Water Filters

[johnnysneds]

Im in the process of getting some equipment together for touring into neighboring countries and locally within Thailand.
One of the items high on my list is a water filter. Never had one before and already been in a few situations where ive ran out of water!
Ive found a Thai camping website who seem to have a good selection:

MSR SweetWater Purifier System 3,800 Baht

MSR MiniWorks MicroFilter 3,500 Baht

MSR HyperFlow Microfilter 3,800 Baht

Has anyone had any experiences with these or alternatives? How effective are they in the jungle?
I understand filters can remove alot of the essential minerals that our bodies require. Are there additives that can be added to the water after it has been filtered?

 

[KTMphil]

Re: Water Filters

Katadyn (used to be the brand name PUR) have been making water filters for years and have some great personal emergency water filters.

http://www.katadyn.com/en/katadyn-produ ... -produkte/

 

[KTMphil]

The Istraw is a super compact emergency water purifier

http://istraw.co.uk/

another emergency straw that is iodine based is the lifestraw

http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw

for real emergencies these could be quite useful

 

[Midnitemapper]

I vote for this one Katadyn, it is a little big, but it is bulletproof, the only problem I have had with it over the years is the product water nipple, epoxy and hose nipple fixed that. Small pocket versions electronic pens, are toys compared to this model. The 3 liter camelback can be filled in a few minutes with minimum of fus. This baby has been banging around the bottom of panyers for a long time and by all rights should be dead, but still works like a charm! *****
The only others I have used, are r-o liferaft filters that cost $750 this is a bargain.

I try not to think of this as emergency or survival equipment, but use it regularly, along with rehydration salts when its stinkin hot.

 

[johnnysneds]

Just so happend went into the Archery place to pick up my Leatherman and they had in stock the MSR Hyperflow. It's really compact and easy to use. Done a bit of research and it seems to be a good piece of kit. Can't wait to try it out in anger. Picked up a nice LED head light from this place too.

 

[KTMphil]

Great stuff John - look forward to seeing how you like it

Just so happend went into the Archery place to pick up my Leatherman and they had in stock the MSR Hyperflow. It's really compact and easy to use. Done a bit of research and it seems to be a good piece of kit. Can't wait to try it out in anger. Picked up a nice LED head light from this place too.

 

[O'Ren]

Hi guys,
So you'd use these to purify water from rivers and such while touring? I was hoping there would be enough villages around to put your hands on a bottle of mineral water from time to time, is it too unrealistic? Or is the purifier only handy if you ride a lot off road and on unknown trails ?

And what about the tablets ? Are they not easier to use and more importantly smaller to pack ?

 

[KTMphil]

O'Ren

In Thailand you can find bottled water almost everywhere.

In Laos we stopped in several villages that had NO bottled water, they boiled the stream water, none of us got sick from it.

If you're going trail riding in Laos, a water filter is an excellent idea

 

[KTMphil]

John -

Lets test your new MSR Hyperflow water filter with some water out of the moat in Chiang Mai?

I'll take some photo's of you drinking the filtered water from Chiang Mai moat?

 

[johnnysneds]

No problem, im back under my companies International Health Care, :

Lets do it......

 

[KTMphil]

No problem, im back under my companies International Health Care, :

Lets do it......

I'm 10 meters from the moat most of the time... with a clear drinking glass i am intrigued to see the product water quality.

Shame I don't have a product water test meter here (mine's on the yacht). Reverse osmosis desalination water makers realistically get product water down to about 100 parts per million of contamination/ salt.

When I last checked the WHO (world health organization) recommended a maximum contamination level for drinking water of 1,000 parts per million.

 

[alexuk]

maybe we should have a group test
I have one
I can lend you some trousers to strain it through if you dont have one

 

[KTMphil]

Testing Jonny's water filter with Chiang Mai moat water

Testing Jonny's water filter with Chiang Mai moat water

It was water filter test day today, Johnny came with his new MSR water filter, confident of its capabilities and took the challenge to drink Chiang Mai moat water.

With a clear glass and Justin as assistant we made our way down to the moat's edge.



