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What type or brand of water filter do you use on a multi-day hike?

I would appreciate any suggestions or opinions on good water filters for hiking. I am looking for something portable and light.

Thank you gentlemen.
 
If you absolutely must survive; Katadyn Pocket.
It's professional strength for anything but salt/sea waters and been around since my backpacking days (late 1970's)
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Just bought a Berkey, but at 3 gallons it is far from portable. Very impressed by it's quality, I assume their bottle sized ones are good as well.
 
I’ve been using a Pur Hiker water filter since I was a kid backpacking in the Adirondacks in the late 70’s. I still have it and use it when I take my son (now 15) camping. It is now called the Katadyn Hiker.

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Another vote for Aquamira (the drops, not the tablets). You've got to mix the two drops together and wait 5 minutes (not a big deal to me; I usually mix the drops and then head to the water source) and wait 15-30 minutes after you add the mixture to the water. That's not usually a problem for me, as I almost always have some "clean" water in reserve.

If it's really hot and I know I'll want water right away I take the Sawyer. But I've been eyeing the Katadyn BeFree. I like that it uses a collapsible pouch.
 
Sawyer Mini. I'm not sure how necessary it is to filter the water where I go hiking, but I carry and use one anyway on multi-day trips. I carry an additional 500 ml lightweight disposable water bottle to dip from the stream and fill the squeeze bag.

I'm somewhat tempted by the Katadyn BeFree.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Double-checking, of course everyone knows to use coffee filters as a water intake pre-filter, but remember to also pack rubber bands.

AA
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
I've always gone for the filtration bottles rather than the pump type. These make more sense to me, as they're carriers as well as just filters. The bottles can be used for squeezing water out too, should you need the water for cooking and not just drinking. The one I use at the moment is Travel Tap by Drinksafe Systems.
 

TexLaw

Fussy Evil Genius
I use Micropur tablets for most of my water, and I carry a Sawyer Mini for if I want or need water while I'm waiting for the tablets to do their thing.

If you have a large group and prefer filtering, the Katadyn Base Camp gravity bag is fantastic.
 
I’ve been using a Pur Hiker water filter since I was a kid backpacking in the Adirondacks in the late 70’s. I still have it and use it when I take my son (now 15) camping. It is now called the Katadyn Hiker.

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@MntnMan62 I still have a larger PUR system we used for groups of 5. I was disappointed to see the PUR company had folded due to issues back when. Then heartened to hear Katadyn had taken on support and continue some of their lines.
 
We also used the Katadyn Hiker for awhile -- plenty light and easy to use. But now that we have a gravity system (Platypus), the Hiker has been retired. If you're going with a group of 3+, the extra bulk is more than justified by the convenience of not having to pump. I'd probably even bring it on a solo trip. We also bring tablets as a back-up, but have never used them.
 
Double-checking, of course everyone knows to use coffee filters as a water intake pre-filter, but remember to also pack rubber bands.

AA

That's a great gear hack. Has anyone found a similar trick to pre-filter inside a gravity bag? We have clogged ours a couple times. I wonder if it could be as simple as just folding a coffee filter and pushing down into the bottom corner of the bag? Would the water flow tend to keep it in place?
 
I checked the gravity works reviews and a few have some complaints like the filter itself can be prone to getting clogged, the zipper on the dirty bladder is difficult to close and others said it had “failed”. I can see the benefit to not having to pump but really guys, you are out in the wilderness. I expect to have to work a little. And pumping is not all that big a deal with the Hiker. During the countless hikes and trips I’ve taken it on it has literally never failed on me and always produces clean clear water. That reliability is invaluable when it comes to drinking water. And iodine tablets have some taste and it really isn’t all that great for you. I realize it’s a 40 to 50 year old design but so am I, and you can’t improve upon perfection.
 
... but really guys, you are out in the wilderness. I expect to have to work a little.

Ha! True enough. I will say that for a larger group, the gravity system is nice -- esp. when your (teenage) progeny are averse to chores. Haven't had a problem yet with our Platypus system aside from the rare clog, and even then it trickles through fast enough. Seriously, just hang it in a tree and do something else for 10 minutes. The zipper on the dirty water bladder has worked fine, and I would guess that the bag is deep enough that it would still be serviceable unzipped. We like it. To each his own.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
We also used the Katadyn Hiker for awhile ...We also bring tablets as a back-up, but have never used them.

Was going to say, add redundancy. I read at least two bad reviews of a filter where a part broke or clogged, and the people were like, "we could have been in real trouble."

Gear must be tested before relied upon ... Sheesh. And then a couple LifeStraws and those tabs are a good idea, for what they weigh: almost nothing. I guess the reviewers forgot how to boil water, as well.


AA
 
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