Water filtration

[todd551k]

What are people's preferences for water treatment on trips geared towards light and fast, filters, sterilens or iodine? Thanks

[Racingguy04]

I like my sawyer squeeze, also aquamira drops are pretty good too, a little waiting, but they don't affect the taste much.

[bncrshr77]

I'm a fan of the MSR Hyperflow.  Steripens and iodine are great if your water source is fairly clear but a filter is always nice just in case!

[Couloirman]

Im liking the hyperflow as well, reliability has been better in recent years than when they first came out. Just be careful and if the pressure builds up too much backflush instead of muscling out another few liters and maybe damaging it. I also carry aquamira in case its a really suspicious water source (since filters dont take care of viruses), or as a backup if the pump breaks. Even when I go fast and light, clear, fresh tasting water is an absolute must for me. I hate just dunking my bottle into sludgy water even when filtered through a bandana or something

[TheDudeAbides]

Steripen + prefilter 

[Area54]

Depends on the destination and the countryside travelling in, but around here it's mostly all three - pre-filter (white gauze cloth) Steripen Freedom (awesome little unit) and aquatabs. All fit in the tiny pouch the steripen comes in. Recharge the steripen via usb on the run via my dyno hub.

I like my water to taste chemical free (unless I add a vit C tab for a bit of flavour to mask the muddy taste) , so the aquatabs are always a last resort when required.

[sherpaxc]

I've honestly used them all.  The only pump worth the money is the Katadyn, but who wants to use a pump?  I've had terrible luck with THREE different Steripens (and yes I was using the correct type battery).  Drops/tabs work well and are light weight but take a bit to be totally effective. 

My newest love is the Sawyer Squeeze (not the mini).  Light and quick.  The new bags are very durable.  I didn't like the mine.  Lower volume and tended to get clogged too quickly. 

All of these have been field tested, not just using some clear water from a sink. 

[danimal]

I am done with pumps.  Sometimes I use Aqua Mira and some powder or tablet to flavor.  Mostly now I use some variation of this gravity setup.  MSR DromLite bag (6L for me) 5.7 oz with cap and tubing, Sawyer squeeze filter 3.3 oz, Sweetwater Siltstopper prefilter 2.8 oz, and less often, a GravityWorks carbon element for taste 1.3 oz.  Total if I use it all is 13 oz.  I use the different pieces based on where I'm going and what I expect the water sources to offer.  The prefilter almost always.  Gravity works as well as any pump with zero effort.  Another less obvious weight savings is that you can leave the unfiltered water in the Drom and carry just one bottle, refilling as you go.  Probably not for racing, but I'm rarely in a hurry through my favorite places.  I used this setup for an 8 day trip with 3 people this past summer and on a 12 day trip with my wife this winter and several other lesser trips.  It is well tested served us all very well.

[trebor]

I use the Squeeze as well. I've not used it with excessively turbid water. Only clear running streams and lakes. But it's easy and fast. Carrying the Mylar-like bags of the system also also get a little extra carrying capacity with next to no weight penalty.

[mtnbound]

trebor - I am interested in the Squeeze but heard about problems with their provided bags (leaks/tears), though I have also heard they recently improved their bags.  When did you get the Squeeze and have you had any problems with the bags?  Or did you replace the bags with another brand?

[sherpaxc]

The bags were replaced this year. They are thick and in my experience much more durable. The new ones are blue in color and the old ones are black. You can purchase Evernew bags which a very durable bag as well. platypus bladders don't work though. The thread pitch is different.

[trebor]

I haven't had any issues with them failing. I also don't twist/wring them. Just squeeze.

[sherpaxc]

Rolling them seems to work best for me.

[joeydurango]

Have been using my MSR Hyperflow for years with no issues whatsoever.  I dig it!  I carry treatment tablets just in case... but knock on wood, never had to use them.  I filter mostly from high-country, awesome water sources - little or no sediment.

[Racingguy04]

I read alot of bad reviews about the sawyer bags but bought the squeeze anyway. I mostly thought that people weren't careful enough with them or something. On my first trip, I was really careful and only rolled the bags to filter water, but I put a small hole in my 2L bag; patched with a piece of duct tape and it was fine. My first time using the 1L bag, I tossed it lazily on the ground and a twig poked a hole in it. (It was about 15 degrees outside so things were kind of brittle. My bags seem similar to platypus bladders but for some reason, they're not as durable. My sawyer bags are blue.

I've used platypus bags backpacking with pretty good durability, and my squeeze works fine with platypus bladders. What I really like about my squeeze, is I bought the inline adapter so that I can plug the squeeze into my camelback and fill it up through the hose. I also think that this could pretty easily be setup to work as a gravity system in camp, so I don't even have to squeeze.

