I've done a few searches on the board and came up with nothing. Seemed odd, so I'm guessing I'm not looking in the right place.

I'm looking for info on a good field water purifer. I'm familiar with MSR and Katadyn, but I'm not sure which actually are the most reliable and effective.

Is there a sticky somewhere that covers this piece of kit?

Also, any primers on finding/treating drinking water in survival situations.

Thanks in advance!

HC

I bought the Katadyn Vario. I chose it after comparing several Katadyn products. This one got the nod based on

• Price (about 1/3 the cost of a K. Pocket)


• Variable Filtering/Output (about twice the speed of most other filters if the water isn't too funky)


• Refillable Carbon Core Filter (reduces chemicals that are unaffected by conventional paper filters, a big issue for me living in an area with a century or so of industrial run-off)

So far I've only used it once, in a local creek from which some trout fisherman only catch and release. I'm still here and the water tasted very good.

One of THESE sport filters came with my larger home water filter. I haven't used it yet. but it looks like it should be pretty good. Their other products are top notch.

There are lots of good choices, but to me people see different point of there operation as pluses and minuses.
To me too many guys are concerned more about how easy it will be on their lazy ass to pump the water than how long the filter will last over long term for a BOB/shtf water filter.
I ended up on a Katadyn Mini for my BOB which it fits nicely in it's provided pouch in the front top outer pocket with other thing besides.

It's more effort than other filters to pump, but for it's size it's the best to me in how long the filter cartridge will last just having to rely on it alone to provide clean drinking and cooking water over the longest period if needed while being compact for the limited space any pack has unless your hauling a garage on your back. I love the Pocket Katadyn, but it's too large for me as a BOB/shtf filter to pack and carry. The Mini ceramic will pump to 2000 gallons with a little cleaning and that makes it a very good longer term BOB filter. Your not talking top level in virus filtering so I carry iodine tablets besides for more dangerous looking water sources.

If your talking filtering for a whole family than go with the Pocket and spread out supplies for it's space into the packs of the other family members packs and bitch slap anyone who complains.
I've always felt though that multiple people shouldn't just have to rely on one filter and someone/s besides should also have a filtering unit just for those chances of getting separated or one breaking.

Katadyn Mini

Mini on Amazon for $59.95

the only quality filter that i know of that does both, purify and filter, is the "first need".  

but you have alternatives.  for instance the msr mini ex or the katdyn hiker pro will both filter stuff but you will still need to purify.  the filters don't get all the nasties.

the water can be purified with either the pills from katdyn, or aquqmira, or msr's miox,  or the steripen.   if you just want to drink safe water the purifiers are all you need.

with all but the steripen you will have to wait up to 4 hours. the disavantage of the steripen is it may not work well in cloudy or lumpy water where the others will. and, it only doses small quantities at a time.   i have been on week long trips where those relying on the steripen got sick the last 2 days of a week long trip. it wasn't fun.  they each went out and bought the miox unit.

the aquamira, and the pills are good for the ocassional user but they have a shelf life of a couple of years.  i have been told bleach does not work on crypto or the tapeworm eggs where the aquamira, miox and pills do. the miox requires salt and batteries.  salt has an indefinate shelf life and the surefire batteries that are common to my flashlight and eotech have a shelf life of 10 years.

that said, i have been sick with giardia, thanks to lake swimming and marmaduke kisses from my dogs and i wasn't even camping.  it is something you really don't want to get; trust me.

as a result of my experience with giardia i now use both the msr miox and the msr mini ex.  first i treat the water with the miox, then after 30 minutes, i filter with the msr mini ex.  both these units are approved for use by the marines.  they travel all over the world including 3rd world countries.  so i figure, if it works for them it ought to work for me.  the reason i only wait 30 minutes is, it takes 4 hours to kill the crypto, but crypto is fairly large as these things waterborne nasties go and the filter easily gets them.  so no reason to wait the 4 hours.  the nice thing about the msr mini ex is that the filter is cleanable in the field. so if it clogs you are not stuck with out a filter like the other systems.

hope this helped.

I use a Katadyn Hiker Pro and so far I've been happy with it. I haven't died. I was leading a short group hike yesterday and sucked some water out of the creek for one of the hikers when her bottle ran dry. She commented on how good the water tasted. Of course she didn't try it straight out of the creek either.

