Hello everyone,
I am beginning to plan another trip. My biggest issue in my last trip was water. We brought a gravity filter, a filter straw and water tablets. We used the water tablets once but I did not enjoy the resulting taste in any way. The gravity filter was slow and proved to be a rather tedious task. The survival straw ended up being the easiest and fastest in a pinch method.

Does anyone have any tips on getting water for you and the rest of the group?

Thanks. Happy paddling.

I like the our platypus gravity filter. It does require back flushing after each use and we collect water in a collapsible bucket, let it settle for 10-15 minutes, and then fill dirty water bag. Seems faster than pump. We also do it first thing at arriving and keep it going.

Backpacking I use the Katadyn Micropur tablets and do not notice any taste. I was very surprised since previously - 50 years when I was a Scout - tablets were awful.

Does anyone use a steripen?

Your gravity filter may need cleaned (follow maker's instructions) and needs occasional back flushing in the field. They need to wet out and can be slowed by air in the line. I've never really been in a great hurry for it since I fill and hang it first thing in camp, and by the time I'm done setting up camp there's water. I use a water filter bottle for drinking on the go.

I use a gravity filter and really like it. Dirty water bag is 2 gallons, then hose to an in-line filter made by Sawyer, to another hose with a shut off. Just fill the top bag and do something else. In an hour you have 2 gallons of filtered water. Works great for about 5 gallons then it slows down. Just back flush with the syringe and its good as new. Be sure to have the hose full of water to start with so there is not an air lock.

We use aqua tabs. I don't notice a taste...maybe a slight chlorine-ish taste, but that's what I'm familiar with from my tap water at home, so it's not bad at all.

We fill two of those big 3 or 5 gallon water bladders (not sure how big exactly) and treat it and have clean water for a couple days. I've never felt the need to try out any filter system, the tabs work fine for us.

A lot of people like gravity fed filters. I myself like the first need filter. Check out the gear forum , lots of ideas there

I built a gravity filter system using a Sawyer filter. It needs back-flushing to clean it every 4-5 gallons. Gravity filters sometime get an air bubble in them that will make them appear clogged when they are not clogged. They typically run steady and quick. I hang it in a tree and and every couple of minutes I'll walk over and change water bottles or use a large clean reservoir. I don't trust a Steripen, pumps can break (although that is my back up), boiling is a pain and uses fuel, and I don't like the taste of tabs.

I have a gravity filtration system for in-camp, but this is a handy thing for filling a bottle on-the-go.

PeaceFrog: "Does anyone use a steripen?"

Yes, we have used a steripen for years. We use a Versaflow Hydroblu filter screwed directly onto 2 CNOC bags (no hoses necessary) to do gravity filtering in the evenings. We start out the day with full water bottles. But as we need more water during the day, we use the steripen.

straighthairedcurly: "

PeaceFrog: "Does anyone use a steripen?"

Yes, we have used a steripen for years. We use a Versaflow Hydroblu filter to do gravity filtering in the evenings. We start out the day with full water bottles. But as we need more water during the day, we use the steripen.


"

That is my set-up. Gravity at camp, steripen on the go.

Fresh water is a never ending task in a group camp. Many ways to do it and they all have their downsides.

The tablets are fine as long as you don’t mind looking at all the little critters and things in your water. For me, I just struggle with that.

I tried the gravity filter before but someone in the group has to be the caretaker because as soon as the lazy guy is in charge of getting water and it clogs, he will be out fishing.

The katadyn water pump is my go to filter system. Yup someone has to actually pump water. But you can pump maybe 50 gallons or more through the filter with ease.

Stay thirsty my friends.
Tom

I have a Platypus gravity filter and when it is clean and I filter clean water it runs very smoothly and quickly. When I scoop water from near shore it definitely clogs up faster and needs more back-flushing and slows down, sometimes to a crawl. I also have issues sometimes with air bubbles really slowing it down - again, a back-flush can help push those out and its runs better.

On my last trip it really slowed down because I had to run a fair amount of water with more particulates through it (mostly water from shore due to wind, etc). Once home I probably did 8-10 forward and backward flushes , some with a bit of bleach added, but it eventually started humming again.

It doesn't always work, but I generally keep my dirty water bag accessible in the canoe (underseat bag) - not with the filter in my backpack. When I approach a site and am pretty sure I am going to take it, I stop out in deeper, cleaner water to fill the dirty bag up then land the canoe and unload. If by chance I change my mind I dump the water, paddle to the next site, and fill it up again.

Travel days or fishing - I dip mid lake.

Camp days - I use an old ceramic MSR pump. I seem to need to clean it about two or three days.

For cooking water - I don't filter.

I struggled with clogged filters on my gravity filter for a long time. The key for me (learned from others on this site) is to back flush often with a syringe. I back flush every 2-3 nalgene fills. Make sure you have clean filtered water to do it. It takes me all of 30 seconds each time. It's still a lot easier than pumping to me.

Savage Voyageur: "Be sure to have the hose full of water to start with so there is not an air lock. "

This also...

I will have to try and flush my grav filter several times and give her a test run. I was mostly filtering near shore because of weather conditions so I am sure that had alot to do with it. Thanks for the tips.

