Water filter

[Jburke]

So I was looking for a water filter bottle and came across this one and was just curious if those with more experience had any input on this one?  Will this filter actually filter enough to keep me worry free in the back country of should I opt for something that filters more?  Suggestions?

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Aquamira-Water-Bottle-with-Filter-and-Replacement-Filter/1340473.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfilter%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=filter&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[WaltAlpine]

I bought one for the high hunt last year. Its good for drink
ing out of but not for sharing, cooking,etc. Also for the high hunt it was heavier than what i would choose to carry.

[brocka]

Cant recommend this enough for any type of backcountry hunting. I got alot of use out of mine this last year and it worked awesome.

http://www.rei.com/product/837824/sawyer-squeeze-water-filter

[JLS]

I bought one for the high hunt last year. Its good for drink
ing out of but not for sharing, cooking,etc. Also for the high hunt it was heavier than what i would choose to carry.

Agreed, they are not very versatile.  I have a Katadyn that works very well for me.  Easy to fill up a water bladder, nalgene bottles, etc.

[WaltAlpine]

When we were on the high hunt a guy had a lightweight pump of some kind that we all used to fill our bottles. It was better than sucking and squeezing on the one I brought.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I think a real water filter would be much more versital.
 
-Steve

[jechicdr]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/Survival-Navigation/Water-Purification|/pc/104795280/c/104774580/sc/104324580/Katadyn-Pocket-Water-Microfilter/727430.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcamping-survival-navigation-water-purification%2F_%2FN-1100737%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104324580%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104795280%253Bcat104774580&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104795280%3Bcat104774580%3Bcat104324580
13,000 gallons.  How many seasons will it take me to drink that much water?

[kentrek]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/Survival-Navigation/Water-Purification|/pc/104795280/c/104774580/sc/104324580/Katadyn-Pocket-Water-Microfilter/727430.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fcamping-survival-navigation-water-purification%2F_%2FN-1100737%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104324580%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104795280%253Bcat104774580&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104795280%3Bcat104774580%3Bcat104324580
13,000 gallons.  How many seasons will it take me to drink that much water?

Thats like 40 years of water...

[Holg3107]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Survival-Navigation/Water-Purification%7C/pc/104791680/c/104774580/sc/104324580/MSR-Sweetwater174-Guardian-Purifier-System/1168763.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1100145%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd1340473&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd1340473%3Bcat104324580

I have the MSR Sweetwater and couldnt be happier. We also tested out one of the newer UV light purifiers and as far as we know it worked great. No one got sick at least and we werent boiking anything. For ultra light high hunt / backpacking they are awesome.

http://www.rei.com/product/799003/steripen-adventurer-opti-water-purifier

[MLHSN]

I have a Platypus gravity filter I really like.  It works well enough for as many as 4-5 people.  The squeeze bottles can be annoying after a while when you want water to cook with, etc.  Just my 2 cents.

The platypus gravity filter only weighs 10.75 and is quite a bit more functional then a bottle.  Plus, it's quick to filter 4 liters if your going a while without water.  I used a pump filter for years and hated pumping for 10 min. at a time.  With the gravity filter, just fill the bag and it filters while you set up camp.

http://cascadedesigns.com/platypus/filtration-and-storage/gravityworks-filters/gravityworks-40l-filter/product

[WaltAlpine]

That Platypus looks good!

[fillthefreezer]

i will be switching to a sawyer inline this year, seems to be a better setup than anything else ive seen

[WaltAlpine]

The price on that Sawyer looks even better!

[Branden]

I have never used a filter before and I have hunted in a lot of states and a lot of different places in those states. That being said I got a Sawyer Squeeze filter for xmas so I might start using it. Not very heavy, and it looks like you can use it as an inline on a hydration bladder, gravity filter, or squeeze filter. Pretty versatile.

[7mag.]

I have never used a filter before and I have hunted in a lot of states and a lot of different places in those states. That being said I got a Sawyer Squeeze filter for xmas so I might start using it. Not very heavy, and it looks like you can use it as an inline on a hydration bladder, gravity filter, or squeeze filter. Pretty versatile.

I used mine a lot last year, and was very impressed how well it worked.

[Jburke]

Some good suggestions here.  Think I'll skip the original posted and maybe pick up one of the sawyer ones.  Looks like a pretty easy set up.

