Converting Katadyn filter to gravity filter

[Just Jeff]

So I just bought all the stuff to make the waterbag gravity filter where you cut the top off the polyethylene nalgene and use it to hold the Katadyn filter...but now I can't find the directions. I'm a fool b/c I know I've seen it either on BPL or whiteblaze...but even googling at those sites doesn't turn it up! Does anyone remember where it is?

I also got a SmartTube from Gander Mountain that has a drinking tube you stick into any bottle and the vented cap seals. You're supposed to drink from the tube but I'm gonna use it to connect my gravity filter to the bottles so I don't have to balance them on the ground. $10 and it comes with three cap sizes - two for commercial water bottles and one for wide-mouth Nalgenes.

[te-wa]

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...thread_id=8994

i did mine slightly differently, whereas I cut the first thread off the filter cartridge (and the finger-tightening tabs too) to allow it to slip into the nalgene mouth from inside the bag. This allows you to drill a 3/8 hole into the nalgene lid, instead of the razor-knife-risk as seen in the photos.
Im going to re-do mine and replace the silnylon with spinnaker so there are no leaks. The sil is starting to bead thru and leak.
plus, this guy paid $51!!
filter on sale at Moosejaw: $25
nalgene bottle at Goodwill: $1
hose scrounged from an old filter
sil scrap lying around
some cord and a mini carabiner $2
half the price! yippee

[headchange4u]

You may also wanna check out this thread. Therein lies pictures of the one I made as well as some other examples made by other folks.. Works very well.

[Just Jeff]

Yep - those are exactly the ones I'm talking about. Thanks guys...don't know why I couldn't find it!

[tight-wad]

I made one following these patterns, but water would bead outside the sil if you had more than a little bit in it. I spent a lot of time fooling with it and was never satisfied.

What I do now: I have a 3 liter collapsable Nalgene that I use for hauling water from remote places back to camp (one trip to the watering hole and I'm good for the evening and usually tanked up for the morrow), and as an extra tank for the long dry marches. I've done this for years. For for the longest time I would stick my filter inlet into the nalgene, stretch out on a shelter floor, and pump (beats squatting in the mud and dirt while pumping). Now, I stretch out on the shelter floor and let gravity do all the work.

For ounces to grams folk the Nalgene (2.7 oz) weighs a little more than the sil and hanging ropes, but man... is it easier, and definitely more reliable.

[slowhike]

So tightwad, are you putting the katadin filter into the mouth of the collapsible nalgen?

[Lorethian]

I would like to make one of these also. Any chance you could put directions how you do it with the collapsible bottle?

[fin]

JJ, et al, if the threads were tagged, they would be easier to find.

I added some tags to this thread and a companion thread. Please consider adding tags to messages when replying to messages, or when someone finds them for you.

[hangnout]

You may have to remove small tabs inside the neck then just push the katadyn hiker filter into the neck. You can use the lube that came with the filter on the oring. You would have to remove the filter each time to put the water in. Doing this with the collapsible may not flow water as quick as the bag especially with small amounts of water due to bag being sealed. It would be like pouring a gas can without using the air hole. Goes faster with the air hole open.

I cut the neck off an older nalgene collapsible to make my gravity filter and I followed the steps above to make it work and used it with a bag to hold the water

[Just Jeff]

Those of you who use cuben - any leakage or beading thru the fabric?

I've got everything cut down. I left the outer ring around the nipple for protection...I might save a fraction of an ounce if I trimmed just a bit more off the filter but I think I'm good. The bottleneck and cap are on the filter...just gotta sew the sil or buy the bag. Or maybe wait for some cuben... But it looks ok so far.

That SmartTube had two caps that looked like they would fit a normal-sized water bottle. Nope. At least not the water bottles in my garage. I'll have to get another brand of water from the gas station tomorrow to see if it'll work. I wish they had a cap to fit the 1L wide-mouth water bottles b/c that's what I like to carry. Maybe I can make one...the air valve is just a hole and you move the gasket from cap to cap, but where the tube goes thru is molded into the cap. Maybe I could just seal it and be good?

I'll post pics when I get it done. Already have some things in mind for next time...