Water Filtration/Treatment-Camping

concepthomes2

concepthomes2

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I realize this may be a limited audience.

For camping, backpacking, hiking-what do you use on the trail for water filtration and/or treatment?

I'm looking at the MSR Guardian, MSR Miniworks EX, a 2 lter Platypus gravity system, or maybe even the Grayl filter system.
 
I have used a Miniworks for several years. Not saying it's definitively the best, but it's never made me wonder what else is out there.
 
How many people in your group will you be filtering for? I like my miniworks, but not sure I'd want to fill more than a couple bottles and a pot at the same time.
 
I have a Sawyer mini and it works pretty good. Last camping trip I went on most of the guys had the larger Sawyer and it is definitely quicker to use if you are squeezing. Most can also be hooked up as a gravity system overnight if you want.
 
Tim said:
How many people in your group will you be filtering for? I like my miniworks, but not sure I'd want to fill more than a couple bottles and a pot at the same time.
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Me primarily, maybe one other person. I was looking at this from MSR:
8AB3C920-8A7D-4268-B419-58A6DC411102.jpeg

I can use the squeeze as a filter on the trail, then hook up to the bags for a gravity system at camp.
 
LizardKing said:
Another vote for the Katadyn. I've had my pre~pro Hiker since 97...
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Only improvement I have made to mine is adding another layer of filtration to it.

I carry a small bag of coffee filters/rubber bands with it. Before I filter water, I put a coffee filter over the intake and secure it with a rubber band. If the water is churned up and is cloudy/has a bunch of sediment in it, the coffee filter will keep a buncha stuff from clogging up the intake.
 
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Dale Gribble said:
Only improvement I have made to mine is adding another layer of filtration to it.

I carry a small bag of coffee filters/ruuber bands with it. Before I filter water, I put a coffee filter over the intake and secure it with a rubber band. If the water is churned up and is cloudy/has a bunch of sediment in it, the coffee filter will keep a buncha stuff from clogging up the intake.
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Sounds like a great idea
 
I have used a Platypus for years. Very fast.
 
I’ve used Sawyer squeeze system and also used the inline one directly on a camelbak.
 
Another Katadyn owner here. Mine is a really old model, but keeps chugging along with new filters. I also carry Aqua Mira drops as well, when boiling isn't a viable option.
 
concepthomes2 said:
Me primarily, maybe one other person. I was looking at this from MSR:
View attachment 280790

I can use the squeeze as a filter on the trail, then hook up to the bags for a gravity system at camp.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a bit crazy price wise. I've got a Sawyer Mini built into a gravity system using a couple bags I bought off Amazon. Mini was on sale, I might have $45 in the whole gravity system. IMO, they are slightly slower than a pump but fast enough I have to keep an eye on it or it will overflow a quart bottle and waste water. I'm going to upgrade my dirty water bag to a camel back so I have a larger water intake than I have now. As it stands it takes longer to fill the bag than to filter a quart. I use this for 2 people camping and 4 of us on day hikes.

$20 for the mini. $30 or so for a bare camelback. Maybe a couple bucks if you want some extra tubing. Paracord or quick release strap and buckle to hang it.

And I have a Katadyn Hiker Pro that I no longer take on trips. The gravity is smaller, lighter, and easier IMO.
 
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MacEntyre said:
I carry a tiny bottle of eyedrops, emptied and refilled with bleach. Three drops per liter, any more and you might taste it.
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That won't stop giardia or crypto.


I use the Sawyer mini in conjunction with a cheap Harbor Freight "transfer pump" after spending $$$ on Katadyn and being disappointed. It works well and unlike any of the aforementioned Katadyn filters, once you pump a few times you can siphon thru it effectively from a higher container to a lower one.



The Sawyer is the best bang for the buck and can be used in half a dozen ways. I pump thru the filter and it's 1 oz per pump so pretty good. 2 filters is probably a lifetime full of filtering water for hiking and backpacking
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Ikarus1 said:
That won't stop giardia or crypto.


I use the Sawyer mini in conjunction with a cheap Harbor Freight "transfer pump" after spending $$$ on Katadyn and being disappointed. It works well and unlike any of the aforementioned Katadyn filters, once you pump a few times you can siphon thru it effectively from a higher container to a lower one.

The Sawyer is the best bang for the buck and can be used in half a dozen ways
Click to expand...

With enough time or solution bleach will kill giardia.

Iodine will kill it easier. I used to use Polar Pure liquid iodine when I was a guide and didn't want to deal with or trust the kids with the filtering. It's a jar with solid iodine tabs that you refill with water as you use it.

Crypto is not affected by either. But depending on where I am, I'm usually not terribly concerned with Crypto. Giardia is pretty overblown in how prevalent people think it is in the backcountry. The main issue is it's a high price to pay if you are wrong. I know people that have gotten it and it's no joke. I've also drank untreated water under certain circumstances too. And from some sources I have drank a lot of it untreated. YMMV and all that.
 
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