Another worry about filters - freezing damages a filter that hasn't been dried out thoroughly, and there's no way to dry one out while using it on the trail. I've slept with the gravity filter in my footbox to keep it from freezing, but lately have taken to leaving it full of water instead, since it takes a real long sustained low 20s night to freeze even the surface of water hard, and a gallon and a half of water will stay liquid in usual 3 season cold snaps at elevation. Still have to keep the Hiker Pro in a ziploc in the footbox to avoid those microscopic cracks in the glass fibers.

I think what he wants is what everyone wants - the perfect filter. I'd also like one to remove pesticides in addition to never clogging. Also those chemicals that leech into water sources from old mines. I usually settle for being as informed as possible about water sources and choosing carefully.

So far as breakage... I am a klutz. I use alcohol stoves a lot because I tend to wreck small moving parts in a heartbeat, and a supercat stove is easy to replace. I have the Hiker Pro because it seems the most simple in terms of moving parts, and the more durable of the less expensive filters... have yet to see the housing so much as chip. But I try to be extra cautious with things that may have direct impact on survival or health.