[JackOfAllTrades]

i will be switching to a sawyer inline this year, seems to be a better setup than anything else ive seen

Sucking on a water tube is bad enough... Sucking through a filter SuX!   Pre- filtering via a pump or gravity system makes more sense to me. There are times when I'd like a steri-pen, but I also like that a filter makes all the floaties go away. I need clear water for visual satisfaction in order to drink it. I've been using a Katadyn hiker pro for a few years now and like it a lot.  Getting water out of a slow running spring with the Sawyer inline wouldn't look to be fun at all.
 
-Steve

[Branden]

While in Alaska a few guys used a pump. After watching them pump to fill up there water containers while I just dipped and drank I decided I would never use a pump. Seemed like it took awhile. Its a lot easier to pack in minimal water and refill at every water source then fill up enough for a 10-15 mile hike. Saves a lot of weight in the pack. And pumping at every water source would take way to long.

Hopefully its easy to use the squeeze filter otherwise I will still be dipping without a filter 

[JM]

I'm usually just a reader on this site, but I decided to chime in on this. I have used a Katadyn pump filter since 2007 and It has never done me wrong. Just be sure to pump all of the excess water out if you are in the backcountry and it's cold out cause it will freeze solid, and have a sturdy enough bottle that won't break easily. That Sawyer looks nice but some of the basins that I pack into in Idaho and Washington have an abundance of water in the bottoms, but only have trickle springs above the treeline and I sure as hell would hate to have to hike down 1000' to find a deep enough spot to fill a bag for the Sawyer system or a bottle to use a Steri Pen. The water only has to be a couple inches deep for the Katadyn. I know that it is heavier, but I think that it is worth it for the versatility.

[fillthefreezer]

i will be switching to a sawyer inline this year, seems to be a better setup than anything else ive seen

Sucking on a water tube is bad enough... Sucking through a filter SuX!   Pre- filtering via a pump or gravity system makes more sense to me. There are times when I'd like a steri-pen, but I also like that a filter makes all the floaties go away. I need clear water for visual satisfaction in order to drink it. I've been using a Katadyn hiker pro for a few years now and like it a lot.  Getting water out of a slow running spring with the Sawyer inline wouldn't look to be fun at all.
 
-Steve

with the sawyer, a a platy bigzip and a dromlite res you can gravity filter, fill a bladder from a tiny seep, drink on the go, store the tiny little filter in your bag in cold weather, etc

[coyote_out]

I ran a sawyer squeeze this yr too.  loved it.  quick, easy, light,.   the bags that come with it are cheap, need to find a better one.  But you don't have to screw around with pumps etc..   

[raydog]

Man so of the prices of those. almost worth risking getting sick but then again that sucks too

[JLS]

Man so of the prices of those. almost worth risking getting sick but then again that sucks too

Anyone that has ever had giardia will tell you that the money for a filter is money well spent.

[7mag.]

Man so of the prices of those. almost worth risking getting sick but then again that sucks too

Anyone that has ever had giardia will tell you that the money for a filter is money well spent.

   If you ever get beaver fever, you'll do what ever it takes to not get it again.

[hunting4sanity]

I've been treated for giardia 3 times, it can be a very effective weight lose tool, but it is brutal!!!  I'll be watching this thread as I need a new filter also.

[JLS]

I've been treated for giardia 3 times, it can be a very effective weight lose tool, but it is brutal!!!  I'll be watching this thread as I need a new filter also.

Slow learner?  I'd rather drink iodine water than be treated for giardia again.

[Mudman]

Katadyn hiker pro!   70$ lightweight and works in almost any/every situation you might be in.  Durable, bladder compatible and gets water clear clean and it taste good.  I think you could filter urine safely in the desert, but Im not testing that out.  Plrenty of water for everyone if they need help.  The pump does not take long at all.  A few minutes and moving again.

[Jburke]

Man so of the prices of those. almost worth risking getting sick but then again that sucks too

I thought of this at one point but I decided that the for the money this could easily turn into the best money spent on the entire trip. 

[Tim in Wa.]

