Water Treatment/Purification/Filtration

[thunderchicken21]

What system are you guys using? Recently purchased a Platypus Gravityworks 2L kit...will this be big enough or should I have went with the 4L?

Should I get a separate clean water bladder to carry in my pack or just use the clean 2L bladder that comes with the kit?

Looking for recommendations as this is my first Elk hunt.

 

[ChrisS]

How many people are you filtering for?

I have a 2L and it works well for 2-3 people at a go if you have time. I don't know if the filter is any bigger. I suspect it's the same - just a bigger clean & dirty bag.

 

[thunderchicken21]

How many people are you filtering for?

I have a 2L and it works well for 2-3 people at a go if you have time. I don't know if the filter is any bigger. I suspect it's the same - just a bigger clean & dirty bag.

It will be for 3 of us...although I think at least one of the other guys also has a filter system. Do you think the clean bag is big enough for a bladder to carry my clean water in or would you get a larger bag system for that?

 

[michaelc10]

That should work fine you can filter it pretty quick and then pour it in there bottles or bags , i love the gravity system over anything on the market

 

[BroodBuster]

It all depends on how accessible your water source is. If there are springs bubbling out of the ground at every turn then yea 2L is fine but if you have to drop 1000' (or climb 1000') to get to water then no that's not nearly enough.

I carry a 3L and a 2L and an Gatorade bottle just for me. I use the tabs which takes 4 hours so there are times when I'm doubled up with 5L, one clean and the other in the process of being cleaned. I plan for 3L a day and am typically never very far from good clean water.

So is 2L enough? Yes if you're basecamping next to water and restocking each day. No if you're on the move and would rather hunt than go refill the water bladder.

One thing to keep in mind with elk. We need to plan for the unexpected. It's very easy to walk out of camp with 2L in the pack thinking I'm just going to go and glass from that nearby ridge for a few hours. Well you get to the ridgetop just in time to see a herd of elk moving to the next ridge. Now your simple afternoon hike has become an epic hunt. Even when I pull off to the side of the road to glass for a few minutes I prepare like I wont see my truck for two or three days. Elk have a way of ****ing with us .

I once left my truck running in the middle of a logging road with the door open to 'pop my head over a berm for a quick look see." Of course there was a herd of elk about 200 yards off. I chased them till dark and finally got back to my truck about 2 hours after dark. Luckily someone just moved my truck off to the side of the road without stealing anything. No water, no pack no food just my bow and release. I didn't get lucky on elk that night but I did get lucky everything was still in my truck when I got back.

Now I don't even go take a poop without everything I've got on my back!

 

[Schleppy]

Whatever you do, bring a backup. Some tablets or a small sawyer squeeze type filter. Last year all the rain clogged up the streams with silt and jammed up my katydyn fliter. my buddy had the Sawyer and we used that all week for two guys. it was a pain because it took a long time but it saved out hunt.

 

[GotDraw?]

SLICK FILTRATION TIP HERE!!

I use a 4L Sawyer Gravity system, our group is 2-4 hunters. We love this thing. Even if it was just me, I would use the 4L and use the clean bag as my hydration bag. Quick connects will allow you to leave the hydration bag in your backpack and fill it directly from the dirty bag.

Here's my *MAJOR* recommendation for ANY gravity filter-- pre-filter your water. This will keep your filter from getting fouled, even clear water has plenty of debris in it and if you are forced to drink from a really silt laden source this will device will pay for itself at once. Fouled filter can = ruined hunt.

The perfect, cheap ($12), light (2.1 oz), reuseable solution: Go on Ebay and search for: Industrial Diesel Filter Bag

Your will find a listing from seller, "dudadiesel", select the following drop downs:

Bag type- choose "Nylon Monofilament" these bags dry instantly and hold no water when you're done. Felt bags take forever to dry.
Size- choose 7"x16"
Micron- choose 10 micron

Use the bag by stuffing it into your dirty water bag, the large lip ring on the bag will remain outside your dirty bag. Then pour in dirty water to fill your bag. Once full, pull the pre-filter out, turn it inside out and give it shake. All the debris will fall out and *viola* you're good to go for the next time!

(note- I am not affiliated with, nor do I know dudadiesel).

Cheers!

JL

 

[GotDraw?]

Clarification RE Pre-filtration-

I forgot to mention that the 10 micron filter bag folds pancake flat and takes almost no backpack space.

JL

 

[GotDraw?]

SLICK FILTRATION TIP HERE!!

