Water filtration/hydration system??

I use the drink safe systems eliminator

http://www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk/products.php (4th one down)

It can be fitted to the outlet tube of a hydration bladder and gives a good flow to drink from directly but you can also use it with another piece of tubing or the bite valve removed as a gravity filter.

Used as a gravity filter I get a litre (just over a quart) of water filtered through in 2 minutes.

In the South of England where I mostly walk it's good to have something able to remove the chemicals from farm/livestock run-off too.

Jesse,

I have found that the Sawyer inline filter works well as a gravity filter for when I am in camp and filling my pot to cook or to simply reload my platypus hydration system.

An inline system is not a perfect system as it often does not have an active charcoal element to it to improve the taste of the water, which I don't find to be a problem in the Sierras.

If you take a look at the user review section here, I have a detailed review of the Sawyer In Line filter with step by step instructions on how to build a gravity filter.

I recently added a few photos too to show how it is setup.

Hope that it helps you out.

-Tony

Jim/Tony,
Thanks for your replies. That Sawyer filter sounds interesting Tony, I'm going to go look up your review right now.

Jesse

…

I just finished a two night trip using a Frontier Pro and bleach combo for the 1st time and I really liked it over my old Katadyn Hiker Pro. The fill and go ability was great. The whole system was 2oz for the filter, .5 oz for a .25oz mini dropper of bleach, and 3 oz for the 2L Platypus I’d obviously be carrying anyways. I also brought a 1L plastic water bottle for extra night time capacity, as my water source was about 300 yards from my campsite.

As far as filling a pot, it worked fine. I was solo, so only needed 8 oz at a pop for cooking. I just held the bladder above the pot, pinched the bite valve with my sanitized fingers, and filled the pot. It was easy to squeeze the bladder to increase flow, and took me no more than a minute to fill my snowpeak with even 16 oz. Not as easy as pouring, but for the trade-off, totally acceptable for me. It’s also really easy to pop the bite valve off the Frontier Pro if you want more water faster.

For hiking, I don’t think it can be beat. Just fill at a water source, add bleach or Aqua Mira, wait 20 minutes, (while making mileage) and you’re good to drink.

Cons: Minor taste of bleach. Very minimal, tastes like swimming pool water if you taste it at all. Other’s use Aqua Mira. I’ve never used it so I don’t know if it has a taste, but I prefer one dropper with bleach vs two for mixing AM.

Having to plan your refills because of the 20 minute wait.

Potential filter clogging. I have no idea if this an issue. It’s almost completely irrelevant to me as I have crystal clear Sierra streams and lakes as my water sources. I’d look around for reviews about it though.

There’s a few recent threads on the FP here and here

I use a Sawyer (or is it Seychelle) inline filter with the sip and go method (http://wiki.backpackinglight.com/Sip_and_Go_Method). When in camp, I attach the dirty bottle to a clean one with the filter in between. I've attached cord to the bottom of my platypus, so I can hang it upside down from a branch. It doesn't take long for the drip filter to fill up the clean platypus, as long as I occasionally burp the system.

I second the Sawyer. Here's some information to help you along including a series of video's which help visualize things…

Products: http://sawyer.com/SP121.htm

Video: http://www.sawyeronline.com/videos.htm (just start with the first one and work your way down – good info.)

I got mine through Wal-Mart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8283710

I've used the bottle method on a dayhike but generally just bring the filter and use my existing Platy's

Good luck to you. Btw, if you do a search there is some good information in these forums on the Sawyer and one of the posters above is about as close to an expert on these as you can get (in my estimation).

More useful comments, thanks everyone! After the good reviews about the Sawyer(good info. in your review on this site Tony) and looking at the videos in the link provided by Erik(thanks) I am definately leaning towards some type of Sawyer system. I'm thinking that the in-line one would be best for me. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good hydration bladder to link it with??

Jesse,

I would probably suggest using the Platypus Hydration System, as it is a third to half the weight of a comparable Camelback Hydration System.

One thing that I would also suggest is to replace the bite piece of the Platypus with a locking Camelback one.

Having a locking mouth piece is more than a convenience, it is a good way from accidentally getting your gear wet and losing precious water if you lay your pack down on your bite piece.

I have not used my Sawyer as an inline filter before, so please let me know how that works for you.

Good luck!

-Tony

P.S. Eric, I am going to "steal from you" and add some of those video links from Sawyer into my review.

Have at it Tony – you're the "expert" on these boards regarding Sawyer – as far as I'm concerned!

> replace the bite piece of the Platypus with a locking Camelback one

Platypus has a locking one too.

Living in the desert, I use a bandana to "gravity filter" my water into my platypus bottles, and add AM after that. Used to have a filter cap, a la Jason Klass, but I prefer having a wet bandana to roll up and tie loosely around my neck after getting water. Stays comfortably cool for several hours typically, just about the time I have to stop for more water.

Chris,

You are right on that one.

I should clarify….my personal preference is for the shape and design of the Camelback bite piece and it happens to be locking, which I think is a must have.

Thanks for keeping me honest! :)

-Tony

Hi again guys, anyone know where I could find a Sawyer filter in Canada, or a good deal online(preferably with cheap shipping to Canada)?? I've decided to use two 1 liter collapsible platypus bottles for storage of clean water along with the Sawyer filter(if I can get one in Canada or shipped here for a reasonable price)linked to a 2-3liter platypus hydration bag/bladder of some sort(haven't decided which one yet)as this should be lighter than using two seperate bladder/bags for dirty/clean water. Thanks for any help forthcoming.

Jesse