Water filtration

[Big Fin]

This topic may have been posted before, but I am wondering what you guys use for water filtration systems. I need more water than the average guy if I am to keep functioning, so many times my hunting is compromised by hydration issues.

I am interested in what you use for a larger system at your base camp, and also what you might carry with you for day use as you are hunting far away from camp.

I have yet to find a system I like, and given some of the hunts I plan for this year, am hoping to not get dehydrated.

Thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated.

 

[elk_hunter]

Fin, I use the MSR SweetWater Microfilter; it's light and quick and I take that with me and use it if nearby water sources are nasty. Otherwise, I'll usually drink right out of springs on the sides of mountains. I've got a 3 liter CamelBak water bladder I take with me during the day. In the areas I frequent, I don't take a filter since I know where water sources are and can refill if necessary. In areas I'm not familiar with, I throw in the filter in case I don't find a spring/good looking creek.

Base camp (where I'm not backpacking in), I'll fill some 5gal Igloo coolers or those plastic expandable cubes with water. That works well too. Taking the expandable plastic cubes and filling them up when I backpack in to my base camp works -- I can run down to a spring and fill them up. We have been doing this in Colorado for years now. For non-backpacking camps, my dad has a 50 gal tank and we fill that with water and especially when water is scarce.

 

[mtmiller]

I use a Pur Hiker. I think it is now the Katadyn Hiker???

Glad you brought it up, I probably need a replacement filter for the Hiker.

 

[BuzzH]

I've never found a filter I can like...I use the iodine tablets.

For base camp, I take 5 gallon containers.

 

[schmalts]

Fin, if you have access to clear flowing water the new iodine tabs with the nuetralizer are pretty good. The neutralizer takes almost all the taste out. Small, and handy. Been what I have been using for the last couple years when I know a creek, river, pond or wind mill is near.

 

[upper deck]

Check out the Platypus Cleanstream.

 

[van franke]

I use the katadyn hiker pro at 11 oz its worth the weight even on a day trip. Its surprisingly fast to fill a camelbak bladder too. I also use the iodine tablets along with it. Necessary or not I hunt by myself alot and couldnt afford to be sick as a dog 5 miles in. I am interested to see what everyone else uses. Always looking for better ways.

 

[Grady]

I use the katadyn hiker pro at 11 oz its worth the weight even on a day trip.

Ditto here. Hate the taste of iodine tabs. Haven't tried the new ones though.

 

[Sytes]

I use a Pur Hiker. I think it is now the Katadyn Hiker???

Glad you brought it up, I probably need a replacement filter for the Hiker.

Exact same here - used it for years w/o ANY incidents of guardia or other unwanted "runs"...

The large cap fits onto typical containers as well as my water bag - (Camelpak) Filters with reasonable speed.

Nothing to complain about.

For camp - It is usually just my hunting partner and I and we hold outselves over fine with 2 of those 5 gallon on/off nozzle type jugs. That holds us over for 10 days w/o concern... well, I should say - thus far.

 

[Carl]

I like Aquamira drops. They weigh 3 oz and taste much better to me than Iodine. I bet I carried my Pur Hiker thousands of miles and pumped hundreds of gallons of water with it, but I haven't been tempted to pick it up since I switched to Aquamira. Great stuff.

 

[1_pointer]

Another thing I consider is getting a gravity filter for base camps. Something like this:

http://www.altrec.com/katadyn/base-...-C181-DE11-9973-0019B9C2BEFD&mr:referralID=NA

Fill it up before you head out for the day and come back to lots of clean water.

 

[----]

I've always used the iodine tablets, but plan on switching this spring an trying out the aquamira carl posted.
I really can't taste the iodine at all with the neutralizer tablets. Aquamira just sounds easier to use though.

 

[smalls]

I've been using a Katadyn Vario (very heavy for what it does) for a couple of years and will be switching to aquamira drops this year. Much less wait time than with bleach or iodine.

1_p- I used a gravity system for camp this year and it worked slick as snot. I wouldn't carry it on a mobile hunt where I packed up camp every morning, but if you're going to leave your tent in one spot for a couple of days it certainly makes the evening/night routine simpler.

 

[Oak]

I was going to suggest a gravity filter as 1_p did, for base camp.

Some other options you might look at for on the trail:

Sawyer in-line water filter...can be used as a gravity filter or in-line on your drinking system - Some information at the following links:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...ums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=28226

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...ums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=14459

Aquamira Frontier Pro filter - Also can be used in-line or as a gravity filter:

http://aquamira.com/consumer/frontier-pro-filter-system/product-description

Steripen - Kills the nasties with ultraviolet light. I wouldn't trust an electronic unit in the backcountry though, and some on-line reviews point to failures in this regard:

http://www.steripen.com/

For safety, you can double up by treating your water with something like Aquamira drops, but I personally wouldn't trust solely treating your water chemically. Read the attached paper on different methods of water treatment. Although a bit dated, I think it is still relevant. *Edit - the file is too large to attach. I'll email it to you. Maybe you can figure out how to post it here if you think it is worth it.

 

[elk_hunter]

Yep, on the topic of the Steri-Pen...it sounds really cool doing the UV treatment and all but I steered clear of that because I didn't want that breaking down in the backcountry with electronics involved. Heard of high failure rates and SOL stories from friends.

 

[Carl]

We've sold a lot of steri-pens at the shop I work at, and these days try and steer people clear of them if they aren't dead set. It is a neat idea, but there are some problems with them in use. They seem to be relatively fragile, the bulbs break easily. The batteries don't last very long, unless you use lithium's. For the most part you can only treat 1 liter at a time, and if the water is cloudy, it won't work correctly.

That said, they can be pretty convenient under the right conditions, and some people swear by them.

 

[Bambistew]

I have the Katadyn Hiker, it works fine, but the new Katadyn Vario filters twice as fast. My hunting partner and I used his Vario last fall, definatly a step up over the Hiker.

 

[sweetnectar]

Well I know LawnBoy just uses his teeth and never gets sick...has something to do with living in South America for a couple of years.
As for me I like my Katadyn Vario. It has a ceramic filter (suppose to filter more water and faster) and I read it is the same as the military uses.

 

[Lawnboy]

Nothing like drinking from a stream and realizing that there is an elk wallow 100 yards upstream Nothing like drinking the water in South America, of course I had the runs for 2 years straight so I wouldn't say that I've got an iron gut.

I have the Katadyn water bottle version and would never get that again. Doesn't hold enough and it tastes funny.

 

[sweetnectar]

Ya I hear you. The water bottle versions don't hold much and I think it is the iodine filter that gives it the taste. Just keep using your teeth to strain the bugs out of the water.