Recommendations for portable water filter

[Sportcat]

Don't know much about these things, but looking for something portable for the BOB. Would need to produce enough water for 2 people, plus the dog. Plan would be to pump the water into two Camelbak bladders.

Also, we have a swamp behind us, so this sucker should be able to make swamp water potable in case the water gets cut off.

Thanks!

 

[LaEscopeta]

I think Katadyn filters are the best for long term clean water supply. They filter everything but virus that are floating free (not attached to larger particles.)

http://www.katadyn.net/

The filters are cleared after a few weeks of everyday use by scrapping the surface off. The filters are thick enough to last years. Expeditions all over the world have used them for years. I carried the backpack model for years when I was in the Peace Corps. It supplied most of my water with 10 to 15 minutes pumping a day. Your trick is going to be teaching the dog how to pump its own water. (I assume this is a hunting or guard dog, something that will pull its own weight in a SHTF situation?)

The big down side of Katadyn filters is they are expensive, hard to justify if it is just going to sit in a BOB. The most complete water purification is boiling; kills even the virus filters miss. But you have to be fairly settled, with a good fuel supply, to be able to boil all your water; not very practical during bug out.

 

[ShackleMeNot]

Look into the MSR miox.

Link to info

I bought one recently but haven't had a chance to do much testing.
Yes it's battery operated but you should have a good supply of 123's anyway.

 

[Vic303]

Pur filters are great! They got bought out by someone a couple years ago, so I think they are now Katadyn products?
MSR is good to, but slower & harder to pump.

 

[joshlm]

I would also suggest the Katadyn filters. They are very fast and easy to pump. I have been using one for backpacking and am able to fill a three liter bladder in only two or three minutes. The water actually tasts pretty good also, even when I have filtered from a dirty supply. The trick I use to prolong filter life is to scoop up the water into a colapsible bucket and allow it to settle before I start pumping. This greatly extends the life of the filters.

 

[Vic303]

Another trick is to take a paper coffee filter and rubberband it around the intake prefilter on the intake hose. It'll help screen out the big crud and keep your sponge prefilter cleaner.

 

[Omni04]

i glanced at one of the links, 900 dollars for the pump, 100 dollars per filter!!!! :O

for the price lets hope it will filter salt water

 

[JamisJockey]

Check www.campmor.com or www.sierratradingpost.com

 

[AhmuqGB]

Camelbak also has a purification system in their product inventory. It may just be a prototype, I saw it at the last Infantry conference (they also have the HOTTEST Demonstrators) not sure if it's on the civilian market yet, but worth checking out if you are set on using a camel back. Katadyn are the best on the market though as far as I've seen. I also would not scrimp on the price...you get what you pay for and if you go on the cheap you may end up with some pretty nasty crud as I'm sure you know.

 

[MillCreek]

I have used a MSR Miniworks filter for backpacking for quite a few years now. It breaks down to a compact size, puts out a good volume of water per minute, and can connect directly to my Nalgene 1 liter bottles. I think it currently sells for around $ 70 at REI and similar stores. Katadyn is also putting out a more affordable line of filters these days than previous. It used to be that if you wanted one, you had two choices, and you would spend several hundred dollars. They have really expanded their product line in recent years.

I have also looked at the MSR MiOX, but am not sure about needing to tote batteries for it.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I also would recommend a Katadyn. I picked up the Pocket filter for my Bob and have used it a few times without any problems and it works great. (My idea of working great is that I drank the water and didn't get sick)

I also use the coffee filter and rubber band idea to help the filter last longer. Can't hurt. I would recommend that you check out E-Bay. I got my filter at a fraction of the cost for a new one.

 

[LaEscopeta]

This one might be the way to go:

http://www.katadyn.net/katadyn_combi.html

It has the 0.2 micron ceramic screening filter, plus an activated carbon filter (removes some chemicals and viruses. 2 disposable carbon filters should last 2 people and a dog 4 months or so. After that, you can use the ceramic filter for 7 years or so. And at $139.00 it is one of the more affordable Katadyns.

Another option might be iodine tablets. They take care of all biological hazards, and a 1 year supply would be about the same size and weight as a filter, and a lot cheaper. The downside is iodine will cause health problems if you take it for a long time. But hopefully after a year you would be situated where you can boil water.

 

[taliv]

get a steripen

get one of many solar-powered battery rechargers


you will have an unlimited supply of water that is free of viri


edit:

Warning: solar-power won't work in all post-apocolyptic geographies (e.g. nuclear winters, volcano/asteroid impacts, or if the machines take over (e.g. matrix, terminator))

 

[Sportcat]

Looks like the Katadyn takes care of bacteria, but not viruses?

