A Simple and Effective Pre Filter for Your Platypus

I Like It! Good idea Ben…

Thank you, Roger.

Cute.
I wonder about the practicality of pouring through the screened cap, though. Have you tried just poking a circle of panty hose into the neck to form a pouch and withdrawing it after filling? It is easy to fill and gets the floaties.

Panty hose, bandanna, paper filter will all do the job of filtering. However, because they are soft and/or absorbent, water flows through only very slowly.

I find that placing a piece of metal mesh tautly over the opening allows water to flow through the fastest.

Now, filling a Platypus can be slow, with or without the prefilter. When faced with very shallow streams, I find it much easier and quicker to ladle with my cup (or something similar) and then pouring it into the platypus. The pre filter does NOT slow water flow noticeably.

I especially like to use my wife’s old panthose for pre-filtering while filling the Platy “Big Zips”. As many layers can be used as required to achieve non-turbid pre-filtered water. That said, Ben’s idea looks very nice for any “capped” bottle application. For capped bottles, I’ve also tried the pre-filter that comes packaged with the GossamerGear AqM product sold on the GG website.

Hi Paul:

Alas, bachelor here, and one who can’t bring himself to buy panty hose, even “blue light” specials!

As mentioned, it’s just a simple contraption. I like a pre-filter that’s as easy to use as a screw on / screw off bottle cap — although at the end of the day, it’s no big deal, and rubber banding a panty hose or bandanna is just fine as well. :)

Ben, instead of women’s pantyhose, you might be able to use one of those very lightweight tights DrJ and Bill F. were talking about in a Thread a few months ago. I can’t remember the company’s name, though I think that it began with a ‘S’ or a ‘C’. Sorry, my memory is not too good. Wait…it’s coming back, something like “Sahara”, but that’s not it…working….it’s like that “sombrero” rain hat by OR, not the Seattle, but the Sahale. The name sounds like the “Sahale”, but i think it ends in “-ie” instead of just “-e”. Try Googling “Sahalie tights” or some such thing. If that doesn’t work then try “Sahale tights”, maybe that will find something.