After hiking all day, I really don't wanna pump water anymore. I am considering gravity filters and am considering either the MSR Autoflow or the Platypus CleanStream. Both are about the same price. Has anyone used either and if so what are your likes and dislikes? I would consider other gravity filters but like the idea of a self contained unit.

I haven't used either but I agee on gravity feed filters.

If your'e not in a hurry, you might also consider:
http://www.ula-equipment.com/amigo.htm

I think that the proprietor is out trekking and will return in December

Tango

I have the Katadyn Base Camp and it works wonderfully. Weight: 12.1 ozs.

I didn't realize the Amigo filtered 1 liter a minute, just hanging and no pumping. Looks like something someone with bladder problems would need though.:)

Now that you mention it I remember someone talking about making mods and using the same ceramic cartrige. Looks like a great price too. Thanks, I'll check it out.

Chaz,
The Platypus one is way too heavy for what it is. I also hate pumping and designed this system which can be configured in gravity mode or with a hydration tube for on the trail. It weighs less that 5 ounces: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSYWoplv_Uo

Excellent video. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

Jason, I think your lightweight, cost effective gravity filter is brilliant. I will definatly go that route. I will spend the next couple of days putting the pieces together. BTW Do you play the sitar that is in your video?
Thanks again.....

In Washington State I typically only filter water when backpacking (i.e. no micropur tablets)

Is there a reason that you include the micropur tablets in your procedure?

Well, I bought it because I play guitar and thought I could teach myself. But, there are a LOT of strings and the scales are all different so now, it's a quaint conversation piece.

Once it gets going, it's pretty fast. It's about 7-8 ounces to carry and has a shower attachment - you can pull the filter out and hang the bag in a tree with some rope. Open the valve and get wet!

I like that you can attach it to a bladder and walk away, come back later and you have a few liters of water plus all the firewood you collected while you were waiting.

I suspect (though I am not psychic and not Jason) that this is because filters don't remove viruses, which are smaller than bacteria. The filter Jason is using will work for Giardia and Crypto and similar "bugs."

I don't tend to use chemical treatments as most of my filtering is done in the Sierras where I haven't heard a word about viruses.

Does this filter the bacteria and protozoa? If so I'm gonna use this same method sans tablets.

The ULA Amigo Pro uses the Katadyn Hiker Pro filter, so you can find out more about what it filters on the Katadyn site. Yes, it does filter bacteria as well as protozoa, but not viruses (normally viruses aren't a problem in the US).

I have the Amigo Pro and absolutely love it. I used to get horrible back spasms bending over the water source using a pump filter, so I really appreciate the Amigo Pro. If you want to filter water during the day, just fill the bag about half full and connect it to your 1-liter Platypus bottle (helps if you have the Platypus filter connector). Do this at the beginning of your rest stop and you'll get much more rest than if you were pumping! You do have to keep an occasional eye on it, though. The bottle you're filtering into could overflow or tip over. WIth Platypud bottles and the connector, about halfway through the air inside gets so compressed that it stops the flow. I haven't had any problems with the Platy bottles blowing up (yet), but you do have to undo the cap and "burp" the air out of the bottle a couple of times. So I wouldn't leave the Amigo Pro completely alone to gather wood, but you can admire the scenery, set up your shelter or start your dinner while it's filtering.

It does take a little practice to learn how to fill the "bucket" (does require getting one hand wet) and to carry it to your camp site without spilling it (into your boots, of course). Once you've figured it out, though, no problems.

The main problem with the Amigo Pro is on the rare occasions when there isn't anything handy from which to hang the filter. On one occasion, I had to sit and hold the thing up, which was really good to strengthen arm muscles but was rather tiring. If you're getting water from something other than a rapidly flowing stream, you'll have to dip with your cooking pot. Since the "bucket" for the Amigo Pro is a circular of silnylon with drawstrings, it takes some practice to do this since when you pull on the drawstrings the top closes completely. If I were going to improve the design, I would make a shaped bucket instead of the circular piece of silnylon so that when you pull up on the handles the top is still open enough to pour water into.

Unless I suspect the water source is horribly contaminated (say, a river downstream of human settlement), I would never use chemicals in conjunction with the Amigo Pro. Having had a horrible experience (severe allergic reactions) with iodine, I try to avoid use of any chemicals. However, I always carry a couple days' worth of Katadyn MicroPur (chlorine dioxide) tablets as backup just in case something happens to the filter. If you pull the filter to use the thing as a shower, you want to either to run through some chlorine dioxide or boil the output hose, because you'll have contaminated it. The same thing will happen if you drop the output hose into the water source (I've done this with the Amigo as well as with pump filters several times.

Chaz,

I have been using my Katadyn mini for a siphon filter for a couple of years. I found that when I was on the trail and needed water in a hurry, a siphon only system could be two slow. I made a water bag out of sil-nylon. In camp I hang the bag from on a tree full of water. I place my intake hose into the bag and have a piece of cord to tie the filter off as far as possible below the bag. I place the outlet hose onto a cap with a hose barb that fits my MSR Dromlite. I pump some water to get the siphon flow started. This is one of the first things I set up in camp. I usually get enough water for dinner and I leave it work overnight. In the morning I have a full water bag for breakfast and the days hike, if there is no water until my next camp.

MLHwild

that is a good idea. After all the good suggestions, I went to Bass Pro and got a Base Camp unit. The design is good but the bag is heavy duty and heavy. It uses the filter .3m and has a charcoal filter that I like. I plan to modify the unit with a lighter bag.

I have been testing the Platypus Cleanstream check out my video
Platypus Cleanstream

So, short of demoing it, what parameters are you using to test it?

I take both a SteriPen and Micropur chlorine dioxide tablets - and no filter besides a #1 coffee filter for the big chunks & insects. Always worked for me.

I consider a water filter a group item only. Carrying one for just me alone is not smart, weight wise.

Eric

Ive got to agree with 300winmag. I bring the steripen and micropur. The only difference is that I bring the steripen for group trips too. I did a canoe camping trip this summer with three other guys and we all used the steripen. It worked very well in the good BWCA lake water.