quote redoleary: "I made my own gravity filter system, using a sil dry sack and tubing and a sawyer filter, anyway, I'll never go back to a pump, it just too nice to have the gravity system."

quote redoleary: "I'l.l try to get some photos up later, but just melt a hole the appropriate size in the bottom of the bag. I found a tiny nalgene bottle with the same thread as the cap with a hose comming out as a platty bottle, cut down the bottle so its just threads and put inside the bag and screw the cap/hose adaper on from outside, connect filter, in line and put one of those squeezy things on it for an on/off valve. It will be more clear with pix."

quote WoodPaddle: "I am debating if I want to go with Do it yourself or purchased but leaning towards purchase.
I stopped by REI to take a look at the models available. The sales person was hot on the Sawyer system indicating it is more durable than the Katadyn. They also liked the back flushing capability to clean it even in the field. The Sawyer is more expensive but I am not sure if this is an indication that it is better.
I am going to check with Midwest Mountaineering as well.
"

quote bees: "i used my new 4 liter sawyer complete water treatment system for the first time this last weekend on elbow lake near tofte. i can't compare it to other water treatment systems since i've never used one before but i couldn't be happier with this unit. it's so simple to use and all components are color coded to lessen the risk of cross-contamination. it took a little less than 10 minutes to filter 4 liters. the bags are like msr dromedary bags and pack fairly small even with the tube(s) and filter. i like how you can backwash the filter without any special attachments but i haven't had the need to do that yet. the filter itself is made by "crc" in minneapolis (says right on the filter) and is guaranteed for 1 million gallons. i intend to test that guarantee and i will post on here when i get to 1 million gallons but i'm only at a little over 3 gallons so i'll have to make a few more trips. i got it here: moontrail. "

quote WoodPaddle: "I am debating if I want to go with Do it yourself or purchased but leaning towards purchase.
I stopped by REI to take a look at the models available. The sales person was hot on the Sawyer system indicating it is more durable than the Katadyn. They also liked the back flushing capability to clean it even in the field. The Sawyer is more expensive but I am not sure if this is an indication that it is better.
I am going to check with Midwest Mountaineering as well.
"

quote WoodPaddle: "I am debating if I want to go with Do it yourself or purchased but leaning towards purchase.
I stopped by REI to take a look at the models available. The sales person was hot on the Sawyer system indicating it is more durable than the Katadyn. They also liked the back flushing capability to clean it even in the field. The Sawyer is more expensive but I am not sure if this is an indication that it is better.
I am going to check with Midwest Mountaineering as well.
"

quote Amok: "

quote WoodPaddle: "I am debating if I want to go with Do it yourself or purchased but leaning towards purchase.
I stopped by REI to take a look at the models available. The sales person was hot on the Sawyer system indicating it is more durable than the Katadyn. They also liked the back flushing capability to clean it even in the field. The Sawyer is more expensive but I am not sure if this is an indication that it is better.
I am going to check with Midwest Mountaineering as well.
"

That's interesting. I thought that Katadyn bought out Sawyer a few years back ..."

quote Cedarboy: "Found what I was looking for. You are right makes no since to pay an extra $100 for tubes and dry bags. I have plenty of that laying around. Time for a project.
CB"

quote sonlightdave: "I used the Katadyn system (in Boundary Waters)as directed but only got about 1 1/2 bags filtered before the think slowed to a drip....filtered perhaps 1 1/2 gallons per day. I'm giving Katadyn a chance to reply to my inquiries before going further with my opinion on this system."

quote Cedarboy: "jb in the wild
Where do you get the filter for only $45 ?
CB"

quote sterngirl: "If anyone has a picture (or takes a picture) of a coffee filter around the filter, I'd love to see how that looks so I can try it in a few weeks. Thanks."

quote sterngirl: "


Sterngirl - It doesn't go around the filter itself, but around the intake that goes in the water. Just hold it on with a rubber band, twist tie, etc."

quote bobby726: "My first big bwca.com tip.


If you're planning on using the Katdyn base camp filter, bring a back up.


