Katadyn vs sawyer, I choose katadyn

[2ski]

That's awesome. I really admire anyone that's done the AT or PCT, or any of the other thru hikes. I kind of want to read that Cheryl Strayed book about her experience.

 

[69ChrisCraft]

My brand new Katadyn hiker pumped 2.5 gallons (day 2 of 8 day) before the check valve took a crap. I'll never buy another Katadyn product again. I drank stagnant Salamander water

 

[dotman]

My brand new Katadyn hiker pumped 2.5 gallons (day 2 of 8 day) before the check valve took a crap. I'll never buy another Katadyn product again. I drank stagnant Salamander water

My buddy had his Kat gravity filter stop working after one day of use, good thing we had my sawyer. Same thing happened to another buddy of mine 2 years ago, I just laughed and at that time was only using drops. These are the only two Kat products I have been around, even though they are the same product they don't give me a good feeling about Kat products.

I'll stick to my sawyer and drops.

 

[Wood Trekker]

I'm a Sawyer Mini user. It is just so much lighter and smaller than pump filters. I used the MSR Miniworks EX before that.

I've put a pre-filter on the Sawyer, which makes a big difference when filtering poor quality water: http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2014/05/sawyer-mini-squeeze-filter-pre-filter.html I usually squeeze the water bag to drive the water out and it filters as fast as the pump filters I've used.

I don't take any filters when it's freezing out. Just about any filter will get damaged if it freezes. I use Chlorine Dioxide tabs instead, or just melt snow.

 

[jtw]

I currently use a katadyn hiker pro and love it. I've put a lot of nasty water through it's still going strong. I've always used pumps and the idea behind the gravity filters just never clicked with me.

 

[murf45]

Love the hiker pro. Seems like when using the sawyer you stir up a lot of particulates and it plugs up quicker.

 

[Daniel_M]

I recently picked up a new Katadyne BaseCamp 10. Stidman and I were filtering 10L/day, for 12 days. Half of which the river had flooded and held a lot of sediment.


Hang it high and full and it'll fill a gallon in 5 minutes. Very happy with it.

 

[Ironman8]

I'm using the Sawyer Mini and have always wondered how you can tell if it froze on you? I'd hate to think I'm drinking filtered water when I've really got a busted filter. I'm hunting Idaho in November and the plan is to keep it in a plastic sandwich bag in my pocket during the day and my sleeping bag at night in the hopes that it won't freeze. Anybody know how to tell if it froze?

 

[hflier]

I started with a Sawyer system and went to a hiker pro and love it.

 

[luke moffat]

Had a hiker pro. In 2011 I went with a Big Zip and Sawyer inline....couldn't pay me (well you could for the right price ) to go back to pumping water.....dipping and going. I rarely use my sawyer as a gravity during the day. Takes to long. Hate stopping to both gravity filter or pump filter....just dip and go. Pumping is a thing of the past But glad you like yours. I will likely be selling my hiker pro as i haven't used it in over 3 years now.

 

[muleman]

Had a hiker pro. In 2011 I went with a Big Zip and Sawyer inline....couldn't pay me (well you could for the right price ) to go back to pumping water.....dipping and going. I rarely use my sawyer as a gravity during the day. Takes to long. Hate stopping to both gravity filter or pump filter....just dip and go. Pumping is a thing of the past But glad you like yours. I will likely be selling my hiker pro as i haven't used it in over 3 years now.

Luke, couple of questions.

What do you do in freezing temps? During October and later hunts I have to deal with freezing tubes. It is my understanding that freezing the Sawyer filter ruins it.

Do you always have a water sources you can dip fill from? I live and hunt in really arid areas and dip filling isn't an option for a lot of the little seeps I can pump from.

 

[luke moffat]

Our filters have no doubt froze a time or two I have no doubt and whether they have been ruined the past few years and I am just relying on my immune system at this point I don't know. Still not sick yet. But on nights I know its gonna freeze I throw them into the dry sack my sleeping pad and quilt/bag were in and stuff them into the bottom of the bag.

As for water sources I found if its deep enough for me to pump from its deep enough for me to use my jet boil or cup or just do what we did around hte 5:00 mark in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad0iTnV8qcA

Not the perfect solution for everyone but I just dont' see the need to stop to pump water or gravity fill water through out the day. Just drink from the dirty bag and filter as you drink. It has been working will for me for 4 seasons now, but might not be the best option for others.

 

[Wood Trekker]

Luke, couple of questions.

What do you do in freezing temps? During October and later hunts I have to deal with freezing tubes. It is my understanding that freezing the Sawyer filter ruins it.

Do you always have a water sources you can dip fill from? I live and hunt in really arid areas and dip filling isn't an option for a lot of the little seeps I can pump from.

I know the question wasn't directed at me, but here I go

Any filter (that I know of) will be damaged when it freezes. That includes hollow fiber filters as well as ceramic filters. It is virtually impossible to tell if there has been any freezing and if there is damage. The only thing to do is keep the filter close to you to make sure it doesn't freeze, or leave it at home and use another method.

As far as finding water to dip into, it is not needed. I just use my cup to scoop in water. It is a surprisingly fast process and you can get water that way from pools that are extremely shallow.

 

[dangerousD]

Does anyone else have trouble sucking water through the Sawyer mini when it is in-line on your bladder hose? I tried it for the first time this season and it was horribly hard to draw water through. Maybe my suck muscles aren't that strong??

 

[muleman]

Thanks Luke and Ross

Our filters have no doubt froze a time or two I have no doubt and whether they have been ruined the past few years and I am just relying on my immune system at this point I don't know. Still not sick yet. But on nights I know its gonna freeze I throw them into the dry sack my sleeping pad and quilt/bag were in and stuff them into the bottom of the bag.

As for water sources I found if its deep enough for me to pump from its deep enough for me to use my jet boil or cup or just do what we did around hte 5:00 mark in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad0iTnV8qcA

Not the perfect solution for everyone but I just dont' see the need to stop to pump water or gravity fill water through out the day. Just drink from the dirty bag and filter as you drink. It has been working will for me for 4 seasons now, but might not be the best option for others.

Any filter (that I know of) will be damaged when it freezes.

I have an old pre MSR Sweetwater that recommend to freeze between uses to prevent growth. That filter is my goto when it gets cold.