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Post by hikerjer on Jan 16, 2020 21:27:13 GMT -8
So, I’ve got an REI gift card burning a hole in my pocket and I’m considering a new water filter. The one I have now works fine but it’s dated and heavy and frankly, I’m not up on new water filter technology. It kind of bores me.
Some specifics: most of my trips are 3-5 days in length. I’m usually solo, but not always. I very seldom hike with more that three in a group. I usually hike in the northern Rockies at elevation where the waster is pretty pristine but not always above suspect.
Any suggestions?
As Always, my thanks.
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Post by bobcat on Jan 17, 2020 0:15:07 GMT -8
Last year on Isle Royale, it seemed like a lot of people were using gravity systems or squeeze systems, with far less of us using a pump-based system. Just an observation. The Sawyer Squeeze system was one I saw a number of solo backpackers and kayakers using.
I myself stocked up on cartridges for the MSR Hyperlight and I’ll be using it for many more trips as I like it fine, and it is about the smallest of pump filters.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Jan 17, 2020 1:16:54 GMT -8
I switched to a Sawyer Mini several years ago, and have been pleased with it. Easy to back flush and clean, as that is an issue when the water is murky. Your sources won't be murky, most likely. I do use it in a gravity system, but the flow rate would be fine if stopping during the day for a L or 2 refill. If you use a water reservoir, it can be put in line with the drinking tube, and just put unfiltered water in the reservoir. Weighs 2 oz.
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Post by trinity on Jan 17, 2020 4:49:09 GMT -8
I have a Katadyn BeFree and a Steripen Adventurer Opti, both of which I like quite a lot. I typically use the Befree for warm weather trips where water will be plentiful. For winter trips, when I'm worried about the filter freezing, I bring the Steripen. There are stories of both failing, but I have not had any problem with either. I always bring at least a few chemical tabs as backup.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jan 17, 2020 6:51:07 GMT -8
Sawyer. Point One is my latest. Mark the bags and keep them separate. Make sure the threads match - back when I bought mine Evernew was the one to get, but now there are other options. CNOC seems to be a popular option at the moment.
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Post by bikehikefish on Jan 17, 2020 7:22:21 GMT -8
It seems like all the cool kids are using the Sawyer Squeeze, or some other gravity filter. I have heard warnings against using the Sawyer Squeeze Mini, as there are complaints about the slow flow rate. The pumps seem to be less popular these days, I have an MSR Miniworks that I can't give away. I also have a Hiker Pro that sits in a drawer, it hasn't been used in 5 years. Personally, I use a Steripen UV purifier. No pumping, no back flushing, just the eventuality that the battery will die, so I carry an extra set of batteries. And since it is an electronic gadget, there is a danger that it can be broken, so I carry tablets as a backup, but I have never had to use them. The CDC recommends boiling, or if that is not possible, filtering AND chemical treatment. Somewhere I saw a CDC study that compared the effectiveness of filters, iodine, chlorine, and commercial chemical treatments, but I can't find it. (Chlorine and iodine were ineffective against a lot of contaminants) www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/backcountry_water_treatment.htmlSection Hiker has a recent blog that compares the choices sectionhiker.com/sectionhiker-gear-guide/10-best-backpacking-water-filters/EDIT: here is the CDC comparison of treatments and effectiveness: www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/drinking/Backcountry_Water_Treatment.pdf
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Jan 17, 2020 7:37:06 GMT -8
I have heard warnings against using the Sawyer Squeeze Mini, as there are complaints about the slow flow rate. That's why you get the Point One. The cross sectional area of the Point One filter is greater than the Mini, enabling greater flow. Although I can't seem to find a link to prove it at the moment...
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Post by cweston on Jan 17, 2020 7:54:06 GMT -8
I've been using a 4-liter Platy gravity system for several years now, and absolutely love it.
4-liter is overkill for one person, but when I do hike with others, it's always family members, so we share gear as much as possible. It's also great if I'm basecamping to be able to collect a lot of water.
