Water filters

[gnwatts]

I have a MSR Auto Flow, I like it a lot. Still on the original filter, around 65+ days, never clogged. Sit and relax, it takes about 5 minutes to fill my dromedary.

 

[Deadeye008]

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?

I don't have the Hiker Pro but I bring water flavoring if I think I might run into some bad tasting water. I usually use the dry packets but lately I've used "Mio". It's a liquid concentrate. It also works really well when making backcountry snowcones.

 

[DOSS]

backcountry snowcones.

I do the Mio as well.. but the snowcones.. now I am hoping to find an old snowpile

 

[Nick]

I do the Mio as well.. but the snowcones.. now I am hoping to find an old snowpile

There was still a surprising amount of snow on the west end where it melts out fast, including a massive, near vertical cornice blocking Gabbro Pass. I bet you should be able to find something...

 

[Deadeye008]

I do the Mio as well.. but the snowcones.. now I am hoping to find an old snowpile

From the Winds a couple weekends back. Lots of snow still up there.

 

[Yvonne]

I still use my MSR Hyperflow and use it a lot. It's fast, lightweight and I have no complaints so far.
The only time I experienced bad tasting water was when filtering from a kind of murky pool in Salt Creek Canyon. That water tasted horrible, like death or something.
But it was the awful water source itself, not the fault of my filter.

 

[Nick]

My First Needs XL suffered a painful death at the hands of Twentyfive Mile Creek this past October so it's time to pickup a new filter. I was going to just get another XL, but I thought I'd better check and make sure there isn't something more compelling out now. Any suggestions?

For reference, the XL pumps over 1.8 liters per minute and weighs a pound. Not really interested in any of the regular .8-1.0 LPM pumps. How do the gravity filters work with silty stuff? It would be nice to just sit around while it filters itself...

 

[Archbishop]

I know you said no "regular" pumps, but I only use the MSR microfilter EX. Love that it can be completely rebuilt in the field. If you've ever had to carry a equipment as dead weight cause it broke in the field this feature becomes invaluable. You might also consider a Steripen. The weight is next to nothing and work is to. The downside is it takes batteries. I use my steripen quite a bit. I take Iodine tablets as a backup.

 

[Nick]

I have the Miniworks EX. Too slow and too heavy. And that ability to rebuild in the field can actually be a bad thing if you lose one of the parts like we did in Death Hollow about 8 years ago. Steripen is awesome and I love mine, but it's no bueno in a lot of desert situations.

Here's one of many reasons I'm not a fan of the EX anymore. Anyone want to buy mine??

 

[pixie1339]

My First Needs XL suffered a painful death at the hands of Twentyfive Mile Creek this past October so it's time to pickup a new filter. I was going to just get another XL, but I thought I'd better check and make sure there isn't something more compelling out now. Any suggestions?

For reference, the XL pumps over 1.8 liters per minute and weighs a pound. Not really interested in any of the regular .8-1.0 LPM pumps. How do the gravity filters work with silty stuff? It would be nice to just sit around while it filters itself...

I bought a Sawyer gravity filter last year, and I love it. My dad was so impressed with it after he saw mine in action that he went out and bought one too. It's served me well in both desert and mountain environments. I haven't had to filter anything terribly silty yet, but there was one source I pulled from that was pretty dirty. I was kind of nervous to drink it, honestly, but the water was clear and tasted fine after it came through the filter. As far as speed goes, it seems to vary depending on what you're filtering, but I don't think it's ever taken more than 5 minutes for me to get 2 liters of clean water and that's acceptable for me since it's doing all the work. Another thing I like about it is the fact that you can stay by your water source and filter a couple liters to your clean bag, then fill up your dirty bag and take it back to camp with you to filter later. I usually backflush mine at home after every couple trips to keep it in good working order.

 

[Deadeye008]

I've got a DIY gravity setup that I made with a Sawyer filter. It's really slick. I also picked up the Sawyer Squeeze this year and really like it. It weighs 3 oz and takes up pretty much no space at all. I have also seen some people that have incorporated them into gravity setups. Both of the Sawyer filters are rated for 1 million gallons and come with a syringe that can be used to back flush the filters in the field if they become clogged from silt.

 

[Nick]

Okay, seriously considering the gravity systems, but as near as I can tell they're all Hollow Fiber which kinda freaks me out. The hollow fiber is basically just a bunch of tiny, fragile tubes. Dropping it or letting it freeze could destroy it's ability to actually clean the water, and you wouldn't know it until you were puking your guts out a week later.

* The Hollow Fiber Membrane (HFM) is a collection of small porous tubes that can
be damaged by dropping or freezing. This damage cannot be seen. Follow Filter
Test Guide to inspect filter to detect possible damage.

I'd like to know just how likely it is to break these things. If you don't use it a lot, and don't go out when it drops below freezing, I guess it's not too much of a worry, but I feel like I'm too hard on my stuff...

