Another water filter thread…

[Ryan C]

Steripens, MSR Miox, AquaMira, the Frontier Pro in gravity mode, and tablets all have their place. I have tried them all for different settings. What I have come to realize is that a water filter with a pump is needed for some situations, especially when all I have to work with is scummy puddle, creek, or icky lake water here in the Midwest. We don't always have the nice clear sweet tasting streams like you guys out west or in Alaska (which is the best water I ever had).

My requirements:
1. Field cleanable (as in scrubbing, not backflushing!)
2. Carbon for chemicals, organics, clarity, and taste
3. Lightweight
4. Easy to use, minimal maintenance
5. Compatible with Platy and Nalgene bottles

Chlorine Dioxide tablets or AquaMira will usually be used in conjunction with the filter to guarantee safe water as viruses and bacteria are concerns here.

It seems that my only choices are the the MSR Sweetwater and the Katadyn Hiker Pro. The Sweetwater seems to have some advantages in that it pumps on both strokes and can be scrubbed with a brush. I know I could rig up a carbon element and Sawyer filter for about 5oz but the pump would be easier for tricky places.

So… rather than starting the NO HEAVY FILTER stuff, give me some thoughts. Besides, carrying a filter with plentiful (but icky) water around is still lighter than limiting myself and carrying liters of extra water.

[a b]

When your water options are limited to cattle pooop water, like someplaces on the CDT, the MSR Sweetwater's 11 ounces make perfect sense.
I am serious.. there are places you could see the cows drinking while poooping and spreading cow buggers in a muddy hole that was the only water for 25 miles.
Yea.. you are gonna be a lot happier with a filter instead of a bandana for that.
I used the MSR Sweetwater for New mexico, (some of) Colorado and Wyoming on the CDT. I winged it in Montana and just drank.
Some thoughts about the Sweetwater:
I found i could pull the bite valve off my Platypus bladder(try rolling the edge of the bite valve) and connect it directly to the output of my Sweetwater and pump water right into the bladder in my pack.
The blue tubing of a Platypus hoser fits perfectly on the sweetwater output nub.
This time and hassle saving trick has the added benefit of the entertainment value in seeing our pack volume swell up and make creaking sounds as you pump water into it. You will quickly learn how many pumps equals how much water even without seeing the bladder.
I also used a 1 liter soda bottle on the outside of my pack, keeping that in reserve for when the Platy went dry (since the platy spent all day hidden in the pack.
The other advantage of this system is the bladder can be buried in the insulating coolness of the sanctum sanctorum of the pack=cool water all day.
When i reached a town stop i would use a plastic ziplock container to boil my sweetwater's filter element in water in a microwave for a few minutes to dis-infect the element and restore the activated carbon core's ability to reduce odor and taste issues.
If the cow sh#t water still tastes bad add cherry-pomegranite crystal lite… It makes cow pooo water taste yummy.
Drying the element out between uses or during town stops seemed to increase it's useful time between cleanings. the element dries quite quickly in the mesh pocket of my pack on a dry day and the added benefit is several ounces less weight.
Always carry purell hand sanitizer and use it after cleaning your filter element cause it will be coated in the stuff you are trying to eliminate.
Likewise, don't clean your filter element in the water source you are filtering water from. Always filter water first, then use that filtered water to clean your element AWAY from the water source.
I used a Steripen for half of the AT and Aqua Mira for the rest since water on the AT was pretty clear.
I would still use my Sweetwater for cow pooo water.

[Dan Cherry]

Mine's the third one in the family, all still going strong. Solid, reliable, and a great company that backs it up. I take tablets for my backup, or if I am running a risk of only hitting extreme silty water (it happens here in the southwest).

If it broke tomorrow, I'd buy another.

Got a fellow backpacker who is trying out a Sawyer Squeeze on an upcoming GC trip this fall, so we'll see how the two compare.

[Mark Ries]

Was the MSR mini water works left out due to weight I believe it has a carbon core also and you can tell if the cartrage has much life left. The sweetwater when you see the scrim its worn out not much prior warning,so you never know how much life is left The sweetwater pumps easier but cartrage life is not as good. I started with the sweet water and then went to the mini works the cartrage is ceramic and you can tell with the provided gauge if much life is left. I live in Iowa the state that does not allow them to advertise that it makes water safe to drink.

[Ryan C]

@Matt… That has to be one of the best initial responses I have ever received on the gear forum! You bring up some things I never really considered. Question: Did you have any melting issues when boiling the Sweetwater element? Did boiling restore the activated carbon to almost new performance? BTW congratulations on finishing the Triple Crown!

