Water filter pumps? Looking to get one

I can't say that I have much experience with water filters, but I used a Sawyer Mini for about a month in South America last year. Occassional backflushing is important with that type of filter, as well as keeping the "dirty" and "clean" bags distinct and separate. It's a gravity system. It took a few minutes to filter, but I was never in a rush - in fact, it forced me to sit down and relax for a few minutes, which is somewhat difficult with the brain I have (grrr...).

For me, one of the most important things while on the trail is to NOT be in a rush, so a couple of minutes here or there isn't an issue for me.

HYOH.

Good info.

It looks like there are 2 filter options on the Sawyer gravity systems - .10 micron hollow fiber membrane and a .02 micron. The .02 is noticeably more expensive. Being a smaller micron filter it may take longer, but would do a better filtration job I'd think.

As to the squeeze filters - those look interesting.

I now use a gravity filter (MSR Autoflow) wherever possible and carry a Sawyer or Sawyer Mini for backup. If the water is yucky, I put an activated charcoal filter on the outflow. I save my Miniworks and other pump filters for only the nastiest and siltiest conditions.

The gravity flow filters are all quite similar in performance, and if you backflush them often enough they're a lot faster than pumping and a lot less tiring. Plus, you can eat or do other chores while it happens, instead of wearing yourself out. Hiking solo in the desert, I usually filter two gallons from a source, sometimes three, and that's an ordeal with a pump.

I think the Katadyn Hiker is the easiest and most dependable. I've come back to it after years of trying other filters.

If you must go Sawyer (they are very tempting), I recommend the regular size over the mini. The water flow is better and the tiny frail bags of the mini make it almost unusable without modification. I find trying to fill the Sawyer bags and squeeze water through them into a bottle to be slower and more of a PITA than breaking out the Hiker.

Good info here. There are a lot of options.

I am researching the different micron ratings. I am still a bit foggy on this but I think the designation of .2 or .1 actually means "2 micron" and "1 micron", respectively, not "2/10, or 1/5, micron" or "1/10 micron" respectively, as noted by the decimal point. That would mean that the ".02" rating on the Sawyer SP194 model 4L kit would be "2/10, or 1/5, micron", or "two tenths, or one fifth, of a micron".

From what I have found the smallest bacteria are "2 microns" = a filter rating of .2 or smaller is best to trap them.

That having been said, the Katadyn gravity systems have a .2 filter rating and are less expensive than the Sawyer system - plus there is a shower adapter. That may be more useful for me than the water bladder the Sawyer comes with.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Comments?

Thanks for the info MK. Do you have pictures of the break/repair by chance?

I went ahead and ordered the Katadyn Base Camp Pro earlier this evening. For the price and what I am going in to this next trip I think it will work pretty well. It will be another piece of gear to add to my collection, there will surely be more to come.

To tell you the truth, I haven't been on a trip where I wished I had less water, or a smaller capacity to get it. The last trip I was on was 4 days in the Appalachian Mountains. For two of us we had a pump, a couple full nalgenes when we started, a full bladder, and an empty 10L MSR bag for camp water. We had enough for day one and refilled the 10L a couple times. We were dry camping - the water source we used was close to a mile down the trail.

This trip coming up is at the end of the month in sotuhern IL. I assume it will be pretty warm (hoping not...). We won't be "dry" camping this round, the area we will be in has many streams.

The hiker pro seems to get good reviews. The MSR Sweetwater is a real mix. Some seem to have problems and others not. Is that really a matter of use/misuse/not knowing how it works? Those that have found the Sweetwater reliable - are you taking exceptionally good care of it?