For the steri-pen users, has anyone broke theirs? I love my steri-pen but it seems like it would take pretty careful packing in a bike bag to protect it.

[Smo]

I've had two steripens fail spontaneously, but that was in their first year of production, to take that with a grain of salt.  I've used other friends' filters, but meh.  Too heavy and bulky.

I only use aquamira now.  Lighter and smaller.  My entire desert water kit (two dropper bottles, a vial of alum, a gallon ziplock for potholes and a bandana) weighs about 3 ounces.  I wouldn't carry the alum in most conditions, as its only for muddy water.  So there goes maybe another ounce.  2 ounces and I can fit it just about anywhere.

I use the mini dropper bottles from Gossamer Gear, and refill with aquamira from the 2oz version you can buy on amazon (twice the usual capacity for $15).  Links:

GG Bottles
2 oz Aquamira on Amazon

The bottles are a bit expensive with shipping, but I ordered a few other things while I was at it, so that wasn't a big deal.  Aquamira Part A (chlorine dioxide) goes in the opaque bottle, because it's photo sensitive.  Part B goes in the clear bottle.  I checked the MSDS's to confirm, and Part A was described as photo sensitive, Part B was described as "stable".  It's only a weak acid solution, after all.

For filtering water overnight, something I commonly do in the desert, I use a smaller dose of aquamira.  Microorganism reduction = time times aquamira concentration.  Half the concentration, but double the time, and you get the same effect.  Works for all chemical treatments.  Just make sure the solution doesn't get subjected to much UV during the purification.

[Area54]

For the steri-pen users, has anyone broke theirs? I love my steri-pen but it seems like it would take pretty careful packing in a bike bag to protect it.

In the top area of my framebag, goes the MSR drom, the steripen gets shoved in on top.

I've used a Classic for years, but since changing most of my powered devices over to USB based lithiums, the steripen freedom was a logical choice for me.  Having the torch as well inbuilt, I shove it into an Exposure headband and use as camp headtorch.

[jaymtb]

Hi,
Have used an MSR Autoflow Gravity bag filter refitted with lighter hardware/ and a cord vs strap,  and a lighter/smaller Platy-specific outlet cap to go into a 3 liter platy bag.   Platy Gravityworks filter elements seem identical to MSR internal parts but have light weight gray  foam cover, versus heavier black rubber of  MSR units.
The red MSR  in-bag has an open roll-top that makes it easy to capture water from seeps, or to clean bag and prefilter.  The outlet prefilter screen is behind the quick coupler and  above the triangular bottom, which allows crud to settle past the intake screen after bag is hanging   for a while.  When done, remove the hose from intake bag and put pressure on the platy outlet bag to backflush filter.
This type of bag seems better than gravity bags that have outlet at bottom where all crud can settle into filter inlet line.
The intake bag allows you to catch water and carry ~~5-6 liters to camp to filter, where multiple containers can be filled.
Occasionally flow may be slowed by an air bubble.  To fix, pull hose from filter inlet, allow water to flow, and shove hose back on filter. 

Filter has lasted for well  over  several  months of 2-person use with regular  backflushing.  Direct screwcap hookup to Platy output bag allows squeezing bag to backflush without having universal  connector pop out.  Have used it on GD, CO trail, Bolivia/Peru Andes etc with no problems.   It also has been  useful in  hotels in the  Americas  for daily water use, to avoid buying bottled water- which may be dubious purity.

If water is cloudy, a coffee filter or bandana can be used to prefilter.   Hanging to allow settling time, before opening  clamp valve helps to get more clear water into filter also.   I also treat water with fresh chlorine or tabs if anything seems dubious- or for insurance.  Having tabs or drops as plan B, as others have mentioned is good backup.

Weight of bag/filter/hose as modified is 287 grams, less Platy 3 liter bag used in hydration system.  Unit could be shared among 2 or more people. 

If below freezing temps are expected, I throw filter into bottom of sleeping bag at night.   All of these hollow fiber filters can fail if element freezes with water in it.
There is also a gravity kit for the Hyperflow: MSR Hyperflow Gravity Kit Bladder to convert to gravity flow with the in-bag for the Autoflow, using the  hollow fiber filter of the Hyperflow as it appears.
http://www.amazon.com/MSR-56502-HyperFlow-Gravity-Kit/dp/B00187CZ16/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1394224743&sr=8-6&keywords=msr+hyperflow

Thanks to Scott and all for this forum,

Jay

[SlowRide]

Anybody using lifestraw? Giving the personal unit some thought.