Platypus bladders with my Sawyer and this became problematic when the filter began to get dirty and required more force to push water through. I've had dirty water from the bladder squeeze through the threads of the filter and into the clean water container rendering it undrinkable.

So considering this anecdote, I'll continue to not use any of the thousands of containers the filter can be forced onto.

The platypus bladders specifically have the wrong threads. The Sawyer's are designed around the standard soda bottle threads. A minute of research on their social media, website, or instruction manual goes a long ways.

 

[veganhunter]

Regardless of which type of containers it fits on or doesnt fit on does not change the fact they can be a serious PITA to fill. A standard soda bottle isn't going to fill any easier than the sawyer bladder in 1" of water. Where a pump will work no problem.

Luckily for everyone there are many different water treatment methods