 

[usp_fan]

You need to decide what you want. Filters and purifiers are not the same.

Here is a good description of each.

In a nutshell, a purifier will take care of viruses as well as most chemicals and bacteria. A filter is just that. It will filter out anything larger than it's pore size. Some viruses may get through as will some chemicals.

Iodine is a great tool to use alone or in conjunction with a filter. You can neutralize iodine with vitamin C. Simply crush a vitamine c up and disolve in your iodine treated water after the iodine has done it's work. The two chemicals will neutralize and the iodine taste and effect will be gone.

Right now, REI has a good sale going on a very effective purifier. It is somewhat larger, but it has a good flow rate and uses a dense filter material to catch virus and other contaminates that normal filters let through. It is made by a company called first need.

I personally love my MSR and if I have doubts about the water source, I use iodine as well.

Good luck,

--usp_fan

 

[Sportcat]

This one: http://www.rei.com/product/10279767.htm?vcat=REI_EXPERT_ADVICE_CAMPING looks pretty good at REI

 

[usp_fan]

That is a nice filter.

Realize however, that any filter combined with the chlorine based chemical will work the same. The chemical is what is killing the bugs the filter doesn't catch. You can do the same thing with unscented bleach. Honest, read the back of most bottles--they usually have instructions for purifying water--x number of drops to the gallon. The active ingredient in bleach is of course chlorine.

The key is to assess whether or not you need to be concerned about crypto or some of the nastier bugs. If you are very remote and pulling from a fairly pristine water source, your risk is low and giardia and solid contaminates are what you are primarily filtering. If you're pulling water out of the Mississippi, you want all of the options you can get.

If you have an REI in the neighborhood, they usually have all their filters on display around a pool of water so you can try them out. Flow rate and effort to pump are very different between each model. Whatever you get, make sure you can feild service it and can find filter elements easily. I like the MSR mini water works for this reason (it is a filter not a purifier).

Also, be aware that if you are filtering during the winter or cold times of year, you will need to be able to keep your filter warm, or be able to dry it out--otherwise it will freeze solid. The ceramic ones will crack, and the fiber ones will be a big chunk of ice. In the winter, I usually just use iodine and then neutralize it after 45min.

good luck,

--usp_fan

 

[Sportcat]

USP,

Thanks for all of your help. There is an REI about 2 hours away in Atlanta I may check out. The MSR mini looks pretty nice, too... for $79.

Like I said, we have a swamp behind our home that could be a source of water if the SHTF, or something happens to the water service in our town.

The MSR also looks small enough to throw in the BOB. Would you recommend keeping idione tablets and Vitamin C tablets handy to kill the nasty stuff?

 

[Dave R]

I have used a Katadyn Hiker for years. Works for me. Cost should be no more than $60. Replacement filters $30. Although I have yet to replace a filter...

Another trick is to take a paper coffee filter and rubberband it around the intake prefilter on the intake hose. It'll help screen out the big crud and keep your sponge prefilter cleaner.

Sounds like a great idea! Thanks!

 

[sssteinkamp]

You can find good online reviews at

BackpackGearTest.org

Shane

 

[rwc]

+1 on MSR mini. I've used one for quite a while and it has a nice mix of features, including the ability to screw onto the bottle or bag you are filling. Filters with intake and output hoses can take two people to use efficiently. 1 to pump, the other to keep the intake line out of the silt of your source stream and the output hose in the bottle.

I recommend getting the 5 liter bladder and a camelback in addition to the filter. The camelback you use on the trail. When you get to camp you fill up the camelback and the 5 liter bag. If you are in a group one person filters water for everyone, another preps dinner and the others set up tents, etc. Then you have plenty of water for cooking, cleaning, etc. and water for the next day. If you've been on the trail all day you are probably at least a little dehydrated and should plan on downing a couple liters more than you feel like drinking. Having lots of water filtered eliminates a major impediment to staying properly hydrated. Plus, you save time the next morning since you can break camp quickly. You filtered enough water last night for breakfast and everyone's Camelbacks and bottles.

If you want a really minimal kit and expect to only need to filter water for a week or so just get a Nalgene bottle and some tablets. Fast and easy. But, any treatment method usually needs 30 minutes or so to be sure to kill the critters. Those minutes pass really slowly when you are thirsty...

 

[usp_fan]

Sportcat,

I'd always recommend having tablets on hand. They are light and small. You can buy them at Walmart in the camping section for under around $5.

If you go the Camelbak route, they are begining to market an inline filter that sits between bladder and mouthpiece. Cool technology.

Good luck.

BTW, you can usually find filters on sale at the usual outdoor outlet. Be patient and you'll save some $$ on the one you decide you want.

--usp_fan