I bought one brand new, tested it at home. Awesome! Took it to the BWCA, day one, awesome, day two, not so awesome. It clogged an stopped filtering completely. Good thing I brought a backup hand filter or we would have been SOL. Many people have had this same issue. I contacted the company and they told me they here a lot of this from people in the bwca during certain times of the year. Here is their quote from my email to them.


"We can almost judge the timing of the algae bloom in the BWCA by the rate of calls on BaseCamps getting jammed up. Nearly every year there is a period where red algae blooms up there and plays havoc with any water filter"


Now, to their credit, they are replacing by basecamper with a hand filter at no charge (I just sent it to them yesterday). I'm not saying don't buy it because when it works, it works great. Just have a backup in case it clogs.


Also, in Katdyn defense, I have talked to the VP about this issue and they have been more than helpful. "

quote WoodPaddle: "I am wondering if the design of the Sawyer’s use of hollow fiber membrane as a filter may give it a lot more of surface area so it reduces clogging. The negative is that the Sawyer system, unlike the Base Camp, does not use a second carbon filter so the taste of the water can be a little less appealing."

quote boonie: "Is it just my imagination or...? It seems like the clogging and being unable to fix that in the field is more of a problem with the Katadyn than the Sawyer or Platypus. Is it because they can be backflushed and Katadyn can't?"

quote myceliaman: "I have a Katdyn base camp filter and I'm sold 100%. I will never have to pump water again. If your in the market for a filter buy the gravity filter why on earth would you want to pump water when you can let gravity "nature" do it for you."

quote ClarkPeters: "Boji- Be sure to take an alternative water treatment. "

quote Koda: "I can't help but wonder what conditions Katadyn designed their filter for if they blame tannins and algae for poor performance."

quote bojibob: "Update to my previous post.


I did some searching on the web and found filter sheets that are used to filter diesel fuel and oil.

quote wb4syth: "I replied earlier with bad results from the Katadyn Base.
I used my neighbors Sawyer on my last trip and I will be purchasing one.
While it is not the speediest on the market, it did hold up longer and I was able to backflush at home."

quote J-Stroke: I will be on trail August 3rd through the 9th doing the Moose River Loop. One of the folks in my group has the Katadyne gravity filter system, so we will be able to compare the performance of the two in identical settings over the week. I will post the result when I get back. "

quote boonie: It seems the MSR needed more frequent backflushing as the week wore on, but still worked just as well after? Any idea how much water you filtered through it during the trip?"

quote boonie: "My first BW trip was a loop from Moose River North to LLC to see the pictos and Warrior Hill, over to Pocket Lake and down through Oyster and out. What loop did you do?
"

quote J-Stroke:
MSR gravity filter worked great...I saw the Platypus gravity filter at Piragis - the parts look identical except for the color...same product perhaps (?)

I'm sold on the MSR gravity filter. It rocked."

quote WoodPaddle: "I hate filtering water and am interested in a gravity system, like the Katadyn Base Camp Water Filter. Has anyone had used this type and if so do you have a recommendations.

Product Link "

quote sterngirl: "Bojibob,
How did you keep the "prefilter" attached? Did you end up changing it out every day?
Do you think any of the success is because you went later in the summer, hence around the end of the alleged "red algae bloom?"
Thanks for sharing your results!"

quote Boppa: "I had mentioned on an earlier post, in this thread, that I would inform all if any response was given by Katadyn Headquarters in Switzerland whom I had contacted through the suggestion of Sarah from Katadyn USA.


I received a response from Katadyn Headquarters from Alexander Walentin. He has indicated that a solution exists with the field cleanable Camp Filter #8013637. It is a ceramic filter which is not offered in the USA. It is, I suspect, the ceramic filter that buz mentions in this thread earlier, that he has had success with. Alexander mentions that I should contact Katadyn USA (which I have) to see how this cleanable gravity feed filter can be made available to us here.


For those who have a Katadyn Gravity Feed System it will hopefully offer a solution for the "red algae bloom" that hinder your filters so much. I will post any reply from Katadyn USA when received.
Boppa



"