Water treatment

I really like my Platypus Gravityworks. Super fast filtering, easy to use. Water is very pure tasting when you pick a decent source.

If I am really wanting to cut down on pack size or weight, I don’t mind tabs. I’ve used both the Chlorine Dioxide and Iodine type, either is fine. I think I trust the chlorine dioxide more because it kills crypto too. I can tell there is a slight taste in both, but neither really bothers me. Adding vitamin c packets or Nuun helps a lot.
 
I’m water filter junky. Here’s my list.

Lightest: sawyer mini
Fastest: Katadyn Vario
Most robust: katadyn pocket
For big volume at camp: platypus gravity works.
Garbage filters I would never trust: life straw
Least reliable and flimsy: Msr miniworks

Best all around is the vario. It is fast, has ceramic and paper filter, and carbon for taste and chemicals. It’s only downfall is it’s bulky and somewhat heavy.

The sawyer is also acceptable for gravity camp duty. You can get an in-line carbon filter to polish your water and remove any chemicals that may be present. Especially if you are near any old mines.

I don’t like iodine tablets or bleach tablets. I would rather have a good filter..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I'm a fan of the katadyn befree 3.0l microfilter. Holds plenty of water and filters fast!
 
Katadyn 3L water bladder with gravity filter.

Been considering a steri-pen setup in the future but i have been really happy with the katadyn.
 
Anyone here dared to test the effectiveness of their system against known contaminated sources?

I drank from a stream once years ago and can tell you that I regretted (and still do) it deeply. Yikes, not something I wanna relive.

I recently bought a Sawyer Mini Squeeze but I'm not sure I would trust going back and drinking that same water throught it. Makes me nervous.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk
 
Anyone here dared to test the effectiveness of their system against known contaminated sources?

I drank from a stream once years ago and can tell you that I regretted (and still do) it deeply. Yikes, not something I wanna relive.

I recently bought a Sawyer Mini Squeeze but I'm not sure I would trust going back and drinking that same water throught it. Makes me nervous.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk

If that stream contained giardia a Sawyer Squeeze or Mini would make it absolutely safe.
 
I’ve been looking at the 10l from MSR.
It’s made in USA 🇺🇸, huge plus for me.

I filtered water out of a Bighorn Sheep Guzzler last weekend. The water was clear and I used an MSR Gravity Works and a couple aqua tabs.

I drank out of the Amazon river and got away with it for about a week before I got sick. Also contaminated water (fuel) while in the service. I’ve been pretty lucky.
 
I just bought the MSR Trailshot, it filters everything but viruses. There is a company called Rapidpure that also takes out viral chances. They offer an inline filter and one similar to the lifestraw. I am thinking about putting the inline filter between the water pickup and the trailshot pump filter. That way I can catch viruses as well. Has anyone on the thread combined 2 filters like this to prevent having to carry a steripen. I always carry aqua mira as a backup.
Viruses in water aren't a concern unless you are in a third world country.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk
 
I haven't had a chance yet to use my MSR in the high country of CO where the water flows well and is pretty clear. I have been tempted to try it down around denver in a running creek. Thoughts? I figure that way if I get the trots I am near a flushable toilet and of course medical care with prescriptions. I am a big believer in not trying your equipment on your first outing.
 
Anyone here dared to test the effectiveness of their system against known contaminated sources?

I drank from a stream once years ago and can tell you that I regretted (and still do) it deeply. Yikes, not something I wanna relive.

I recently bought a Sawyer Mini Squeeze but I'm not sure I would trust going back and drinking that same water throught it. Makes me nervous.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk

I filter and drink stream water all the time. We actually went for a hike yesterday (Mother’s Day) and refilled our water bottles with a sawyer mini out of a stream that certainly had pig and deer shit upstream. Me, my wife, and all three daughters are fine. You can trust these reputable filters more than you can trust some municipalities.

I use my filters several times per month in the summer. Haven’t shit my pants yet.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Life straws are the only mainstream filters I would not trust. Sawyers, anything from katadyn, platypus, and MSR are all GTG.

Just follow directions and keep you clean side free from contaminated water. If you do it right, you can trust these filters. Like I said in a previous post, I use mine all the time and I have several.

Chemicals are the only worry with these filters. Charcoal polish filters can help with this but there are no 100% filters for all chemicals. Even municipal water treatment can’t decontaminate all chemical pollution.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Yep that gravity filter is the bomb my friend! Just keep the filter clean. We used it in camp last year and I don't think I even used tablets last year.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
I use a Aquamira Frontier Pro in conjuction with Katadyn MicroPur tablets. The Frontier Pro can be used connected to a Smart Water bottle or at the end of a water bladder/reservoir. I drop a MicroPur tablet in a liter of water and the tablet will take care of all viruses and bacteria in approximately 15 minutes. In cold water the tablet takes up to 4 hours to break down cryptosporidium, giardia, and such but as these are larger the Frontier Pro filters them....plus the Frontier Pro eliminates the chlorine flavor. I've been using this combination for the last decade with success.

Along with temperature, concentration of crypto is another big factor that determines how much treatment time is needed.
 
I also have used this same setup for years no problems at all
I use a Aquamira Frontier Pro in conjuction with Katadyn MicroPur tablets. The Frontier Pro can be used connected to a Smart Water bottle or at the end of a water bladder/reservoir. I drop a MicroPur tablet in a liter of water and the tablet will take care of all viruses and bacteria in approximately 15 minutes. In cold water the tablet takes up to 4 hours to break down cryptosporidium, giardia, and such but as these are larger the Frontier Pro filters them....plus the Frontier Pro eliminates the chlorine flavor. I've been using this combination for the last decade with success.
 
I pretty much only use a steripen. Maybe I'm missing something. Why do some of you use the steripen AND tablets? I carry the tablets as backup. Have I just been super lucky so far?
 
Back
Top