Katadyn Hiker Microfilter Water Filter

As configured, my Sawyer system weighed 5.2 oz. My Katadyn Hiker weighs 14.3 oz. Let me tell you which one stayed in my pack.The Katadyn Hiker adapts directly onto a Nalgene, Hydrapak collapsible bottle, and the MSR Dromedary/Dromlite bags. If it's got a wide mouth top, this can fit. It can also plug into CamelBaks. It has a pre-filter for all the gunk, a floater so you don't have your in like stuck in the sediment of the water, and it pumps up a 4 liter bag pretty quick. 3.5-4 minutes of pumping.The Sawyer is light. It filters slowly, requires a dirty container and clean container, and is more hassle than the weight savings are worth.

This filter is light, cheap, durable, and pumps water quickly. However, the cost and refquency that of replacement filters makes the pump useless. The filters only lasts about 4 days of regular use. The replacement filters cost about $50 which is what I paid for it in the first place. Once the filer is clogged it is impossible to clean and back flushing does not really help. Furthermore, once clogged it does not allow you to pump water through the filter by way of a pressure release valve or something.I was very disappointing by this because with a new filter this pump is amazing.

Admittedly, I am comparing this filter to my alternative and backup which is the Sawyer Mini water filter. My ratings in size, weight, functionality, etc are based in this bias. The Katadyn filter does a great job filtering water, it takes care of anything bad I will ever encounter on my trips in North America, and I am sure it would be fine anywhere in the world, trusting the manufacturer. The size and weight are acceptable. Any bigger and it wouldn't work for my preference. It is fairly easier to use, however I did have some problems with the filter getting clogged. I had to filter some pretty murky water on a mountain, and clogged it pretty bad. I cleaned it per manufacturers instructions, and rinsed it in a light bleach dilute for long term storage. Took care of it, but I have been slightly dissapoined to have to have field cleaned it twice on separate trips since then, which is easy enough to do as the filter screws out of the pump, but still, as I have been careful to use the cleanest water possible and prefilter with a bandana, that it seems to have been pumping more difficultly. Water tastes pretty good after filtering however, so four stars for that. Overall, probably works pretty good comparatively. Haven't had the clog problem with my Sawyer (yet) however. Finally, and the main disappointment the prompted my review, is that the handle broke on my recent two week backpacking trip. I was still able to use the filter, using my multitool needle nose pliers, but it was difficult. I was pretty bumbed to have this happen, so I would appreciate it if the manufacturer could perhaps engineer the handles better so that this problem wouldn't happen again, where the palm grip of the handle cracks off clean at the top of the pump shaft. Overall, three stars for a decent filter, but not thrilled about the durability with extended use.

First off, the product arrived as promised. Let me put this into perspective, I ordered the Katadyn Hiker Micro-Filter to have in Miami just before hurricane Irma hit. The Boy Scout Motto is, "Be Prepared", and I was ready to have drinking water! The good news was I did not need that Katadyn Hiker Micro-Filter after hurricane Irma hit, thank goodness, but I was able to use the product while camping in the Everglades. It was very easy to use, and the instructions were to-the-point. It filters one liter (just over a quart) of water a minute, without much effort. It is lightweight and very easy to pack.When you need water, you need it to be safe. The Katadyn Hiker Micro-filter DOES THE JOB!

I have the old Pur and this New Kat (virtually the same). Sediment will kill your filter fast. You can carefully back-flow from a kitchen sink to clean and rejuvenate the filter but out in the bush the only way is to have two of them. Take the output from one and pop off the pre-filter and attach it to the output of the other filter, unscrew the filter but leave in the cylinder so it doesn't burst. Of course you need to pump pure water into it. After it has compressed to its normal size, take it out and get the silt out and repeat. I do about a liter to get it back to perfect. Screw the filter back in and now use it to rejuvenate the other filter the same way! A stearns water sack, Iodine and de-sediment tabs are good to have along too. Five stars if you could back flow without a second filter.

A 72 mile canoeing trip in the middle of BC Canada made having this essential. And it worked wonders. We never had issues and filtered about 10 gallons a day without any problem. Put a coffee filter over pre-filter if the water source is not so good. I didn't use one but we were filtering out of the best water in North America. It is small and easy to store. When it is not in use for a long period of time make sure you run some diluted bleach water through it before storing (instructions included explain more).

We took this on a two day hike through the Zion Narrows and it was wonderful! In the Narrows, there is no source of water other than the river that you are wading through. The Katadyn was able to to purify water for our group of 11 people. We were able to use the pump to fill water bottles and hydration packs. It took some time and we traded off to keep any one person from getting too tired, but I was very pleased with the speed of the the water flow. We found that the water was cool and fresh and tasted great. The best part was that no one experienced any ill effects from drinking water that was originally loaded with all kinds of fun friends!

Este filtro es de los mas sencillos de usar, simplemente se coloca en el cuerpo de agua de donde se filtrará, se ajusta el flotador y se bombea manualmente. Es rápido pues filtra aproximadamente 1 litro por minuto. También es facil de limpiar. A diferencia de otros filtros de campismo que pudieras ser mas ligeros como el Mini Sawyer que también he probado, con el Katadyn no tendrás que ejercer presion sobre una bolsa de plástico para filtrar el agua lo cual resulta cansado o (como en mi caso) provoca la ruptura de la bolsa. Es verdad que es mas grande que el Mini Sawyer pero en mi opinión prefiero cargar algo un poco mas voluminoso pero contar con una herramienta que se que no me fallará, particularmente en un aspecto tan importante como la potabilización de agua.

Works really well now a important piece of my outdoor gear ! remove all the odd tastes a really good system.Also filter water pretty fast compared to the straw model! also the ability to fill up bottle is a must!

Worked really well . I was on a five day backpacking trip it is light weight and worked great even in shallow water sources.I was with a friend he had a different system that used a straw and a water capture bag and we ended up just using My Katadyn Because his system didn't work in shallow water sources. Very Happy With This Unit.

This is one of the great filters out there. pumps smooth and close to a litre a minute. fits good in my pack and not too bulky. definitely recommend.

Works amazingly and fits in a pack easily