I've been looking for a reliable small filter that would double up as an outdoor filter and an emergency filter at the house. I've settled down for Katadyn pocket or microfilter due to good reviews it has received. Katadyn claim the cartridge can filter about 13 thousand gallons of water. Pretty impressive. It's also sturdy. Do any of you guys have any experience with it? Does it clog up easily? etc... Would you recommend something else?

I have the Katadyn pocket filter. I've had it for a year now but haven't field tested it, we tried it with tap water to prep it (it was really bad tap water, fishy smelling and not good in southern Ill), and it works pretty good, hopefully soon we'll try it out in the field and let you know. Shop around for a good deal, the price varies 50 bucks up and down from place to place.

i use a katayden hiker pro in the woods a lot
i like it well enough

Glad to hear it has worked for ya. Everytime I'm in the city I buy bottled water cause I cant stand the tap filth with chlorine. Btw, what material is the pocket katadyn made of? The other cheaper ones are made of plastic. I can get the pocket microfilter for $160 new and shpping included. Not a bad deal considering they go for around $200.

that's what I got it for greens (good deal and then it went up the next week!), it is ceramic (filter) inside surrounded by metal (aluminum or steel).

+1

I use it exclusively. While the ceramic filters are great I would sure as hell crack the element. Its the law of my universe.

Hound

+1 on the Katadyn Hiker Pro. Keep in mind the 13,000 gallon estimate is under ideal conditions. If you're putting cloudy water through it you can cut that down some. If you're putting muddy water through it you can cut that down alot. If the water you're filtering isn't clear and it is at all possible strain it until it is.

+2 on Hiker Pro. They were originally made by PUR until Katadyn bought them out. Design hasn't changed in nearly a decade. Tried highly touted ceramics and had the same problems as SAR - cracked elements (and worse, low flow even after low volume under near ideal conditions in the Sierra). I never hike without the Hiker Pro in my pack and it has never failed me.

I got myself the Pocket filter. It's sweet. Seems very tough. Didn't get a chance to use it yet tho. I considred other ones but didn't like the plastic housing and I've heard of the handles breaking off. Now, I just need the survival straw for my survival kit.

A little tip which is incredible for the hiker owners.

I was told this about 3 yrs ago and it is amazing.

Wrap a coffee filter around the acorn prefilter and secure it with a ruber band and pump away. Its insane how much the coffee filter will keep out of your filter prolonging its life many times over.

I keep a bunch of bands and filters in my filter stuff bag.

Give er a try.

Hound

SARhound, I've heard about the coffee filter use before but never tried it. Thanks for the reminder.

Great tip, SAR. Thanks! Reminds me that I need to work on a way to keep my float from sliding on the acorn filter. It is pretty critical to keep the intake at the right place in the water column with any filter and mine has become loose with age.