I generally get my water from shore, which is probably why I have to back flush more often. I just try to get it from the deepest part I can and don't disturb the bottom.

I made the switch to a platypus gravity filter this year, after using the Katadyn Hiker for over 20 years, and I have no intention of going back to pumping water, especially with more than one person when it is hot outside. Gravity system works great, as long as the laws of gravity are being enforced, just keep the line free of air bubbles and remember to back flush.

ScottL: "I made the switch to a platypus gravity filter this year, after using the Katadyn Hiker for over 20 years, and I have no intention of going back to pumping water, especially with more than one person when it is hot outside. Gravity system works great, as long as the laws of gravity are being enforced, just keep the line free of air bubbles and remember to back flush."

We also have converted from the Hiker to a Platypus gravity filter. Obey gravity--It's the law!

TZ

We use the Katadyn gravity filter with the 2 gallon dirty bag and filter into the 2 gallon coghlan flat jug with a clip to hold the hose in place. I haven't timed it, but it fills pretty quickly. We wrap the filter unit with a basket type coffee filter and rubber band it on each end. Then change the coffee filter daily. The first trip we used the gravity filter without the added prefilter, it clogged up in about 3 days. We haven't had that problem since. The problem we had this last trip is the water gets warm sitting around, especially if the sun moves around to hit it, so we filtered less water more often to have cooler water to drink.

I use a 10L gravity for camp and Steripen for the boat. I have used Steripen exclusively for 12 trips and it is really good. Find a system that works for you and try different things if you're unhappy with what you have previously used. I find that switching the batteries after each use( opposite polarity) stops inadvertent button pushing and extends battery life. I always bring redundancy for water.

ScottL: "I made the switch to a platypus gravity filter this year, after using the Katadyn Hiker for over 20 years, and I have no intention of going back to pumping water, especially with more than one person when it is hot outside. Gravity system works great, as long as the laws of gravity are being enforced, just keep the line free of air bubbles and remember to back flush."

We were the exact same... switched from the Katadyn pump to the platypus. Gamechanger (especially for people like me who have gone ass over teakettle balancing and trying to pump water :D ).

As long a you keep it maintained, it's relatively speedy. Even so, we always keep a couple of Nalgenes full and available, and then let it filter while we've got water in bottles.

I've always used the gravity filter, I've always wrapped double coffee filters around it to keep as much random particulates away from the ceramic filter which does seem to help extend the life a bit. Otherwise "cleaning" it will just score it away until you have to replace it. Otherwise, yea, it takes some patience, but you can filter a lot of water overnight in camp.

4L Platypus Gravity

I have a tote full of pumps, squeeze bags, straws and chemical tabs that i haven't touched for 5 years. Solo or group the 4L performs the task effortlessly.

I have bought a cheap gravity filter on Amazon and not been happy with it. My buddy's Platypus works great though. Not sure if it was a bad trip with pollen and crap in the water, if I had done a poor job cleaning and storing from the year before, or if it was just a cheap setup that didn't allow for good pressure. All I know is that the Platypus works and the cheapo one doesn't.

I also have a pump filter for travel days. Some trips we never use it, but if we are going more than a few portages we are going to need it.

When I'm not dipping I use a Katadyn BeFree .06 L for on the move

I have used a Sawyer Squeeze filter with a 1 liter bag for several years. I have had to replace the squeeze bag once in 6 years. It is very reliable and can be back flushed easily anytime in the field. Very light, easily packed and can be used whenever water is needed while on the trail.

We also use a Sawyer Squeeze with a 64oz dirty bag. On arrival to a site we fill the dirty bag and our water pail. With clean water and a clean filter, we get through 64oz in about 5 min. If you run it while setting up camp it really takes no time at all.

tashit: "I struggled with clogged filters on my gravity filter for a long time. The key for me (learned from others on this site) is to back flush often with a syringe. I back flush every 2-3 nalgene fills. Make sure you have clean filtered water to do it. It takes me all of 30 seconds each time. It's still a lot easier than pumping to me."

This is what I do as well. I back flush everyday at the end of my filtering time.

Personally I don’t like the taste of those iodine tablets, tastes like warm swimming pool water. As far as the steri pen it might work just fine but still leaves the nasties in the water. I don’t want to drink pine pollen, algae, and what ever else is in the water. I will stick with my gravity filter, fill it and walk away.

I use a Sawyer squeeze for drinking while in the canoe and to make Gator Aid at camp. I don't filter cooking or coffee water. When I have a fire I fill my cleaned cooking pot with water and leave it on the fire to heat for morning tooth brushing . If I don't have a fire I put a drop of bleach in the cleaned cooking pot and let it sit overnight, it sterilizes the pot and 95% of the bleach smell and taste is gone. On hot days I dip and drink when away from shore but never when on a creek or river and only in the BWCA.
I bring the water to a boil but that's all, boiling for 5 or 6 minuets is a waste of effort and fuel.

Make sure you backflush your gravity filter and make the hose from the top reservoir to the bottom reservoir as long as possible. The taller the water column, the more flow you get. I setup my water filter with a 5 gal bucket at the top and a 3 gal reservoir on the bottom first thing when I get to camp. By the time camp is setup, we have 3 gallons of water.