Justin taking a careful look for corn-eyed brown trouts, looks like the coast is clear.



Jonny's filter has a pre-filter on the entry end of the hose to catch bigger debris, which will extend the life of the water filters carbon filter. It looks like the hose end with the pre-filter could do with a weight to keep it below the surface, better to pick up the supply water from lower down as oil and contaminates will be far greater at the surface (oil etc...)



Product water looked pretty clear, it had rained pretty hard the night before in Chiang Mai, so it would have been new water in the moat.





Here we go our first sampler



Second sampler



First sampler not looking too good




Results

Product water was extremely clear, both samplers said there was a strange taste. This could be that the unit was brand new, water filters ive used in the past often need to be used for a while to lose their odor (or it could be that 400 Thai guys took a piss in the moat last night).

 

[Steve Canyon]

It's a shame that Justin died whilst testing it...

Great to see the lengths RA will go to test the equipment...

 

[johnnysneds]

Hospitilised already

 

[Steve Canyon]

At least your alive.......

 

[Midnitemapper]

Hard work in Laos, Chris, master at manhandleing heavy bikes, works up a thirst..
Chris Stokes, rides all 3 bikes up this steep,muddy terrain!
Thanks, I owe you a beer Lao!




Meanwhile I am happy to take pictures and demonstrate how to fill up the camelback, :

 

[KTMphil]

I hope Kenny (Chris's dad) is still alive?

 

[Midnitemapper]

The other ingredient, Royal D,

 

[KTMphil]

This is the store in Chiang mai where you can buy brand name outdoor gear such as MSR waterfilters, leatherman multi tools, coleman camping gear. I also noticed they have the sea to summit dry bags which are ultra thin and great quality.

http://www.chiangmaiarchery.com/Chiangm ... chery.html

Directions: from Airport plaza, Chiang Mai, head north towards Chiang Mai moat (Bunrueang road), just before the SW corner of the moat, turn left for Star Dome golf driving range. As you pull into Star Dome the Archery shop is to your left (south).

 

[KTMphil]

This "Katadyn Pocket" water filter looks good quality, lifetime guarantee. I think it's interesting because there's no plastic components on it, with trail riding there's often lots of falls, so the plastic models could get broken easily.

http://www.amazon.com/Katadyn-8013618-P ... B0007U00YE

Video in use here

If you're filling a camel back, its a good idea to connect the water filters product water hose to your drinking hose on the camel back (pull off the "bite" mouth piece and connect the two hoses) and you don't even have to take off your camel back rucksack / backpack to refill your water bladder.

 

[BobS]

I had the original version of the Katydyne Pocket Filter for years. Worked fine, good water quality.

The drawback on the earlier model was that there was a spout where the clean water came out, and it could not be connected to a water bottle or bladder. You had to be pumping and aiming at the same time. This model corrects that.

Before you gasp at the $300 price tag, remember that it is good for 50,000 litres. The MSR Hyperfow is $100 for 1000 litres. The Katydyn Hiker is $65 for 800 litres. (prices from Amazon)

 

[KTMphil]

I had the original version of the Katydyne Pocket Filter for years. Worked fine, good water quality.

The drawback on the earlier model was that there was a spout where the clean water came out, and it could not be connected to a water bottle or bladder. You had to be pumping and aiming at the same time. This model corrects that.

Before you gasp at the $300 price tag, remember that it is good for 50,000 litres. The MSR Hyperfow is $100 for 1000 litres. The Katydyn Hiker is $65 for 800 litres. (prices from Amazon)

Bob - tried to buy the Katydyne Pocket Filter seems everywhere is out of stock!

 

[BobS]

Amazon shows it in stock, but will only ship to a USA address. Know any mules coming soon?

BTW, a good trick with that filter is to carry an old toothbrush in the kit. The ceramic element must be cleaned when flow drops off, and items in the kit for cleaning are abrasive enough to remove some ceramic. You also get a little test gauge to see when too much of the ceramic is gone to guarantee pure water.

I found that using a softer brush first will usually do the job without removing much of the element. Most of the time it was just a layer of fine silt on the element, and a gentle cleaning did the trick.

