Sea Kayak Trips Bulletin Board

Re: Katadyn

Posted By: Mike and Rikki
Date: Monday, 9 June 2003, at 4:50 p.m.

In Response To: Katadyn (Robert N Pruden)

No worries on the comparison, I reinvented the wheel and after loitering at the triangle wheel stage, was told about the round wheel shape being the best solution. Prefiltering of the pump is done pretty well with the weighted prefilter element of the Katadyn however, the nylon fabric mesh of the Sweetwater is finer then the Katadyn. The down-side is that the Sweetwater prefilter floats. I use a mix of components myself: take both prefilters, extra tube, I use a plastic in-line cartridge for the carbon (I think I got it from salvaging an old HNu spectro unit) and a Nalgene bottle adapter from the Sweetwater. I still carry the Sweetwater as a back-up in case I lose the Katadyn. I'll keep my eyes peeled for deals. My thoughts on the Katadyn is that it's an industrially solid unit and it's good for at least 18,000 gallons of water from mud water.
Since I was a bureaucrat in the past, I had helped write the zillion SEMS plans for a zillion disaster scenarios. The worst disaster scenario that I can think of is the complete and total disruption of the water supply. Many of the KBBB are on well water but many more are connected to a municipal or private POTW.
In case of disaster, it's a real good thing to have a filter that can supply clean water for quite some time. Always keep several gallons of chlorine around the house for water purification (but only regular Chlorox or Purex, nothing with any additives which are toxic). 3 drops of the Chlorox or Purex (which is 3% solution) in a 32 ounce Nalgene water bottle of filtered water with a 10 minute contact time after filtering will inactivate all virus. 2 drops of chlorine means less chlorine taste but requires a 20 minute contact time. The same approach can be applied to any extended trip filtering water from a water supply that is also the sewer system (like so many rivers and lakes in the world). BTW: Sweetwater sells the water purification kit for their filters which is nothing more then a solution you can make up for yourself. In fact, Cascade Designs was successfully sued for damages from inaccurately defining limitations to their product. It's the age-old dilemna for consumers where marketing hype is taken and trusted to be the truth.

You know what I'd do? I'd keep the Sweetwater for small trips and as a back-up pump. A clean filter in pristine waters and a little filter treatment and care and the filter will last some time. I think everyone should have a back-up pump, after all, we all need to drink water. BTW: have you treated your filter by pumping a little chlorine water through it? Ounce the filter media is used it's better to not let it dry out. Sweetwater is definite about this.

: Mike, when my unit needs replacing I think I'll take a serious look at the
: Katadyn. Is there a pre-prefilter out there that works to remove silt
: fines better than a piece of cloth?

: Robert N Pruden

Messages In This Thread

Final Equipment/Food List
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 26 May 2003, at 10:02 p.m.

OOPS! Here's the list.
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 26 May 2003, at 10:03 p.m.

Re: OOPS! Here's the list.
Myrl Tanton -- Tuesday, 27 May 2003, at 11:05 a.m.

Daughter has fallen ill.
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 27 May 2003, at 3:02 p.m.

Re: OOPS! Here's the list.
Ken Sutherland -- Tuesday, 27 May 2003, at 11:39 p.m.

She is on the mend, Ken *LINK*
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 27 May 2003, at 11:53 p.m.

Re: She is on the mend, Ken
Ken Sutherland -- Wednesday, 28 May 2003, at 12:10 a.m.

Ken:GPS- Rob: stuff
Mike and Rikki -- Thursday, 29 May 2003, at 1:39 p.m.

about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Thursday, 29 May 2003, at 1:28 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Robert N Pruden -- Thursday, 29 May 2003, at 9:35 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Friday, 30 May 2003, at 1:35 a.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Robert N Pruden -- Friday, 30 May 2003, at 1:43 a.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Friday, 30 May 2003, at 2:04 a.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Robert N Pruden -- Friday, 6 June 2003, at 12:05 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Friday, 6 June 2003, at 3:02 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Robert N Pruden -- Saturday, 7 June 2003, at 9:01 p.m.

Re: about many things
Mike and Rikki -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 1:41 p.m.

Re: about many things
Ken Sutherland -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 2:13 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Ken Sutherland -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 11:34 a.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 3:17 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Ken Sutherland -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 4:15 p.m.

Re: about the water filtration
Mike and Rikki -- Sunday, 8 June 2003, at 8:54 p.m.

Katadyn
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 9 June 2003, at 11:01 a.m.

Re: Katadyn
Mike and Rikki -- Monday, 9 June 2003, at 4:50 p.m.

Re: Katadyn
Robert N Pruden -- Tuesday, 10 June 2003, at 11:21 a.m.

Thanks for the comparison, Mike *NM*
Robert N Pruden -- Monday, 9 June 2003, at 10:58 a.m.

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