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Best water filter?
- Thread starter Sesoku
- Start date
I have a Katadyn Mini (basically a smaller version of the Pocket) with a ceramic filter. It filters out just about anything that could be dangerous other than chemicals. I've taken it on many hiking trips for about 4 years and the filter is still good. I think Katadyn claims it will work for 5000 liters (about 1250 gallons). The filter does clog very easily and requires scrubbing with the included brush. Stay away from any water that is even remotely silty or muddy. If you have a friend to help, have them hold the hose off the bottom, so it does not crud up. Also, because the filter clogs quickly, it is time consuming to fill up your water bottle. Still, it's a great way to get water when you are sick of iodine or you're on the trail and can't boil it. - CAman
I've used a couple of different methods to
keep the suction hose off the bottom to help.
One way is to cut a flat piece of plastic
2 1/2" to 3" in dia. and put it on the hose
1 1/2 to 2" above the end. depending on the
amount of silt on the Laying it on it's side
usually keeps it off the bottom. If it's really deep push the hose above the plastic
down in the silt until the plastic rest on
top of the mud or silt with the end sticking
up.
The other way is to cut a hole in the end of
small bottle and poke the suction hose through the hole - that way the bottle can
lie on bottom and usually keep the filter
some what cleaner.
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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91
keep the suction hose off the bottom to help.
One way is to cut a flat piece of plastic
2 1/2" to 3" in dia. and put it on the hose
1 1/2 to 2" above the end. depending on the
amount of silt on the Laying it on it's side
usually keeps it off the bottom. If it's really deep push the hose above the plastic
down in the silt until the plastic rest on
top of the mud or silt with the end sticking
up.
The other way is to cut a hole in the end of
small bottle and poke the suction hose through the hole - that way the bottle can
lie on bottom and usually keep the filter
some what cleaner.
------------------
http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91
What you are describing does not sound like the best filter to me. My MSR Mini-works never clogs, I can attach Nalgene bottles directly to it, the ceramic filter lasts and lasts, it's easy to clean, light weight, rugged, pumps about a quart a min. Now thats a good filter, pretty inexpensive too at around 65-70 bucks. Filters anything but virus. For that I have a Pur Voyageur, but thats another post.
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"How do I stop this thing?"
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"How do I stop this thing?"
I like the Mini-Works but they don't do well in water loaded in tannic acid (swamps, jungles, etc.) These 'black waters' are clear for several feet but there's a film that develops on the ceramic that absolutely refuses to allow more than 2 litres of water to pass before cleaning.
In a 2 week stay we completely wore out 2 cartridges just scrubbing this film off. Prefilters don't help because the micron size of this film is smaller than most pre-filters.
MSR read our review on our site and their reply is posted there also. They - and all others - didn't seem to interested in researching the problems of tropical filtration. I still believe this problem could be helped with the right R&D folks.
We've also used the Sweetwater with the same results - their pre-filter seemed to help the problem some and added just a little mroe volume before cleaning. Some of the other filters that filter at a larger micron value will pump more water before cloggng with this film, but what's the point since we're going way up in micron size?
Although we always take a filter along (usually some new brand for review), we have found that the positives don't out-weigh the negatives for our trips and rely on iodine for most water once we get away from civilization.
In a long term tropical survival situation, I feel water filters are dead weight right out of the pack, since the added weight and gadgetry doesn't compensate for their overall poor performance. Of course I know of a lot of folks that go into tropical areas with more gear than they can carry, so maybe this is fine with them.
Bottom line in my opinion: one week adventures - fine, long term survival, I don't think so.
Boiling, iodine, potable aqua are still my favorite methods.
Jeff
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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
In a 2 week stay we completely wore out 2 cartridges just scrubbing this film off. Prefilters don't help because the micron size of this film is smaller than most pre-filters.
MSR read our review on our site and their reply is posted there also. They - and all others - didn't seem to interested in researching the problems of tropical filtration. I still believe this problem could be helped with the right R&D folks.
We've also used the Sweetwater with the same results - their pre-filter seemed to help the problem some and added just a little mroe volume before cleaning. Some of the other filters that filter at a larger micron value will pump more water before cloggng with this film, but what's the point since we're going way up in micron size?
Although we always take a filter along (usually some new brand for review), we have found that the positives don't out-weigh the negatives for our trips and rely on iodine for most water once we get away from civilization.
In a long term tropical survival situation, I feel water filters are dead weight right out of the pack, since the added weight and gadgetry doesn't compensate for their overall poor performance. Of course I know of a lot of folks that go into tropical areas with more gear than they can carry, so maybe this is fine with them.
Bottom line in my opinion: one week adventures - fine, long term survival, I don't think so.
Boiling, iodine, potable aqua are still my favorite methods.
Jeff
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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
- Joined
- Jul 7, 1999
- Messages
- 645
What's best???? If you don't have a filter when you need it then nothing is best
We have a Sweetwater filter that is kept in our "survival" gear that goes with us whenever we take a road trip out of town.