 

[KTMphil]

Amazon shows it in stock, but will only ship to a USA address. Know any mules coming soon?

BTW, a good trick with that filter is to carry an old toothbrush in the kit. The ceramic element must be cleaned when flow drops off, and items in the kit for cleaning are abrasive enough to remove some ceramic. You also get a little test gauge to see when too much of the ceramic is gone to guarantee pure water.

I found that using a softer brush first will usually do the job without removing much of the element. Most of the time it was just a layer of fine silt on the element, and a gentle cleaning did the trick.

Good tip the toothbrush idea. I'll give amazon a shot, thanks Bob.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Gents are these available of the shelf in Thailand??

 

[KTMphil]

Chris-

The Chiang Mai Archery shop (western side of the moat square) does stock them for 3,800 Bht .(looks bulky and awkward?)... link below:

http://www.thailandoutdoor.com/OutdoorS ... ation.html


Jonny, Justin & I all have the "MSR HyperFlow Microfilter" pictured below, same price 3,800 bht (available from the same place).

Review of the "MSR HyperFlow Microfilter" in the below link:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... d_id=13957

Taking water from streams while dirt trail riding, this carbon filter seems adequate filtration, if you're still unsure you can add some iodine which will kill any gardia.

 

[Steve Canyon]

Mixed reviews.......

I'll check out some more...

 

[Steve Canyon]

Been hunting around for a bit and managed to find one of these for 65 quid...

The reviews look good... :RO

 

[KTMphil]

Chris - looks the same as the model MidnightMapper uses - he love's it

 

[Lightemup]

Ready to take the step away from a filter system?
H2gO: Quest to Create the Best Personal Water Purifier - h2go | Indiegogo

 

[Captain_Slash]

An interesting find Keld

 

[KTMphil]

Ready to take the step away from a filter system?
H2gO: Quest to Create the Best Personal Water Purifier - h2go | Indiegogo

I don't get it? This isn't a filter at all, it creates a disinfectant using salt and water by electrolysis to add to potentially contaminated water. So no filtration of foreign bodies. Why not just add a couple of drops of iodine to collected stream water (LifeStraw style) and that will kill any gardia. A few drops of iodine each day added to water won't harm you.

LifeStraw below:

 

[bsacbob]

So basically your drinking clean water but still have all the bugs and other shit floating around in it right ?

 

[KTMphil]

So basically your drinking clean water but still have all the bugs and other shit floating around in it right ?

You got it.

 

[brake034]

Here is an interesting blog about this topic: LIGHT & ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING: Lightweight Water Treatment Options
What about using Micropur tablets, stand for two hour and then use the Lifestraw to filter out the "floating shit"?

 

[lakota]

when you need a drink, you need a drink, can't wait 2 hours for the tablets to take effect. so your drinking out of a stream if your lucky and risking a stomach bug or worse but if the waters from elsewhere I can't imagine drinking it. thats where the filter comes in.
I carry a filter, can't recall the name, It has a plastic/charcoal filter, less effective than the ceramic and less expensive, but the last stage adds a bit of Iodine, designed to fit on the top of those british army pattern , black plastic water bottles. It's very small and lightweight and I would only use it in emergency's. had it for years and only used it a few times.

 

[KTMphil]

This is the concern - below is a photo of Ban Hua Nea in the Salaween National park. This village is quite a way upstream (most people wouldn't even know its there), if you were say 10km south this would look like a lovely drinking water stream. On the edge of this river bank, just in this small area there are probably 10 bamboo shack toilets. They are specifically in this location (on the side of the river bank) so that all the liquid effluent from the toilet waste gets washed away from the village, draining down through the river bank into the river. Now, no filter pump and iodine drinking from this down stream you could get sick.

 

[lakota]

This is my Filter, don't know if they still make it.

PWP Trekker

 

[lakota]

I wouldn't drink from any stream here. Did in my youth. Don't know if there's a dead animal 100 yards up stream, and we all know how the Thais like there pesticides and chemicals. thats why I carry the Filter but only for emergency, best carry in your water . if your staying there overnight then you've chance to boil it.