In addition to the filter, I carry Potable Aqua/PA+ and chlorine dioxide. They both do pretty much the same thing but the former takes about 30 min and the latter about 4 hrs. The PA+ neutralizes the iodine taste of the Potable Aqua.

Quoted: I use a Katadyn Hiker Pro and so far I've been happy with it. I haven't died. I was leading a short group hike yesterday and sucked some water out of the creek for one of the hikers when her bottle ran dry. She commented on how good the water tasted. Of course she didn't try it straight out of the creek either. In addition to the filter, I carry Potable Aqua/PA+ and chlorine dioxide. They both do pretty much the same thing but the former takes about 30 min and the latter about 4 hrs. The PA+ neutralizes the iodine taste of the Potable Aqua.

they both take 4 hours for max effect on crypto.  but since you are filtering it it does not matter. the 30 minutes is for the viruses which some say are rare in the us. after being sick i no longer take chances.  

Are you talking PA chlorine dioxide or the regular stuff? If the former, than yes, since they're both chlorine dioxide they'd take the same time. I have the regular PA which, I believe, isn't good for crypto, just giardia.

I don't carry them for my filtered water, though. They're backups in the event I have problems with the Katadyn.

Quoted: I've done a few searches on the board and came up with nothing. Seemed odd, so I'm guessing I'm not looking in the right place. I'm looking for info on a good field water purifer. I'm familiar with MSR and Katadyn, but I'm not sure which actually are the most reliable and effective. Is there a sticky somewhere that covers this piece of kit? Also, any primers on finding/treating drinking water in survival situations. Thanks in advance! HC

I've tried the UV radiation thing. I've done an MSR Hyperflow....

I keep coming back to the First Need. The damn thing is big and heavy, but it WORKS every single time... the filter doesn't require tender babying, it doesn't clog, it pumps nice and fast, and did I mention that it works?

So yeah. Here's another vote for the First Need.

hiker here... 5+ years no issues yet....

What about the MSR Miox filter, anyone used that one.

mine

Quoted: What about the MSR Miox filter, anyone used that one.

i have the moix. i love it, it works great, it kills everything in the water, but it's not a filter.  it is device that makes a mixed oxident solution for use to purify water.  or your laundry for that matter.  

you add the solution to the water. it does not remove anything from the water.  some use it as a stand alone by filtering the water with a bandanna, coffee filter or the crude filter made by the steripen folks that attaches to a widemouth nalgene bottle.  see my post above about my use of it.

Quoted: Are you talking PA chlorine dioxide or the regular stuff? If the former, than yes, since they're both chlorine dioxide they'd take the same time. I have the regular PA which, I believe, isn't good for crypto, just giardia. I don't carry them for my filtered water, though. They're backups in the event I have problems with the Katadyn.

which is why it states only wait 30 minutes.  remember your katadyn does not kill virus'

Yeah, I know. Just sayin'.

Thanks for all of the feedback! As always, this is THE place to ask almost any question.

Certainly this is a piece of gear that has to fit personal specs and everyone has an opinion based on their needs.

I'm searching for a unit for use in BOB and hiking thats tough and self suffcient. The top criteria I'm looking for are:

Construction - I'd like a overbuilt unit that will withstand prolong use and won't crack or break (with proper use) Compact would be a bonus, but not entirely essential.

Filter life and field serviceability - I'd like a unit that will give me the best quality water for the longest period of time possible before requiring filter change out.

This may be more in line with what you are looking for.  Kind of pricey, but durable, easy, long lasting, etc....  Best of luck. http://www.lifesaversystems.com/

Any more opinions?

Wow...that's very pricey indeed. The "4000" model is $229 and a replacement filter is $150.

http://www.htistore.com/lifesaverbottle4000yellow.aspx

BUT...it would be an all in one solution that covers 4000 liters of water.

I do like the idea of an "all in one" system. Are there any other all in one's out there?

I have a Katadyn Hiker, myself.  I've also got some purifying solution (From MSR, IIRC, but I'd have to pull it out to be sure) that I keep with the filter.

I still try to boil whatever I filter whenever possible.