Filtering Water

[6AYoteHunter]

The MSR Guardian Purifier is the best thing going now. Low maintenance if you use a coffee filter on it. It backflushes for you and will remove just about anything. Also very fast so you can refill without wasting hunting time. It is not damaged if it freezes since hollow fiber technology allows the ice to expand out the ends of the fiber instead of cracking it. You can do integrity tests on the system and due maintence in the field if need be. The special forces will switching over to it. Was a special project that only MSR passed. Most other filters failed very simple tests.

 

Have seen a few patients get really sick after using a steripen. Think the lip of the bottle is still contaminated. Would be a great secondary treatment and worth hauling since they are lightweight.

 

Gravity systems and lots of filters for the most part are 0.1 microns so you can still have viruses get through easily. This has been a serious issue in some areas that previoisly had no problems. You also have to watch them closely since most are destroyed if they freeze.

[AmericanThunder]

Lots of good info. Thanks.

[couesmagnet]

Anyone have the msr guardian filter. Any complaints?? I just bought one for 250.00..

[jp0212]

I personally use Katadyn Hiker Pro Filter, then treat the filtered water with a Steripen. The Steripen weighs almost nothing so I don't mind carrying it as well. I also have an MSR Sweetwater as a backup but prefer the Katadyn. Guys who carry the Sawyer stuff need to be careful given that the fibers can freeze and crack. Avoidable by putting it in the sleeping bag at night when you sleep and it gets coldest. For anyone who uses a Nalgene or any other wide mouth bottle, I recommend picking up a HumanGear capCAP. It's only $6, weighs nothing and more importantly it ensures your mouth never touches the lip of the bottle which may be contaminated. Another thing I highly recommend is to carry two methods of capturing water. Personally I always have my Camelbak reservoir, and a Nalgene bottle or Hydroflask (have both). This ensures that I always have a way to gather and keep water if one of them breaks.

[muledeerarea33?]

Is there any water that can't be filtered? If so how can you tell?

[jp0212]

Is there any water that can't be filtered? If so how can you tell?

 

Not really as long as you have the proper means to treat it. As long as you can treat all forms of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, etc. you can generally drink anything. That usually involves a filter and chlorine drops, a filter and a Steripen, etc. I would pass on a pond with half decayed carcasses in it unless it was an ABSOLUTE emergency and there was no other water source, but supposedly you can tap any resource with the proper means to treat it.

[pahncho2121]

I recently picked up the platypus gravity filter and added the carbon filter for taste ($10 extra) and can filter 4 liters in no time. Watched everyone pumping away while I refilled my bladder through the drinking hose while still in my bag and still had 2L hanging in the tree with another 4L in the dirty bag ready to be filtered. Same thing with viruses so if I have any doubt I boil it.

[jp0212]

Anyone have the msr guardian filter. Any complaints?? I just bought one for 250.00..

 

I would love to hear how that works out. Any chance you can post a review after using it a couple times?

[Txhunter1]

Anyone used a life straw

[couesmagnet]

 

Is there any water that can't be filtered? If so how can you tell?

 

Not really as long as you have the proper means to treat it. As long as you can treat all forms of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, etc. you can generally drink anything. That usually involves a filter and chlorine drops, a filter and a Steripen, etc. I would pass on a pond with half decayed carcasses in it unless it was an ABSOLUTE emergency and there was no other water source, but supposedly you can tap any resource with the proper means to treat it.

 

I tested the guardian twice so far on a couple overnight backpacking trips. Super smooth system and pumps a lot of water per stroke. I was really impressed. Hope this helps.

[pahncho2121]

Anyone used a life straw

I have it as a backup to my gravity works system. I have used it to see how it works, seems ok for an emergency. I was getting four or five good pulls then it would plug up. Just had to blow through it to clear it out but I wouldn't rely on it as a main source of filtration personally.

[prowlerMan]

The katadyn hiker pro looks legit! This guy filters his own piss with it and says it tastes good!..

https://youtu.be/I3_nCfejKcE

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Ok my two cents, I have used several kaytadin and ended up with the msr sweet water. I broke 2 of the hiker pros. As soon as you get anything other than clear water it will clog , with the msr you can clean with brush and continue. It has worked in elk ponds and hoof tracks literally. The msr has a relief valve that spits water when it's getting clogged. The hiker pro sucked the check valve inside itself and ceased to work. My msr has never let me down yet in 3 years of hiking and horse packing trips. Maybe 30 liters of water so far and some brown elk game ponds. I always carry tabs in my filter bag as well just in case.

[Edge]

Ok my two cents, I have used several kaytadin and ended up with the msr sweet water. I broke 2 of the hiker pros. As soon as you get anything other than clear water it will clog , with the msr you can clean with brush and continue. It has worked in elk ponds and hoof tracks literally. The msr has a relief valve that spits water when it's getting clogged. The hiker pro sucked the check valve inside itself and ceased to work. My msr has never let me down yet in 3 years of hiking and horse packing trips. Maybe 30 liters of water so far and some brown elk game ponds. I always carry tabs in my filter bag as well just in case.

the MSR worked great but I'm seeing a lot of versatility in the Sawyer Mini and is in my price range.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

For sure the sawyer mini is a great set up I almost built a set up for that deal. One thing kept me out of that market, several times water was not to be found and I had to or me and my partner had to pump water from a very small puddle or trickle and with the sawyer you need to be able to dip your dirty bag to fill it or dip water bottles to us or something and that would not have worked well in these situations. So I stayed with the pump. If you know you can dip water where your at the sawyer is awsome.