@Dan: Nice to see it has served you well. I considered the Sawyer Squeeze but really need something with carbon. A friend of mine recently got one as well so it will be interesting to see how it works out for him.

@Mark: I have used other people's MSR Waterworks many times, it is a good filter. The reasons I left it out are because it is relatively heavy/bulky and only Nalgene compatible.

I have read that the Sweetwater element is more resistant to freezing temperatures than ceramic and microtube filters (Sawyer, Hyperflow). Can anyone confirm this?

[a b]

I always let the element sit for a while after boiling before i picked it up. The glue never fell apart.
I definitely noticed that boiling resotred some of the carbon cores ability.
It never made cow sh#t water taste great but it did reduce the nasty smell and taste. After a wekk and perhaps 20 liters through it I would reahc town and boil my element. The water always tasted better after that for a little while afterwards.

[Sam Farrington]

Thank you, Matt, for posting your experience with questionable water sources, and how to employ a filter successfully.

For those like myself who hike only short distances daily on a trek, it is just as much an issue where there are no livestock. In some areas, even at altitudes well above pasture land, the only water is in small ponds that are really sinkholes filled with silt, vegetation, etc. Some of the areas frequented by horse travel (Rainbow Lake near the CO Trail in the Collegiates, for example) are truly frightening. Back East here, there are marshy areas that are heavy with Beaver activity, as well as areas where human activity here also has done far worse than the Beavers.

To cite just one other example, hiking in the north woods of New England, there was a spring on a ridge that was the only water source anywhere near a campsite. It had been fouled by others and reduced to just a seep. Only the filter could have efficiently sucked and purified water out of the seep and into containers. The need for the filter in this way has, unfortunately, steadily increased.

So a Sweetwater filter (the smaller Walk-About one – discontinued I think) has worked great for me also. A good feature is the way the input and output hoses coil up on different parts of the filter to help avoid contamination. The cartridges are easily cleaned over and over again, and have lasted for months of trekking.
Definitely worth the extra weight for me also. I suppose the expression, 'First Need' sums up the justification for the extra weight.

[Mark Ries]

I have an older pre MSR sweetwater the cartrages used to at best get us maybe 25-30 gallons. Are people getting more than this out of the newer cartrages, I have not used this in years. BTW I used to use the hose from the sweetwater on the mini works discharge nipple and it stayed on good I used dromlite bags back then but X wife used platies

[Rick Dreher]

Hi Ryan,

A minor point: the Hiker pumps in both stroke directions.

You might consider a DIY carbon stage, as it would 1. greatly increase your options and 2. allow you to size it for greater effectiveness than the relative miniscule amounts of carbon included in filters from the factory.

Cheers,

Rick

[Michael Davis]

If you want to expand your filter options to eliminate the requirment of the carbon filter, do this; Sew a tiny bag 2" lond by 1" round and put 1 oz of aquarium charcoal in it. Simply keep this in the clean water container. Done deal!

This has worked for me many years. I just trash them after enough use, which depends on where I've been. When I need more, I'll sew up half dozen at a time.

[Ryan C]

Thanks for all the useful information and tips. I have decided to go with the MSR Sweetwater based off the good reports here, especially Matt, since I will be dealing with similar circumstances.

[Larry De La Briandais]

I was just curious why you would want to scrub a filter rather than backwash it?

There are in-line carbon filters that can be added to those that do not have one. Or, you could easily make your own.

[Rick Dreher]

Hi Larry,

To my knowledge, the only filter medium intended for scrubbing is ceramic, where you use an abrasive pad to remove the contamination along with the outer ceramic layer. Certain pleated fabric filters can be lightly brushed, with limited effectiveness.

Most filters I'm aware of aren't directly back-flushable, although the Sawyers and MSR Hyperflow are. Not sure about the First Need.

Cheers,

rick

[Larry De La Briandais]

Yes, the first need is back-flushable (I have one). On that note, I found it to work better than any other pump filter. With a nalgene bottle attached to it the combined unit was very stable and allowed for fast and easy pumping. Those in Yosemite were jealous of how easily and quickly I filtered water.

However, that setup is a TANK. I'm switching to a hydration bag for a dirty water container, a sawyer filter and a "soda" bottle for a clean water bottle. MUCH lighter, MUCH easier and almost as fast (I timed it compared to my first need). It filters at the same rate, but the sawyer setup requires water collection time. I have considered using the pump from the first need, but that seems like unnecessary weight and complexity. However, I will find out what I really think over the labor day weekend. :^)

[Rick Dreher]

Thanks for the clarification Larry. Yup, the First Need is very effective and really big and heavy. I'm betting you'll love your Sawyer system. My sole tip: clear all the air out of the connecting hose to get maximum flow.

Cheers,

Rick

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