Water purifier or ??

[david hensley]

So, I hiked 2 weeks on the PCT this past Summer and I used iodine tabs with flavor tabs to disguise the taste of the iodine. I was not a big fan.

I want something light, simple, and something I won't have to keep reloading along my 2010 PCT Thru-Hike attempt.

This is my biggest concern about my trail, and I'm really stressing on which to buy. I searched around and just can't find what I'm looking for. Does it exist? A light, clean in field filter?

Would gravity filters work well? How long does it take? Anyone with gravity filter experience?

Thank ladies and gentlemen!

P.S. Sorry if this is the wrong section to post this question.

[Tony Wong]

David,

Something that you might want to consider is chlorine dioxide tablets or drops over Iodine.

They are just as light as iodine, but does not have the strong taste of iodine.

I think that you will find that chlorine dioxide drops are considered by many as the lightest option for you.

The Steripen is an option too for you to avoid the whole chemical thing.

That said, if you want to filter your water, you might want to consider the Sawyer in line water filter, which I use as a gravity filter.

It works for me, but requires a little bit of setup to use.

Below is the user review that I wrote up on the filter a while back.

Hope that it helps.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/reviews/display_reviews?forum_thread_id=5536&cat=Hydration%20-%20Water%20Treatment&cid=55

P.S. There is a difference between a filter and purifier. Purifiers generally handle things down the virus size. Filters for bacteria.

-Tony

[Brad Rogers]

There might be a few filters that might meet your requirements as both light and field cleanable, but most thru hikers use Aquamira drops, and that should say something.

If you are still insistent on a filter check out the:

MiddleBoro Water Filter

Katadyn Mini Water Filter

[EndoftheTrail]

No direct experience whatsoever but I've read about "mini pumps" requiring many more strokes, and more effort per stroke — esp. the MiddleBoro. Can get tedious on long hikes.

[Frank Deland]

Iodine does not kill everything as Aquamira does. At Red Meadows,at Mammoth (yosemite) however, the store only carried iodine.
The SteriPen is convenient because water is ready in one minute or so. However it runs on batteries (the small barrel shaped used in cameras) would be even harder to find at outfitters along the trail.
Along the JMT during the day I used the steripen, purified water in my cooking pot, drank a liter as I sat, and carried no water as I hiked. At camp I filled a three liter platypus, treated it with iodine (since i had not found aquamire at local stores around Yosemite). This would give me enough water for dinner and next morning drinks and breakfast dry milk mix.

For example, I drank water at camp next to a stream below Forester Pass, north side. I carried no water up and over the pass. Drank again at water just below the pass. Carried no water, drank a liter at the next source, etc. Water sources are plentiful right along the trail.
Aquamire is the easiest lightest way to purify water.
Filters are best if your water sources are murky or sandy such as from canyon puddles! Filters are also useful when water sources are scarce from shallow puddles. Flexible plates,(Oraski??) bowls are useful for collecting water from shallow sources. Gravity filters have to be held high up and their bags kept full for the best flows, pumps are less trouble. Shallow mirky water sources should not be an issue on the PCT, but the JMT is my only experience on that trail.
In conclusion, Aquamire would be my choice for the long hike. I have used it along the AT where it readily available at stores along the trail.
.

[Steven Hanlon]

i have stopped carrying a mechanical filtration system and use Klear Water instead. it is available direct http://www.klearwater.com/

i have used several pumps and after a long day on the trail, pumping through a clogged filter is the worst.

[todd]

Any luck getting Klearwater lately?

[drowning in spam]

I'm thinking about bringing the MSR AutoFlow Gravity.

I like that:
— It's about as light as any filter (10.5 oz)
— The filter is cleaned by backflow
— It serves as a big water bucket

The last one is big for me. I contemplated on getting a separate water bucket. A bucket is great for getting all your water at once, then going elsewhere to filter it. This means less time around spigots, and less time around sierra rivers and lakes with mosquitoes trying to eat you up.

The only real downside is that I will have be careful with the filter when the temperature drops below freezing.

[Nate Ward]

For years we used bleach…4-6 drops per quart. 20 min. later and you are good to go. After about 2 hours the bleach taste is gone. I've used a straining sock to get out the large junk out then add the bleach. That's how your water is purified by your city, should work on the trail…

[EndoftheTrail]

Bleach — diluted down to the extrent drinkable at all — isn't effective against certain protozoa/cysts — like cryptosporidium — if present in your water source.

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