Water filtration

[G.L.P.]

My research leads me to believe pumps (shy of the $300, >16oz, Katadyn Pocket) are more prone to breaking. I'm going with the Platypus Gravity system. I started to make the DIY one and realized it's only $30 or so cheaper than the Platypus - and I don't trust myself to make something that'll survive +6 months of constant use on my first go.

that is the main reason i got away form pumps ....they can break
i don't mind waiting for my water ..no moving parts to worry about

[Wags]

caution: i met through hikers 2 years ago who said they went through a particularly cold spell and their gravity filters froze. if you do go that route, understand that there are precautions that have to be put into place...

[R00K]

caution: i met through hikers 2 years ago who said they went through a particularly cold spell and their gravity filters froze. if you do go that route, understand that there are precautions that have to be put into place...

Great point and good advice. Maybe I'll take the 8 oz fuel and pre-heat the water for the first month?

[Silverlion]

Thanks for the input everyone. I should make my decision by tomorrow.

[rip waverly]

i vote for hiker pro. i've never had a failure, so long as the filter is not filthy and overused. that puts pressure on the ingress/egress ports.

**plus.... you can get one of paul's gravity filters and use the katadyn filters in conjunction with it. now you've just created options: gravity and pump.

[Mountain Gout]

Not sure what the issue is with the waiting part.. But with the sawyer it isn't very long at all, it has awesome flow speed.. jmo...

[StumpJumper]

MSR AUTOFLOW ..... is Awesome!

[G.L.P.]

caution: i met through hikers 2 years ago who said they went through a particularly cold spell and their gravity filters froze. if you do go that route, understand that there are precautions that have to be put into place...

that is true for any filter ... even pumps i had a pump freeze on me and crack
it's not just gravity filters it's any filter it can happen to
best thing to do in the winter is keep your filter after first use on your person ...i use to keep mine next to my base layer so my body heat would keep it from freezing.. the reason my pump cracked was i left it in my pack and forgot all about it till the morning... by then it was gone

and the sawyer filters are even worse for winter time use they crack really easy

if your worried about your filter cracking in the winter boil water or use drops ... other then that you need to keep it warm some way after first use

[wildernessquest1]

A Sawyer 4L gravity system just arrived from rei today....dividend purchase.

A friend has used this for the past year and really liked it.

[Barefoot Child]

I second Rip Waverly's suggestion....in fact that is exactly how I'm set up to go. I also have installed the quick disconnects into my water bladder's water tube and I am able to pump or gravity flow directly into my bladder that can stay inside of my backpack...I just choose the way that I am going to go at the time and let the water flow.