I had a Sawyer and didn't like it.It went back to REI.Sure I could have bought the extra stuff to make it work but it makes more sense to just buy a Platypus so start with ,it works great and comes with everything you need.It's very compact as well
Tim

[danderson]

  I do a lot of wilderness backpacking,  you don't have water in  many areas so you have to drink some pretty nasty stuff sometime, we use the Platypus for its ease of use, when there over 5 or 6 people ya go through a lot of water on extended trips, plus its almost weighs nothing, and for every two people we carry the sweet water pump filter, Google discount water  filters

[lostbackpacker]

there was a really neat looking water filter in one of the latest survival magazines.  you filled up a normal nagalene bottle, screwed it into this filter.  the filter had a crank handle, turned the crank howevere many times and it filtered the water.  think it was 99.00

[SWHUNTER]

Has anybody tried this one?


http://cascadedesigns.com/video2.aspx?link=http://www.youtube.com/embed/7LStw9YnHIo&KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=325&width=560&title=HyperFlow%20Microfilter

[Spikorbust]

 

That's the one that I'm looking at as well it seems pretty slick. I like it with their stainless bottle setup.

[MLHSN]

I've used a hyperflow.  My friend brought one on a four day trip.  It took forever to pump so he took it back to REI.  I think it was faulty because I've heard others say they didn't have any problems and it filled up their reservoirs really fast.  So I'm pretty sure this one was just faulty.  My thought is, for the same weight, why not use a gravity filter and not have to pump at all? 

[Spikorbust]

I've used a hyperflow.  My friend brought one on a four day trip.  It took forever to pump so he took it back to REI.  I think it was faulty because I've heard others say they didn't have any problems and it filled up their reservoirs really fast.  So I'm pretty sure this one was just faulty.  My thought is, for the same weight, why not use a gravity filter and not have to pump at all? 

What benefits do gravity feed have over pumps? I'm not a very patient person and don't mine working a bit to make something faster. I haven't bought anything yet so can you help me understand why gravity is better then pump?

[Mudman]

All I know is I can pump dirty water out of an 2inch deep mudpuddle if I need too.  I have no issue with pumping it, works pretty fast I think?

[MLHSN]

pump filters tend to clog a bit after a few days and pumping slows down.  I've sat by awkward creeks for a 1/2 hour at a time pumping water.  It just gets old to me.  I went through two MSR sweetwater's before buying the Gravity filter.  I like it because I fill a four liter dirty bag and hang it up.  A couple minutes later I have four liters of water sitting there.  To pump 4 liters, even after cleaning the ceramic filter, would have taken me at least 20 min.

[Mudman]

Ya good point.  It depends on useage on what works best.  Coffee filters help with your pump filters.  My hiker pro has a prescreener.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I seldom pump more than a liter at a time. Two when I know I'm settling in for camp/dinner. I never want to carry four liters anywhere.
 
-Steve

[MLHSN]

I usually carry two liters max.  The four liters is when I sit down for camp.  I usually use a liter cooking dinner and a liter for a couple cups of coffee and then again in the morning.  It's easier for me to filter before sleep.   One less thing to do early in the morning.

[JLS]

I seldom pump more than a liter at a time. Two when I know I'm settling in for camp/dinner. I never want to carry four liters anywhere.
 
-Steve

You would bowhunting the Missouri Breaks

[Smossy]

My water filter = Nylon stockings and Iodine! 

Virtually $ free!

[MLHSN]

Try micropur tablets.  They don't taste as bad as iodine.  Iodine tablets are also not meant for long-term use.  They were meant for emergency purification.  CO2 tablets/liquid is the same stuff purifying domestic tap water.

[Smossy]

Try micropur tablets.  They don't taste as bad as iodine.  Iodine tablets are also not meant for long-term use.  They were meant for emergency purification.  CO2 tablets/liquid is the same stuff purifying domestic tap water.

I know Ive got neutralizing tablets that remove most the taste but yeah I get what your saying not really for long term use.

[Mudman]

A good filter is one of the most important things a guy can have in his pack.  Weapon, knife, filter,navigation, everything else.   

[Spikorbust]

MLHSN after further review  the gravity fed does look like it would be the easiest filter setup. I like the fact that you have a setup that can be used in camp or take to the field. I already have a couple platypus bladders and like them I will probably go with there setup in the 2L filter system but haven't ruled out the 4L even though it seems a bit much in volume.

[MLHSN]

The filter threads to platy bottles so if your buddies have platypus bottles then the filter attaches to partners gear too.