what is your favorite water filter?

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newcomb family said:
I need to get a new filter soon and was wondering what your favorite is and why. Thanks in advance.

I got a small one from Pur. It's light, easy to setup and use, and has not failed me yet, which reminds me, maybe it's time for a new filter!

Also, I've used the 'mix them together' drops (I know, great description :) ). This is definitely the lightest solution, but you have to wait about 15 minutes to drink the water, and I'm not sure how long the chemicals last. On the plus side, there is no foul taste like Iodine.
 
Okay, I'm guessing that a good number of people will disagree with me due to the heavier nature of this piece of gear but here's my opinion:

I love my First Need purifier/filter. It is not necessarily light weight, it's about 16oz. But it did a fabulous job on even really skanky looking water last year on the LT. Made it crystal clear and completely lacking in any nasty flavor. The replaceable cartridge is good for 300 gallons. It has a really fast flow rate and a very comfortable handle for pumping. I could fill a one liter bottle in about 30 easy pumps...this is far better than some of the others I've seen. It gets out bacteria and most viruses as far as I can remember. Easy to use, reliable, robust construction. I'd highly recommend it as long as you're not super light weight crazy. If that's the case you might as well just use the iodine or bleach idea and drink gross looking/tasting water with floaty things in it!!! ;)

Hope this helps.
 
Artex said:
I've had the Pur Hiker (which is now manufactured by Katadyn) for four years now and love it. It's efficient and easy to use.

Here's a link

I've had the same one for well over four years, and it's still going strong.

Dick
 
I never considered a filter until sitting at Moose Pond L/T in the Adirondacks one steaming August day in '91 with my bandanna and iodine tablets. I waded through the rushes into stagnant smelly water - It was the best I could find. I strained it through my Bandanna folded 3 times and used tablets. That water stunk horribly, but I was thirsty. After that my first stop on the way home to Buffalo was at EMS for a filter.

I used a First Need from around '91-95, a Pur Scout from 95-99 and an MSR Miniworks since. I beleive the First Need is still classified as a purifier. The difference being a filter removes particles down to a certain size, while a purifier would do the same but also kill any viruses. I have read numerous times that there isn't really a need for a purifier unless traveling to 3rd World countries.

I wasn't too crazy about the First Need as it is bulky had ridiculously short hoses and if I recall, had a single action pump. Having dropped it once, I can attest that the inside filter element can break. I think the FN use to come with a small bottle of dye (or did I use plain food coloring) to tint some water to test the filter for damage.
I didn't like that the filter was not field maintainable, which may not be an issue for weekend trips.

The PUR Scout was an excellent filter with a double action pump. Quck and reliable. I was always curious about the iodine resin matrix filter and how it works so quickly (...and as we all later found out...). I didn't like the iodine matrix, but I did like the charcoal filter, which was supposed to help the taste. I would probably still have this filter if PUR hadn't changed the filter element from one that could be cleaned, to the fluted paper element.

I did have one problem with the PUR and backpressure on day 2 of an an 8-day trip in '97. My buddy, Andy, and I worked feverishly on it for 2 hours learning everything there was to know about the PUR, while sitting on some rotted logs by a stream. We discovered that several almost microscopic grains of sand had lodged against an 0-ring, embedded in the silicon lubricant, causing the pressure to build up on the backstroke. Once it ws cleaned, we were fine.

I then bought the MSR Miniworks and it has run like a champ ever since. I have had absolutely no problems, it is forthright and easy to clean (and I am still on the first filter element). I like that the housing is transparent so I can see the water flow.

FWIW, I always use a coffee filter wrapped around the end of the intake nozzle and held in place with a rubber band - even if there is already a pre-filter. I find it does preserve the life of a filter and cuts down on cleaning (you can usually judge if the filter element needs cleaining by how difficult it is to pump and how many strokes it takes to fill a Nalgene (60-80). I replace the coffee filter about once every other day.

When judging filter life and number of gallons, be cautious and realistic. A filter that is supposed to last 250 gallons will do so with reasonably clear, clean water. Murky water, vegetation, sand, mud and microscopic creatures (like in pond) will drastically cut the life of a filter.

On longer trips I usually carry a backup of Tincture of Iodine. I store it in a dark glass eyedropper bottle (pharmacies will sell you a dark eyedropper bottle for $.50 ~$1.00). I used this as my sole source of water purifying in Alaska in 2003 because I was worried about all the silt in the glacial runoff clogging a filter. Tincture of Iodine is cheap and while it doesn't taste that good, it is easy to have on board - I usually add 5-6 drops per liter of water.

I hope this helps. I can't tell you anything about the funky new Mioxx or the UV purifiers - They are out of my element :D
 
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I have a Katadyn Pocket filter, the ceramic filter is easy to clean in the field, all you need is an old toothbrush. On a trip to the Hoh River in WA, the only filter that kept working in the silt was the Katadyn. A little heavy but worth the weight.
 
Never had a problem w/ my PUR (Katadyn) hiker. It is light, easy to pump, has not clogged, and it gets a nice flow. I plug my drinking tube right to it. It gets my vote.
 
Pur

I have to agree the Pur hiker or Katadyn as it is called now has worked well for me for years, fairly light , very dependable, and pumps rather swiftly.
 
For weight savings, I have been using Aqua Mira chlorine dioxide drops for the past three years. To date, my backpacking friends and I have had no problems to date. It has minimal taste to it, unlike iodine and is supposed to have fewer side affects.
 
