Water filters

[Yvonne]

The First Needs works well but after backpacking a few times with lostlandscapes, I was hooked on the SteriPen AdventurerOpti. It weighs nothing, the water tastes like it should and there is no pumping. Perfection! It kills harmful bacteria with ultraviolet light by swirling it in a nalgene, pot or bladder for around a minute. I believe Taylor said it well when he called it the 'techno magic water blessing stick'. It's really quite magical. For the first month after using it, every time I had even an inkling of stomach illness, I thought it must be that damn SteriPen. But it never happened, that thing is rock solid. I'll still use my First Needs if I'm going anywhere that the water might be silty or otherwise murky, but for everything else, I'm sold on the Steripen

Thanks Nick, that's exactly what I want to hear.
I wanted one for quite a while, but I wasn't sure if it really works.

And the videoclip, it's hilarious. Great stuff!!

 

[Deadeye008]

I'm not the craftiest mofo I know. Would you be willing to tell me how to make it?

Here you go.

http://backcountrypost.com/forum/index.php?threads/diy-gravity-water-filter-setup.76/

 

[pixie1339]

Here you go.

http://backcountrypost.com/forum/index.php?threads/diy-gravity-water-filter-setup.76/

Awesome! Thanks for posting. That looks like a pretty cool setup.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Thanks for all the good info...it has helped make the decision easier

 

[Nick]

What did you decide on?

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Well, unless I change my mind before I buy anything, I think I'm pretty set on the Steripen Adventurer Opti (which I was planning on before this thread was started, but it helped reinforce the decision). For silty water I am going to go with the First Needs XL, which I hadn't seen until you posted it here. I was originally looking at the MSR Microworks for a filter. Then I'll have Chlorine Dioxide in my first aid kit as a backup.

 

[Bill]

My last last microworks died during a backpacking trip with Nick earlier this year.... he busted out the steripen and I was sold. I returned my MSR and purchased a second one so now I'm rocking both.

 

[HomerJ]

My last last microworks died during a backpacking trip with Nick earlier this year.... he busted out the steripen and I was sold. I returned my MSR and purchased a second one so now I'm rocking both.

How do you guys keep the "floaties" out of your water when using the steripens? From my understanding you dunk your bottle underwater to fill it, stick the steripen in and push a button while swirling the water around for ~60 secs. If so, wouldn't you get some dirt/bugs/fish crap/etc. that was in the water? Or is that just flavoring!:haha:

I guess I'm just a little worried about the "black magic" of how this works/if this really does work.

 

[blueeyes]

Nice thread! I bought a Katadyn last year. It is the only system I am familiar with. Worked fine for us in the Narrows but I am really liking the Steripen. I looked it up on Amazon. Do you guys use the solar charger or no because that adds more weight?

As for floaties using the Steripen do you use the Steripen fits all filter? Or is that just gimmickie?

 

[DOSS]

I haven't used a Steripen (I am a cheapskate) but I have used drops/Iodine (GAK) for years and one of the best ways to take care of the floaties are the cheapy carbon filter straws or even a DIY carbon filter can be rigged up. I also have a couple of different filters that are working on 10 years + old but luckily Katadyn still has some filters that work in them.
It looks like the Fits all filter for the price wouldn't be a bad bet to get rid of the floaties either

 

[Bill]

If so, wouldn't you get some dirt/bugs/fish crap/etc. that was in the water? Or is that just flavoring!:haha:
I guess I'm just a little worried about the "black magic" of how this works/if this really does work.

Ultimately yes, UV sterilization is pretty interesting and chemical free http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraviolet_germicidal_irradiation.
I've never really had floatie problems because I only use it with really clean water. I did timp a few times this year and I only packed 2 Nalgenes and my Steipen (3oz). Saved a ton of weight by filing up when I needed with the clean run off water.

I used a banana over the top of my bottle but stopped caring after a few trips.

 

[DOSS]

I used a banana over the top of my bottle but stopped caring after a few trips.

What exactly does the banana do?

Sorry I just had to .. I may just have to invest in a steripen this year...

 

[Nick]

Floaties = Nutrition! Right?

Generally they don't bother me and haven't been much of an issue. When pulling out of a stream, there is always a bit of particulate matter swirling around in there but I drink it up in homage to my caveman ancestors. In lakes, it's quite easy to avoid, just dip carefully and let the water pour over the edge into your bottle.

At Amethyst lake this year, the wind was blowing junk up into our corner of the lake so we used a mesh sack over the top of the bottle.

 

[Bill]

What exactly does the banana do?

Not a damn thing!
spell check fail, BANDANA!

 

[Deadeye008]

Posted a review of my Sawyer Squeeze Filter.

http://backcountrypost.com/forum/index.php?threads/gear-review-sawyer-squeeze-water-filter.113/

 

[Nurrgle]

I rock the steripen and love it solo or with my wife. Platy gravity filter for a group, super kick ass imo. You can filter till the clean bag is full, refill the dirty bag and then head back to camp with enough water for the whole group.

 

[Udink]

So, I've used my Katadyn Hiker Pro a handful of times now and didn't have any issues until I filtered some water out of Range Lake in Grandaddy Basin. All previous times I'd pumped from flowing water, but this was the first time from still water and it tasted horrible. Nick says in this thread that something similar happened in the Maze. I'd expect a charcoal filter to help out much more with the taste, and now I'm a little worried about my choice of filter for when temps cool off and I'm in the desert pumping water out of nasty potholes... Anyone else with a Hiker Pro have issues with the taste?

 

[HomerJ]

I've never had an issue with funky tasting water with my Hiker Pro, but everything I've pumped through it has been from lakes and streams that are 8000' or higher!

 

[Nick]

I have several friends with the hiker pro. Like I said in that post, it doesn't remove taste like a charcoal filter like the First Needs XL. The only real benefit to the Hiker Pro, IMO, is the weight savings. Personally, I'll carry the extra 5 oz. to have 2x the pump speed and zero bad flavor left in the water. Considering how much time you spend in the desert, I'd return that sucker and get an XL or similar.

 

[DOSS]

Yeah.. my Hiker pro when I used it last (couple weeks ago).. has begun to have a horrid taste.. I think the filter has met it's useful lifespan