[neo1]

the h2o amigo pro gravity water filter rocks.
the best of the best
45 bucks,7.5 oz.no pumping,it is the best filter
aka the best bang for the buckneo

http://www.ula-equipment.com/amigo.htm

 

[Smith]

Does it filter out heavy metals? That's going to be important.

 

[neo1]

Does it filter out heavy metals? That's going to be important.

yes,it has a charcol carbon element in the filterneo

 

[Ammo]

Looks like it would be fairly easy to carry in a pack.
Anyone used one?

 

[DudeZXT]

Most recommend .2 micron minimum ~ what can this filter really do?

Get a viral PURIFIER from Sawyer (I have SP-135) and you won't have to worry about ANY bugs.

 

[psyfertech]

hmm, never heard of it
i still find it fascinating how charcoal from your average fire can filter your water so well
i also watched dirty jobs where they use charcoal to filter jack daniells, and they use jack daniells to start the fire on the untreated shiping crates and then load the carbon into a huge tank and let gravity take effect like you are talking about

 

[Duckman]

I've got 2 PUR Hikers that have been used for over 6000 backpacking miles since the early 90s. Never ever have let me down in anyway(regarding reliability of gardia infections). Fwiw. I've had other filters(MSR and Sweetwaters), but none were as fast and user friendly as the Hikers.

 

[smoke63b]

I've been using a Katadyn Hiker and it seems to be pretty good so far. It pumps fast enough you COULD use it for a camp filter too.

 

[rezarxt]

What about steripens? Do they work well? I was thinking about picking up one.

 

[weepingwillow]

What about steripens? Do they work well? I was thinking about picking up one.

I like my Steripen Adventurer just fine. Was REAL nervous drinking water with it the first time, but I'm fine! :thumb:

 

[Gunny Webb]

Steri pens are the real deal in ultra light. But, they only kill bad things and aren't really a filter. In fairly clean streams they are tip top. In silted or polluted water a filter type water device is still advised.

 

[prprd_1]

MSR water works for me. I have used it all over Central America and the Carribean. If it could only desalinate too in the same size package it would be perfect!

 

[TacomaJPP]

I have the MSR Miniworks. Several of my buddies have it too. We can switch out parts if necessary. It's good to buy similar equipment as friends in your hiking group for this very reason.

 

[JustADude]

How long does it last? Uses? Several years?

 

[TacomaJPP]

How long does it last? Uses? Several years?

The MSR Miniworks should last years and years. It has a ceramic filter. Basically, to clean, you just use some scotchbrite to sand it down, exposing the next layer down. I can't imagine how long a ceramic filter would last, but definitely a long time. Also, I bought an extra filter and o-ring kit too.

 

[cmsu]

I always boil or use micropur tablets. You will never run out of pure water by boiling it!

 

[Duckman]

Boiling is great for food(freeze dried, ramens, etc), but for drinking water its a huge fuel/time waster in a survival situation. Plus, who wants to wait around for the water to cool while out on a hike. And tabs..? No chem taste(tabs) either or waiting for them to take effect(30 minutes?..a good filter will pump a liter in 60 seconds flat. Bam. ..nice clean water). Plus for either, you have to first dip your water out from somewhere deep enough to allow so. Up high in the mtns, many many times theres only a small tiny water source to pull water from. Most filters use a small "acorn" that can be dropped into a small seeping hole the size of a 1" deep ashtray.



As far as lasting, my PUR Hikers element lasted a couple of years of backpacking 30ish times a year back when I backpacked alot, before I felt the need to replace it(of course this depends on how dirty the water is on average that one is pumping). Even then, it first just gets harder and harder to pump over the course of months.

 

[JustADude]

Boiling is great for food(freeze dried, ramens, etc), but for drinking water its a huge fuel/time waster in a survival situation. Plus, who wants to wait around for the water to cool while out on a hike. And tabs..? No chem taste(tabs) either or waiting for them to take effect(30 minutes?..a good filter will pump a liter in 60 seconds flat. Bam. ..nice clean water). Plus for either, you have to first dip your water out from somewhere deep enough to allow so. Up high in the mtns, many many times theres only a small tiny water source to pull water from. Most filters use a small "acorn" that can be dropped into a small seeping hole the size of a 1" deep ashtray.



As far as lasting, my PUR Hikers element lasted a couple of years of backpacking 30ish times a year back when I backpacked alot, before I felt the need to replace it(of course this depends on how dirty the water is on average that one is pumping). Even then, it first just gets harder and harder to pump over the course of months.

So then, if you were made to survive for the rest of your life in the wild, then you would not be able to use this aid.

 

[Duckman]

So then, if you were made to survive for the rest of your life in the wild, then you would not be able to use this aid.

Yes, because I live up in the WNC mtns next to the Smokey Mtn Nat Park, very isolated(about as isolated as one can get east of the Miss River) with a 'gravity fed(no power required)' spring Well system((huge tank hidden up above my place on 10 acres. The other 1000 acres around me is family owned as well. Then its US Forest service land/indian reservation lands around that) thats never gone dry even with the record drought we've had the last few yrs.

Having said that, if I had to "survive for the rest of your life in the wild''..I'd have way more probs/concerns then just the issue of how long my 2 PUR Hiker filters will last(assuming I have no spare elements...5yrs aprox, including backwashing the old filters if used exclusively).

 

[spikegomez]

Boiling the water for drinking is nice but for me it is kinda little harder that filtering... it is because it needs some more time to be ready to drink... it needs to be old for a while... and the taste in not so good....

Refrigerator Water Filters