Also, when my son's water reservoir failed in the Winds this summer, it was easy to rig the filter system's clean bag as a reservoir for him.
I would *never* go back to pumping, except maybe in desert areas where you might need to be able to collect out of a very shallow puddle or something.
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almostthere
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Post by almostthere on Jan 17, 2020 8:37:55 GMT -8
Match the filter to the job.
I have a squeeze filter, a gravity filter, a pump filter, and routinely bail out people with UV filters... in reality, all of them fail from time to time. I don't put critical tasks on anything with batteries so avoid those. In any given group of backpackers there should be at least two different kinds of filter and a bucket, on a long trek.
A bucket lets you settle out water full of particulates before filtering. A field-fixable pump filter with a prefilter to which you can add a bandanna or coffee filter, to use in muddy still water, is needed in some lower elevation destinations I visit in early spring. The gravity filter - Platypus Cleanstream with a large reservoir - holds 6 liters and doubles as a shower in those Sierra Nevada week long trips -- the particulates are sparse, and settle into the bottom of the bag (I use an MSR Dromlite with the tube epoxy'd to the spigot, instead of a Platy) instead of going through the filter to clog it.
The Sawyer Mini goes on day hikes as a just-in-case, and works fairly well, but needs a lot of backflushing.
Choosing one method, if you hike in many biomes with many different water sources, hobbles you. Anything that routinely fails on my outings - which involve a great many hikers that I never see again, a few who come back a couple times a year, and a very few who are regulars - does not get a look from me. My gear is often the failsafe for other people's "it worked fine the last three times I used it".
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Jan 17, 2020 8:59:40 GMT -8
These days I always carry a Sawyer Squeeze & CNOC, but if I had an REI gift card and hiked near clear mountain streams and lakes, I'd get the lightest Steripen available.
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Post by johntpenca on Jan 17, 2020 9:19:53 GMT -8
I've been using a 4-liter Platy gravity system for several years now, and absolutely love it. 4-liter is overkill for one person, but when I do hike with others, it's always family members, so we share gear as much as possible. It's also great if I'm basecamping to be able to collect a lot of water. That's what I've been using. The weight penalty is marginal over the two liter, but is large for one person. The four liter was on sale when I bought it, so it cost less than the two liter. It is pretty bulky as well. I like the Steripen, but had two fail on me (resulting in aborted trips) before I learned to carry back up chemical tabs if that is my main treatment. That was years ago, so maybe they are more reliable now. When I'm due for a replacement I'll check out reuben 's point one. I'm also out of touch with water treatment developments in the last several years. Good links there bikehikefish .
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Post by cweston on Jan 17, 2020 9:34:36 GMT -8
I like the Steripen, but had two fail on me (resulting in aborted trips) before I learned to carry back up chemical tabs if that is my main treatment. That was years ago, so maybe they are more reliable now. Exact same thing here. First one I got never made it to the field--it didn't work correctly. Replacement failed pretty early on. My confidence in the device was pretty shot at that point. I always carry some chemical tabs, no matter what my primary treatment system is. Not enough for a week-long trip, though.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Jan 17, 2020 10:12:27 GMT -8
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Post by bikehikefish on Jan 17, 2020 11:07:09 GMT -8
After reading about problems with Steripens, I guess I am lucky, having used mine for about 6 years without any issues. They are somewhat finicky in that you have to use them in a specific way (press the button, wait for the light to flash, insert it in the water and don't lift it out until the light flashes again). Some of my hiking partners had problems with it because they didn't do the steps in the correct order (insert too soon, or remove from water too early). But I don't doubt that individual units have failed, it just never happened to me.
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Post by trinity on Jan 17, 2020 11:26:39 GMT -8
After reading about problems with Steripens, I guess I am lucky, having used mine for about 6 years without any issues. I bought mine used (from Ray Estrella, for those who remember him) in the summer of 2012, and have never had an issue. As almostthere points out, any device can fail, and it is always a good idea to have backup.
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