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Major (Camping) Water Filtration write up

coax

Hard Core 4+
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
994
Location
Bend, OR
Interesting! I used the larger sawyer gravity purifier but it looks like they no longer sell/make that. For long road trips with time at camp it was great as I was able to fill one 5 gal MWC, let it drain into another and in an hour I had a full purified jug with no real work. I wonder why they stopped selling it...
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,941
Location
Grand Junction
I've had a Pur (now Katadyn) Hiker for almost 30 years. Back then it was that or the MSR. I went with the Hiker because the cartridges were easier to find, which is still true today. It uses the very same one so my ancient pump has very successfully avoided obsolescence. Love that.
Interesting! I used the larger sawyer gravity purifier but it looks like they no longer sell/make that. For long road trips with time at camp it was great as I was able to fill one 5 gal MWC, let it drain into another and in an hour I had a full purified jug with no real work. I wonder why they stopped selling it...
Might be that you can make one yourself using a Sawyer Mini and any extra bladders you probably already have around for cheaper. That's what I do for bikepacking anyway. The old bladder the right is for dirty water, which I usually carry empty but could be pre-filled for long stretches where you might not find water. Forgot to show the interconnect hose for that, though.

IMG_1796_mid.jpg
 

stusic

Land Use Coordinator
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Messages
577
Location
Denver, CO
Back in the day, I used an MSR pump filter, but that was a sh*t ton of work and it clogged a lot. I switched to a Sawyer squeeze and never looked back. It's super-effective, easy to use, cheap, and requires little maintenance. I did have to replace the first one I got because it froze with some water in it, but that was my fault.
 

Corbet

RS Moderator
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Oct 24, 2006
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7,928
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Durango, Colorado
I have an old Pur Hiker like Dave for all the same reasons. Used the old MSR pump filters over the years as well. They work fine until they clog. Then you field service which is easy and use it again until it clogs. And continue this process the whole trip. I did pick up a Katadyn gravity filter a couple years ago and it’s what I bring “over landing” as I can’t image pumping 5 gallons in a sitting through my Hiker. It has worked fine so far but reports say it will clog sooner than later.
 

nakman

Club Secretary
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Aug 23, 2005
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14,548
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north side
I'm glad the Sawyer Mini got a good review, I used that this summer on a 3-day backpack trip and probably drank 3 gallons through it. It was awesome... by day 2 it was a little harder to squeeze the water through (I didn't bring the cleaning syringe) but I still managed just fine. And man that water in RMNP is icy cold and pure delish. the raspberry iced tea mix made it even better.
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,941
Location
Grand Junction
I have an old Pur Hiker like Dave for all the same reasons. Used the old MSR pump filters over the years as well. They work fine until they clog. Then you field service which is easy and use it again until it clogs. And continue this process the whole trip. I did pick up a Katadyn gravity filter a couple years ago and it’s what I bring “over landing” as I can’t image pumping 5 gallons in a sitting through my Hiker. It has worked fine so far but reports say it will clog sooner than later.
The one with the bag, right? I bought one just 'cause it used the same filters but haven't used it a ton.

Agree on the clogging. It happens. So you need to have an easy way to back flush and you learn to be better at finding water without a ton of sediment floating in it.
 

Corbet

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Oct 24, 2006
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Durango, Colorado
My bag gravity filter has a different element that the hiker. But I do like the potential to also use the bag as a portable shower.

The problem I see with gravity style filters is that as the elements begin to clog gravity simply does not offer the same pressure to force water through the element as a pump style. So given the choice for small group foot travel I choose the pump. Both if group size justifies the extra weight. For Overland I like the gravity as it’s normally just a back up anyway. Finally in the end my first-aid kit contains iodine treatments another emergency form of treatment.
 

rover67

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
9,291
Location
Boulder, Co
FWIW I use the same sawyer mini inline with our water bladders for regular use. I also used that same filter when I did the arizona trail and regularly drank out of cow shit and piss filled ponds and cattle tanks. I can't find a photo but the level of nastyness was intense. I'm talking about getting water from hoof prints in these cattle tanks.. Also used it the two times I did the colorado trail but the water was much cleaner along it (most times) In the worst situations I did add chlorine dioxide (aquamira) to the water also to boost my mental confidence.

Thats not real substantial data though, just what my experience has been.

They all clog, if they don't they aren't working. simple fact. most are easy to backflush a bit or just toss it and get another.

Also I have had giardia and it was literally life changing. still not the same. That was like 25 years ago.
 

KC Masterpiece

Hard Core 4+
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
1,291
The gravity bags are fantastic. Yes backflushing is annoying but it's better than hand pumping.

I am now using a MSR filter that is a combo gravity filter and hand pump. Never had a better system before. I've used the sawyer, platypus, and Katadyn options and this one is the best.
 
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