Water purification

Depends on your water sources.
I had a Katadyn Hiker Pro the last few years and I would not recommend it for silty creeks. It got clogged so bad that each pump resulted in only a few drops of filtered water. I even tied a piece of cheese cloth to the end to help aid in eliminating the silt and that did nothing.


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I didn't have that issue pulling water out of mud puddles... Was the filter on yours fairly old? Mine was brand new, and with some cheese cloth rubber-banded to the intake it seemed like it was pumping just fine
 
I didn't have that issue pulling water out of mud puddles... Was the filter on yours fairly old? Mine was brand new, and with some cheese cloth rubber-banded to the intake it seemed like it was pumping just fine


Brand new filter. And spent the $40 for a second one thinking that might be the issue. No luck. Moved on.


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Filtration systems are too heavy, and too complicated ... I've used the Katatdyn filtration tablets for 3 years. 1 tablet per liter, 30 minute wait. No aftertaste. Simple, light, cheap, awesome. Backcountry.com has them on sale now for 30% off - just picked up a season's worth.

I used to use tablets, but switched to the Sawyer Squeeze for a few reasons:
1) There were times when I was thirsty now and did not want to wait.
2) The tablets actually require 4 hours for full effectiveness, that always had me worried when I didn't wait that long.
3) I love drinking cold mountain water and waiting 30 minutes to 4 hours for the tablets to work allows the water to warm up.
 
For 40+ years I was a few drops of chlorine guy until I got infected by Cryptosporidium a few years ago. I'm now a filter and chlorine guy - I use the MSR MiniWorx for my primary filter from moving water sources. From standing water I boil and try to boil my drinking water water whenever I can now.
 
I went with the MSR Guardian for several reasons. It actually purifies the water, it backflushes with each pump meaning you never have to clean the filter and it isn't susceptible to freezing issues. Of course I used two years worth of Christmas Cabelas gift cards to justify the price, but it works great.
 
With 2-3 people, I use a Platypus GravityWorks. It is awesome! And I use the clean water back as a back up bladder when I need to carry more water between dry spots.

I bring a steripen or tablets as a backup.
 
I use the Katadyn Hiker and really like it. My favorite feature is that it fits easily into the mouth of my Nalgenes, so that's one less thing I have to hold while I am pumping. Pretty compact and light, no complaints!
 
Steripens are slick, light weight, and fairly quick (unless youre trying to fill a large camp bladder 1L at a time) but be sure to get the classic and not the adventurer if you consider going this route, and carry a back up filtration like a steripen or tablets. Hunting buddies and I have had the adventurer fail on us a handful of times in the back country and forced to drink tablet purified water for the rest of the trip, which isnt as refreshing in my book. We now no longer use the adventurer.
 
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