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Post by hikingtiger on Apr 15, 2016 9:43:05 GMT -8
I'm looking at changing water treatments away from tablets as I can no longer find any tablets/drops that cover giardia (except for the ones that take 4 hours) locally. I'm debating on a Katadyn Hiker vs. a MSR MicroWorks or a Sawyer mini. My concern for the mini is that I'd either have to get the squeeze kit or buy multiples of the individual filters as I'm almost always hiking with at least one of the boys. Seems like a filter would make more sense.
Any thoughts on durability of one vs the other? Preferences? Anything I'm obviously missing for a solution?
Thanks.
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tomas
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Post by tomas on Apr 15, 2016 9:52:08 GMT -8
I've got the Miniworks and love it. Yea, it's a bit on the heavy side, but I trust it and the carbon does a great job in taking out unpleasant tastes.
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Post by trinity on Apr 15, 2016 10:05:45 GMT -8
Anything I'm obviously missing for a solution? Is there any reason you're not considering uv? I have a couple of filters, but I very rarely use anything but my Adventurer Opti anymore, it is very lightweight, convenient, and easy to use.
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crawford
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Post by crawford on Apr 15, 2016 10:41:29 GMT -8
I have the Katadyn hiker. I've got no complaints about it. I trust it and use it fairly often.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2016 10:54:12 GMT -8
I have 3 Sawyer Squeeze Filters. One os for my wife, I use one, and one is in our evuaction kit in our car trunk. I added a prefilter kit to 2 of the Sawyers, each Sawyer has 3 2L squeeze bags, though we only bring 2 on backpacking trips, and we have the quick connect kits added to our bladders.
The Sawyers just keep on working, no new things to buy. There used to be an issue with the squeeze bags developing a leak but that issue has seemed to went away. Yea, we keep our filters from freezing.
With the pre-filters we go 5-7 days without needing to back flush. Typically we remove the prefilters, boil them, and clean them off with a thumb rubbing and we are back in business. I actually only back flush the filters at the end of the season.
My oldest Sawyer Squeeze is 5 years old. I spent 72 bucks (no quick connect kit) with the prefilter mod. I do not put anymore money into the filter, that comes to 15ish bucks a year (and dropping) for the filter. That is, to me, a dang fine deal.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 15, 2016 10:58:50 GMT -8
I use the Miniworks when I know there will be terrible skanky water with lots of sediment. Otherwise, I go with microtubes, either MSR Autoflow or Sawyer, and carry a Sawyer Mini as backup. I carry an in-line activated charcoal filter from Platypus which I connect if appropriate. The Mini is a good backup and much lighter than carrying another Autoflow filter. (BTW, the Platypus equivalent is nearly identical in terms of function and performance. The bag system is different and there are cosmetic differences, but parts are easily interchangeable).
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Apr 15, 2016 11:38:36 GMT -8
Get the gravity bags from Sawyer or Platypus. Makes filtering so much easier. Even with a group, you can filter enough in one bottle for people to slake their immediate thirst, then filter more water into individual containers. Doing so away from the water source will also keep you mostly out of range of the biting bugs.
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Post by hikingtiger on Apr 15, 2016 11:53:57 GMT -8
Even with a group, you can filter enough in one bottle for people to slake their immediate thirst, then filter more water into individual containers. How fast is the gravity bag?
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Post by hikingtiger on Apr 15, 2016 12:02:37 GMT -8
Is there any reason you're not considering uv? Didn't see one at either of the local shops, so it hadn't crossed my mind.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Apr 15, 2016 12:12:37 GMT -8
Gravity bags are mostly listed at ~1 liter/min, or a little higher. I don't usually get that speed, especially with a charcoal filter, but a liter every 2 minutes or so is about right. It's hard for me to contemplate pumping water again after using gravity as much as I have.
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Post by hikingtiger on Apr 15, 2016 12:17:50 GMT -8
a liter every 2 minutes or so is about right. That's relatively quick. Four 2L bottles in under 10 minutes and no pumping isn't bad at all.
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zeke
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Post by zeke on Apr 15, 2016 12:30:27 GMT -8
a liter every 2 minutes or so is about right. That's relatively quick. Four 2L bottles in under 10 minutes and no pumping isn't bad at all. 1 liter every 2 minutes would be 4 2L bottles every 16 minutes.
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amaruq
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Post by amaruq on Apr 15, 2016 12:31:42 GMT -8
I used the Platypus GravityWorks with no additional treatment other than a bandanna over the bag opening in debris-filled water.
I would concur that it operates around 1-2 minutes per litre, but it varies largely based on the elevation difference you can get between the bags (hydraulic head). I also find that I have to backflush first thing every time I set it up to get the air out of the filter (which seriously slows the flow), but it's no hassle. Backflushing is as simple as lifting the clean bag over the dirty bag.
I like that it is essentially set, forget, and move along to other camp tasks. I've also used the filter and tubing on the go in a manner similar to a LifeStraw.
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daveg
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Post by daveg on Apr 15, 2016 20:05:30 GMT -8
I have both a MSR Miniworks and a Sawyer Mini and have used both of them on long hikes. I made a gravity setup for the Sawyer Mini. I use a squeeze bag when stopping to get water while hiking and use the gravity setup in camp.
I seem to be in the minority in that I don't mind pumping a filter. That said, I don't find either the Miniworks or the Sawyer Mini to be significantly more or less convenient or easier to use. Each has pluses and minuses but, overall, I consider the "fiddle factor" to be about the same.
If a water source is yucky, the water that comes out of the Miniworks looks and tastes better than even a Sawyer Mini with a charcoal after-filter. But because the pore size on the Sawyer Mini is smaller (0.1 micron vs. 0.2 micron for the Miniworks), the water coming out of the Sawyer is arguably safer.
Flow rates when pumping the Miniworks and using the Sawyer Mini as a gravity filter seem to me to be roughly the same. I've met hikers who prefer the Sawyer Squeeze over the Mini because the Squeeze has a higher flow rate. I know the Miniworks will easily provide enough water for two people. I've only used the Sawyer Mini when hiking solo. It would probably work for two people but the Squeeze might be better.
The Sawyer Mini saves me some weight. But the squeeze bag, backwash syringe, a container for scooping water out of slow flowing sources, a charcoal element, and hoses for the gravity filter setup add to the weight of the filter itself. And while the problems with the squeeze bags bursting seems to have been mostly resolved, I've been told that they eventually will fail over time.
Bottom line -- I don't have a strong preference for one or the other. If I'm uncertain about the water sources I'll be using or if I expect yucky water or small, shallow sources, I generally take my Miniworks. But if minimizing weight is important, I take my Sawyer Mini.
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Westy
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Post by Westy on Apr 15, 2016 20:36:42 GMT -8
We have the Katadyn Hiker Pro and Sawyer Mini. At present, the Sawyer Mini stays home, we pack the Hiker Pro. Hiking Style is an Influence. - Tend to not camp near water sources
- Tend to fill as you go
- Usually in a hurry - Hiker Pro faster
- Prefer to stay dry (Hiker Pro) vs. wet(Sawyer)
- Hiker Pro easy to disassemble and clean
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