For what we need a filter for the sweetwater one works just fine, I've also got a virus cartrige if for some reason we need to clean really nasty water. The filter will work for us for a month or so but we also take Iodine tabs and aqua pure. You should always have at least one backup of any vital system and as important water is we take 3 means of puryfing water.
It's nice to have a beast of a truck to carry everything I've got seeded away
On foot acting as a pack mule I'm seing eye to eye with Jeff.
We have a Sweetwater filter that is kept in our "survival" gear that goes with us whenever we take a road trip out of town.
For what we need a filter for the sweetwater one works just fine, I've also got a virus cartrige if for some reason we need to clean really nasty water. The filter will work for us for a month or so but we also take Iodine tabs and aqua pure. You should always have at least one backup of any vital system and as important water is we take 3 means of puryfing water.
It's nice to have a beast of a truck to carry everything I've got seeded away
On foot acting as a pack mule I'm seing eye to eye with Jeff.
- Joined
- Apr 25, 1999
- Messages
- 94
I have a PUR Explorer.
A few simple suggestions:
1. Dip water to be purified/filtered out of the source and let stand for a little while allowing sediment to settle. Large, heavy, stand-up plastic bags work well. Most purifiers require two hands to operate effectively and may put you in sort of an unbalanced squatting position. Carrying the water away from the source may prevent you from falling in.
2. Place a couple of disposable coffee filters over the suction hose. This keeps some of the big chunks out of the unit.
Hope this helps.
A few simple suggestions:
1. Dip water to be purified/filtered out of the source and let stand for a little while allowing sediment to settle. Large, heavy, stand-up plastic bags work well. Most purifiers require two hands to operate effectively and may put you in sort of an unbalanced squatting position. Carrying the water away from the source may prevent you from falling in.
2. Place a couple of disposable coffee filters over the suction hose. This keeps some of the big chunks out of the unit.
Hope this helps.
Only problem with the first suggestion is this tannic acid slime is sort of a collodial suspension. We have used the coffee filter thing, and it works to some degree but it's still to porous for the tannic acid.
Jeff
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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
Jeff
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Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com
When I took chemistry(a long time ago) we filtered solutions with a filter paper.
They came in a box of 50.
About 3-4 in. in dia.
This stuff was extermely tight weave,makes coffee filters look like a sieve!!
I think its called WATTS paper,I don't know if that is brand name or if what.
Any chemists out there??
They came in a box of 50.
About 3-4 in. in dia.
This stuff was extermely tight weave,makes coffee filters look like a sieve!!
I think its called WATTS paper,I don't know if that is brand name or if what.
Any chemists out there??
- Joined
- Nov 29, 1999
- Messages
- 632
I use a pur scout during our classes. Primarily for demonstration purposes. I, like Jeff, still like the ease of iodine or boiling
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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?
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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?
I'm surprised the Pur filters have not been mentioned much. After trying several friends systems, I've found the Pur Hiker to be the best filter. I used mine for three years of trekking the Sierra without a filter change or loss of pumping efficiency. Sierra water is clear, especially compared to what Jeff Randall is talking about, but It still loads up with silt and other debris. The great thing about the hiker is that it can be upgraded to an iodine resin purifier by purchasing a Pur Voyageur cartridge. I recently did this when my travels took me to lower elevations where the human population is more dense. The Pur systems come with very long hoses, a weighted prefilter and a float to keep the prefilter off the bottom. All in all, I think it is the best filter/purifier. BTW, I always carry iodine tablets as a backup. Filters can fail at the worst of times. Tablets come in handy when you are without a filter and you need to refill your canteen on the trail, too. Boiling is always an option, but I would rather enjoy my surroundings or hunt than sit around waiting for water boil.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 1998
- Messages
- 687
Funny, that's how I feel about using a filter. I've only ever used the PUR Hiker so my frame of referance is limited. I thought that the time it took to pump that water was boring. I'd rather let the stove do the work. Oh well, to each his own.
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Mike Melone
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I have the Katadyn Pocket filter. It's an older model and they have improved some of the ergonomics quite a bit in newer models. At the time I bought it, it was far superior to the competition. It is quite maintainable and good for most of the US/European countryside. A prefilter will improve your satisfaction, as will a flotation aid of some sort near the intake to help keep it out of sediment.
I find the first quart or so pumped after storage has a strange taste, but I find that with other filters too.
The katadyn is more difficult to pump than lots of the competition now. It is easier to spill what you are pumping and easier to contaminate too IMHO.
Buti it is probably the most durable of the pumps I have seen used in the desert.
Phil
I find the first quart or so pumped after storage has a strange taste, but I find that with other filters too.
The katadyn is more difficult to pump than lots of the competition now. It is easier to spill what you are pumping and easier to contaminate too IMHO.
Buti it is probably the most durable of the pumps I have seen used in the desert.
Phil
Jeff,
Sounds like an interesting problem. It's known that some herbivores produce salivary enzymes that complex with the tannic acids and render them harmless (tannins are known to be abrasive to the gut). I'm wondering if there is an enzyme or something you could add to the water and cause the tannic acids to precipitate out. Just a thought.
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Hoodoo
No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston
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