I have always used the MSR Miniworks. I've added a SweetWater inline pre-filter and never had a problem with it clogging.
 
I love my First Need purifier/filter for all the reasons listed by Toe Cozy. Nothing more I can add except that it is field maintainable. I was sold on it when I saw it remove the tannen coloring of one of the mountain ponds water.

Keith
 
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I'll admit that I have very little experience with water filters as last summer was my first attempt at backpacking. But in my 130 miles on the LT I did get a chance to see lots of other people with various ways of getting "cleaner" water (is that like the idea of "safer" sex? :eek: ). Lots of people had the PUR/Katadyn filter and I got many looks of envy while using my First Need and had two liters of crystal clear water while they were still pumping away madly and hadn't filled up a whole Nalgene yet. And in comparison, my water always came out clearer and tastier than theirs. But that was just my minimal experience from last summer.

But just think, if you are a person who travels to 3rd world countries you won't have to buy a second filter/purifier...you'll be all ready to go with the First Need! In fact, maybe if you get the First Need with purifier action you'll be inspried to travel to places you've never before dreamed of because you were limited by you measly filtering capabilities!!!! :D

There's just so many gear options out there it does get a little overwhelming sometimes!
 
No problem Rick. I agree it is a heavy/bulky filter but I really like it. Also the pump is double action if I remember correctly (I can't be absolutely sure of that) and I don't consider the hose that short. I kind of wonder if maybe you got a real early version of it? I remember the one that first saw was different from what I bought. I am also positive that the first one I saw didn't have a pre-filter. The thing that facsinated me though was that I was getting water out of my filter and my nephews new filter that was tinted orange and he pumped crystal clear water out of his.

By the way. Really liked your comments about the Pur Scout filter. Brought back funny memories. :D I too wondered how it could work so fast - until I got the letter in the mail and realized it didn't work.

Keith
 
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I have an MSR miniworks - an earlier version of the current model. Don't use it all that much... a few times a year.

Pros

Because it IS an occasional use item, I like the fact that I can disassemble the entire pump, and let it dry completely - including the ceramic filter - before storing it away.

It's been reliable and easy to clean. I have had to service it in the field a couple of times to keep the back-pressure valve (not sure what it's called) functioning properly, but that was very easy to do.

The ceramic filter can be cleaned so there's no need to pack a spare filter element in case of a clog.

It screws directly onto the top of a Nalgene bottle or an MSR water bladder (forget what they call those things... they look like a camel-back).

The pump handle is very easy to use.

Cons

It's probably not the fastest horse in the barn.

Guess I'd be concerned that, because the filter is ceramic, one would need to be cautious about freezing temperatures- the situation where you use the filter during the day while it's warm and the temps drop to freezing over night. Don't want a wet filter to freeze and crack. I don't KNOW that that is an issue, but it IS something that I think about from time-to-time.
 
Thanks again for all the replies. I used a First Need many years ago and have also had an MSR. I didn't like the weight of the FN but got it due to its wide range of de-bugging. I have used a PUR recently but it left an aftertaste of iodine. After reading all the posts I may go back to the old FN with a new cartridge.
 
I've been using a Pur Scout (believe it's now the "guide" from Katadyn) and was always fairly pleased with its performance.....til my most recent trip. I've had it for 5 yrs now, and would replace the filter element at the beginning of each season. This year I took it on a 4 day trek thru the Northern Presies, but hadn't replaced the element, as I did it fairly late last year and felt it still had some good life left. I checked it at the house prior to departure, and while the pumping action wasn't as easy as a brand new filter, I attributed that to it sitting, and off to the woods I went.

The eve of the first day I set out to fill my Platypus canteen and the 4 Nalgene bottles we had w/us. It took me well over 1.5hrs to filter 10 liters, and the pumping was so difficult I had to brace the Pur against a rock and push for all I was worth to elicit a trickle. Now, obviously I hadn't checked it thoroughly enough before departing.....but the fact that I was SOL while in the woods (no field maintenance) left me wondering about alternatives. My stove (MSR Dragonfly) is completely field mainainable, my Thermarests are packed with patch kits in the event of a puncture, I always carry extra batteries, etc, etc. I'd like the ability to at least disassemble and clean the thing, rather than shake my head in desperation and turn to the iodine tablets (I find the taste more than objectionable).

The other mark against the Pur in my experience is the need to replace the filter so frequently. While my gear gets extensive use (typically spend 30+ nights in the woods each year), replacing a $30 filter yearly adds up, and quickly at that. I'm researching the Katadyn Pocket Filter and MSR Waterworks presently, for their field maintainability and longer filter life. Also, friends who used either MSR or Katadyn products (prior to them and Pur being the same entity) have always thought the Pur left the water with an "off" taste and/or with "floaties".
 
sweetwater guardian

i've seen and used many others but have been perfectly happy with the sweetwater guardian for many years.

i believe it was about the same price range, maybe $20 more at most than the hiker?? not sure.

it does not use ceramic so not only is it still safe if you drop it, but i believe you can freeze the filter element if you want to ward off growth.

to clean the filter, you use a stiff wire brush on the inside where the water goes in and just brush away the guck. When you have cleaned it too many times and have worn away too much filter, a honeycomb is visable and a new filter is needed.

it also came with a small bottle of viral guard that you can use to make the filter a purifier.

never had any problems with it (knocking on wood as i type with one hand) but i guess i can't be sure if it works as i have been out on several trips where i just drank the stream water and have never gotten sick(knocking on wood more furiously as i type with one hand) :)
 
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