I use a 4L Sawyer Gravity system, our group is 2-4 hunters. We love this thing. Even if it was just me, I would use the 4L and use the clean bag as my hydration bag. Quick connects will allow you to leave the hydration bag in your backpack and fill it directly from the dirty bag.

Here's my *MAJOR* recommendation for ANY gravity filter-- pre-filter your water. This will keep your filter from getting fouled, even clear water has plenty of debris in it and if you are forced to drink from a really silt laden source this will device will pay for itself at once. Fouled filter can = ruined hunt.

The perfect, cheap ($12), light (2.1 oz), reuseable solution: Go on Ebay and search for: Industrial Diesel Filter Bag

Your will find a listing from seller, "dudadiesel", select the following drop downs:

Bag type- choose "Nylon Monofilament" these bags dry instantly and hold no water when you're done. Felt bags take forever to dry.
Size- choose 7"x16"
Micron- choose 10 micron

Use the bag by stuffing it into your dirty water bag, the large lip ring on the bag will remain outside your dirty bag. Then pour in dirty water to fill your bag. Once full, pull the pre-filter out, turn it inside out and give it shake. All the debris will fall out and *viola* you're good to go for the next time!

(note- I am not affiliated with, nor do I know dudadiesel).

Cheers!

JL

 

[beachbunny]

thanks for the tip got!

 

[ktowncamo]

Wish I would have seen that tip before last week's backpacking trip when my Katadyn Gravity filter crapped the bed after the first night of filtering lake water in the Uintas. Sure I got about 5 gallons out of it (group of 11) but boy I was grateful we had two pump filters in the group. Headed to eBay now.

I've used the Platypus and the Katadyn and prefer the Katadyn for backcountry use. I did take a separate MSR Dromendary bag (kinda heavy but BOMB proof) but it's not needed if you're shaving weight.

The Kadadyn Hiker Pro is a no brainer that I've used for nearly 10 years without issues.

 

[ndbuck09]

Sick Tip!!!!

 

[oldillini]

Going to jump in here, looking for opinions and thoughts by those much more experienced than I.

1st elk hunt in October. After my hunting group fizzled due to major illness I hooked up with an outfitter for guided, base camp trip. They indicate that there will be drinking water in base camp. Would you feel comfortable with their claim or be prepared to "treat" the water anyway? Tablets? Filter?

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[ahlgringo]

Going to jump in here, looking for opinions and thoughts by those much more experienced than I.

1st elk hunt in October. After my hunting group fizzled due to major illness I hooked up with an outfitter for guided, base camp trip. They indicate that there will be drinking water in base camp. Would you feel comfortable with their claim or be prepared to "treat" the water anyway? Tablets? Filter?

Any thoughts appreciated.

I would likely believe their claims that there will be clean water at base camp- This is pretty normal. That being said- I would never be out on my own without some way of purifying water on me. I have in recent years gone minimalist and just carry aquamira tabs plus or minus my steri-pen. Also carry a bandana for filtering but am going to try one of those diesel filter bags this year. hope that helps

 

[power54]

I use a steriPEN, which is bit more weight but I don't have to worry about it freezing. The obvious limitation would be really silty water but I've never had a problem finding clear enough water. I've been thinking about a Sawyer system but they say to replace if they freeze which doesn't seem very practical. I'd be interested to hear what others say about using filters that have froze.

 

[Donny Land]

My buddy and i both have Katadyn Vario filters, we also have a 2.5 gallon storage jug each, that we fill up every about every 3rd day and leave in camp, i carry a 24 oz water bottle on the outside of my pack and a 48 oz Nalgene Canteen inside my pack, so 72 oz of water a day. We do camp right next to a clear flowing creek, so clean water is really not an issue for us.

 

[HOOSIERGRIZZ]

I'm buying my first water system abd have been reading all these posts. I am caught between filtering and UV. Leaning toward filtering except I am leary of freezing. It WILL be below freezing every night on my hunts. For those of you using filters, how do you protect your filters from freezing? Or do you just go with another method when it's cold?

 

[trophyhill]

Another Katadyn Hiker Pro fan here. Pretty much bomb proof. Haven't used it in freezing whether though.

 

[Scottiem]

I just use chlorine dioxide pills. :30mins kills everything in NA. Tastes like city tap water to me. http://www.amazon.com/Potable-Aqua-Chlorine-Dioxide-Tablets/dp/B0023FDQ2O

 

[Mick]

I have used Aqua Mira drops and have never had a problem. Just wondering if anyone had any issues with aqua mira.
I have used a pump type filter and never really liked it.