I've used water filters in the backcountry for ove...

2008-03-04T17:38:00.000-05:00

I've used water filters in the backcountry for over 10 years and have come to prefer MSR's ceramic cartridge style filter. The only drawback I've found is the need for frequent cleaning when filtering water with a high concentration of fine particles. Otherwise I've been very satisfied with overall filter performance.

That said, I did pick up a steri-pen a few years ago to try it out. I found that it's more compact than the filter, but with four AA batteries it weighs more. It is much quicker and takes less effort to purify water than the hand-pumped filter. However there are two serious drawbacks for back-country use. First, I found it didn't perform reliably at higher altitude on Mt. Rainier. I couldn't get it to function above 8,000 ft in 40 degree temps. Second, there's no guarantee of 100% effectiveness in silty water with suspended fines.

While I'll continue to use my trusty MSR filter for backcountry travel, I haven't gotten rid of the steri-pen. In fact I've taken it with me while travelling in Costa Rica and Baja where it has proved to be very handy.

Comments on watercrunch: ZAP Water Clean Fast!

I've used water filters in the backcountry for ove...