[pct-l] water filters

[patti kulesz]

hey y'all...so I'm only getting into this conversation b/c it was requested by an apparent fan..thank you ...thank you very much....LOL

Anyways...there is a pumpless filter by Platypus that I thyink is pretty cool...weighs a little more than you probly want, but it includes to bladders which some will be carrying anyways...so what the heck! right? and Platypus is my favorite brand of bladder b/c it doesn't have that nasty plasticy taste in it like camelback or other brands...
It's called the Clean Stream and pumps 4 liters in 2.5 minutes...seems pretty fast if u ask me. weight is 12 oz...

 http://www.platypushydration.com/product_detail.aspx?ProdID=29&CategoryID=6

on the other hand...the one I will be using is the Katadyn Hiker Pro, which BTW is different than the just the hiker. I use the bladder to drink from with the hose, so I don't have to stop and take it out of my pack and put it back in..etc. So with tha being said....the hiker pro has an adaptor that you put on the hose ur drinking from so when u go to filter the water u don't even have to take ur pack off...u just hook it up to the drinking hose and pump...and wella...clean water in minutes ready to drink right there and then. 

I like filters better than the tabs b/c one can't always find water that is clear and clean. I've been hiking where the water was so full of nasty green stuff that it clogged the filter..it was gross and tasted nasty too...even through the filter...I couldn't even fathom trying to drink it without a filter...yuk!. Another reason is that in some places it is difficult to get water into ur drinking container...with the filter it sucks it up into  the container. And reason # 3 is that u don't have to wait 35-40 minutes if ur really thirsty and drank ur last bit of water five miles ago.

Now...I've been told that people still get sick when using the filter...more so than with the tabs...well then they are not taking care of their filter then or maybe not very clean people to start with. Always wash ur hands after going potty...that should go without being said...hellloooo! secondly if u use a filter it should be dried out every night. Anytime cold water sits, whether in a filter or on a plate in a restaurant, etc...it creates bacteria. Pure science my dear Watson...therefore...DRY OUT UR FILTERS and u won't get sick! It defeats the whole purpose of using it if u open up the cartridge five months later and it's black and full of grunge. Hello bacteria and Giardia...yuk!


ok u happy fans...do I get a round of applause now or what? How bout a free beer somewhere instead...hehehehe

patti

--- On Wed, 2/18/09, Engraving Pros <mail at engravingpros.com> wrote:

From: Engraving Pros <mail at engravingpros.com>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] water filters
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 6:54 AM

Aquamira has a few new options just out for 2009.
http://aquamira.com/
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