 

[Nick]

More. Not sure what the process is to test it though.

Handle Filter Cartridge carefully because a damaged filter cannot prevent
exposure to harmful microorganisms. Test filter for damage if dropped 5
feet (1.5 meters) or greater onto a hard surface. (See Filter Test Guide.) If
filter is damaged, discontinue use and replace cartridge.

 

[Deadeye008]

Okay, seriously considering the gravity systems, but as near as I can tell they're all Hollow Fiber which kinda freaks me out. The hollow fiber is basically just a bunch of tiny, fragile tubes. Dropping it or letting it freeze could destroy it's ability to actually clean the water, and you wouldn't know it until you were puking your guts out a week later.



I'd like to know just how likely it is to break these things. If you don't use it a lot, and don't go out when it drops below freezing, I guess it's not too much of a worry, but I feel like I'm too hard on my stuff...

Here is what the Sawyer website says about their Hollow Fiber Membrane. I don't think they are that fragile but if you are going to be in freezing temperatures you do have to take care to not let them freeze. I keep mine in a ziploc bag and keep it in an inside coat pocket during the day if it's below freezing and then keep it in my sleeping bag if at night. Not really a big deal.


Sawyer Filter Technology

With the technology derived from kidney dialysis, Sawyer worked with a fiber manufacturer to actually improve the hollow fiber membrane technology. In order to improve both the filtration rates and longevity of the filter, they needed something even more precise and rugged. The fiber composition had to deliver exactly 0.1 & 0.02 micron filtration 100% of the time to ensure no bacteria would get through, and the membranes had to be sturdy enough to withstand backwashing which allows the filter to be cleaning and reused.
Sawyer's Hollow Fiber Membrane filters are small, portable, easy-to-use, reliable, inexpensive, and can last more than a decade without needing to be replaced.

The proprietary water filters are comprised of tiny "U" shaped micro-tubes that allow water to enter into their core through tiny micro-pores. The high number of those tiny tubes and their surface area allows the filter to have one of the fastest flow rates in the world. This high flow rate eliminates the need to store water, reducing the possibility of water contamination after the filtration process.
Each filter is certified for ABSOLUTE microns; that means there is no pore size larger than 0.1 or 0.02 micron in size. This makes it impossible for harmful bacteria, protozoa, or cysts like E. coli, Giradia, Vibrio cholerae and Salmonella typhi (which cause Cholera and Typhoid) to pass through the Sawyer PointONE™ biological filter. At 7 log (99.99999%) the filter attains the highest level of filtration available today.
If viruses are an issue, we offer the Point ZeroTWO Purifier (0.02 micron absolute pores), the first and thus far only portable purification device to physically remove viruses, which it does at a >5.5 log (99.9997%) rate, exceeding EPA and NSF recommendations.
All Sawyer filters have been tested by independent and qualified research laboratories according to U.S. EPA standards for water filters, and meet or exceed EPA standards. Sawyer's revolutionary technology has also been tested and verified by the United Nations, and is currently being used in more than 70 countries around the world.

 

[Nick]

Well... I just couldn't bring myself to buy a filter that uses hollow fiber. If there was at least some way to tell that you have been to rough with it, aside from 2 weeks of diarrhea, I'd probably feel better about it! I just ordered the new First Need XLE Elite. It's the new version of the First Need XL that I've been raving about for years. Still super fast at 1.9 liters per minute but they added a clean out port to quickly blast sediment off the filter without any disassembly. This will be my pump on trips with less than crystal clear water, the Steripen the rest of the time.

 

[Mike Jones]

I am going outwest for a 5 to 6 day hike in Utah or Arizona. What kind of filter system would you recomend for me to buy?

 

[baltocharlie]

Sawyer users: Which one is better, the drip or squeeze? The squeeze is so small but the drip is perfect for lazy days! Are you guys using this system in the Utah muddy desert water? Does it clog easily?

@ deadeye and Pixie : Still liking the Sawyer system?

@ Nick: I haven't read any negs about your fears with this system.

 

[Bob]

Stay with the simple basics..................no battery, nothing to brake, cleanable. Speed is relative, how fast do you want to pump, I only pump 1 maybe 2 liters at a time if I pump. Use it as a break from hiking. Usually use micropur tabs.

 

[baltocharlie]

Stay with the simple basics..................no battery, nothing to brake, cleanable. Speed is relative, how fast do you want to pump, I only pump 1 maybe 2 liters at a time if I pump. Use it as a break from hiking. Usually use micropur tabs.

Hey Bob, the Sawyer seems to be everything you mention although there seems to be issues with bags breaking. Folks have found ways to improve on the system and eliminate the bags.

You use a filter and tabs? As backup or in addition to filtering? Some of the tabs are pricey to use each time.

 

[Bob]

No, usually use the tabs. Take a filter to use instead along occasionally. Tabs in mountains, I like the filter in the desert (crappy alkaline water).