PUR Hiker Filter---thoughts??

“I have the pur hiker filter.. What is the best way to care for it. should i let the filter dry out after each use? When should i replace it? Any other helpful hints?”

“definitely let it dry after you use it.”

“I have one too and face generally the same issues. On trips of a week or more I replace the filter when I get home.

Otherwise, dry it out after each use and after about 10 trips I change filters.

I have a fear of gremlins growing inside the filters.

Haven't caught beaver fever yet (Knock on wood).”

“I open it up, take it a part and let it air dry after each trip.

My first filter element lasted two years...depends on how often you use it and how dirty the water is you're filtering. You'll know when they get really hard to pump when they're dirty.”

“aint caught the beaver fever yet? and your how old? is there something you want to tell us geobeet?”

“wind said hard”

“I have PUR Hiker too. Another vote for drying it out after every trip because you don't want algae growing on it. Once in a while you sould lubricate the filter shaft and replace the O rings on the plunger. I use mine until I can't pump it anymore before I relace the filter cartridge and I carry Aqua Mira as backup..in fact I am just carrying Aqua Mira for some of my trips now.”

“Lube the shaft”

“Ugh, beaver fever is the name for giardiasis, which was at one time thought to be spread by beaver (and probably is, along with other critters).

Think you can handle that abstract concept?”

“lmao wind, whatta slut!”

“In the filter owner's manual, Pur describes a disinfection procedure using chlorine bleach. I've always followed this procedure and have had no problems.”

“Well if ya gotta read the instructions ...

Sheesh! Who reads instructions? Owl, obviously, but who else?”

“What a concept... read the manual...didn't think of that”

“I know. You't think they'd at least tell you that you have to read the instructions.”

“i agree.. they should put that on the box”

“i tried but they were in french and spanish...”

“That is the same filter I have and you know it pumps toe jam water. I haven't changed the filter in about two years and I don't let it dry out. It is going to dry out anyway. Duh! I do rinse the filter real good after a trip. Maybe that is why it has lasted so long. Or maybe that is why I act like I do on a trip when I mix that filtered water with that scotch. By the way, still waiting for you to call me back. I am the DODDER.”

“Geo is worse off than I thought. doesn't even know what beaver fever is. he must have caught weiner fever instead.”

“If you're concerned about bugs growing (a valid concern) in your filter, pump a liter of 5% clorox solution thru it before your next hike. Kills everything, I believe it's actually in the manual somewhere..”

“I do the bleach thing and air dry, too...and I also read the instructions.”

“I am the DODDER."
dodder
11:02:03 PM
11/16/02

You are, TinMan!!!”

“eww. too heavy. i borrowed one once to see if i prefered it over my iodine tablets...wasnt worth the weight and space. i use a very small pack ment for a day or two even on my long hikes so space is an issue. i tend to take absolutly nothing that isn't necissary.”

“Like enough rope to reach the bottom, LOL

I am bad!”

“and didn't come with a box or instructions. After seeing how rigid the filter is, I agree with Owl and Wanderer. A 5-10% bleach wash of all parts and dry well after each trip should do the trick. Vasaline the ruber parts lightly as it is edible
(paid $25.00 for it - only used once)
Hey,,, how about THIS for those extended trips.... put the filter in a pot or ziplock bag with a couple of aqua tabs???
Just my dos centavos here.”

“spirit we seen your pack... who ya tryin to kid...”

“Put a coffee filter around the prefilter with a rubber band. You'll add more life to your cartridge.”

“What walkindude said!

I've put coffee filters on my filter's intake nut for a few years now and you'd be surprised at the sediment they trap, sediment that would've got into the pump and helped to clog and reduce the life of the filter element.

The recommendations call for 2t. bleach + 1qt of water filtered through to decon any nasties growing inside. Take a sharpie and write the on the filter stuffsack so you'll always know the recipe. Then take out the filter and let room dry for 2-3 days. Also, take the tubes and swing/whip them around to force out any water and get air inside to dry them out quicker.”

“thanks buddur”

“I agree, always dry out your filter after a trip. Even more important, never let you filter hit the bottle BEFORE a trip!”

“i haven't taken mine apart in 5 months”

“dirtyoldman your going to get slapped!”

“Pump action is not ideal. I prefer the Sweetwater design in this regard.”

“I had a PUR something...voyager maybe. I finally returned it after five years, used it about five times. I could never filter with it when solo, always carried iodine and the nuetralizer as a backup anyway, and in BSP where I spend most of my time - I drink directly from the water source. So I'm back to using iodine and nuetralizer tablets.”

“I like the fliters that they make.The Hiker and the guide are very good filters and are good for all backpacking adventures!

Oh Ya and I use the Guide!

8)

Never had a problem!”

“What Buddur said. Chlorox per instructions. Air dry for a couple of days. Always use a coffee filter on acorn as a pre-filter. Always carry a back-up...PotAqua or whatever.

Don't forget to flush a couple of liters through the filter before hittin the trail. Chlorox is not tasty.”

“I use the bleach and dry method too. What's a good "Shaft lube"? Really, I've tried sewing machine oil, silicone spray, vegetable oil, vasoline. Poor results with all.”

“I've been using the sweetwater for awhile. The tubes are a little difficult to run a brush thru so I just pump diluted chlorine/water thru the filter. It's worked for many years. Cleaning my water bladder (camelback) was the reason I got rid of that & went back to water bottles.”

“Sportsmansguide has the PUR® Guide™ Microfilter for $49.97. I've used these guys and they are reputable.”

“I have one I got many years back. It cost me nearly $80.”

“Sounds good, I think I paid $69 for mine. I have had mine for years and I take it everywhere, even on day hikes you always have water if there is even a puddle around. I have used it in nasty scummy ponds and haven't gotten sick. Works great!”

“The coolest guy on these boards (bacpac) gave me his Pur filter and I love the thing. It pumps like a mathaphucka.”

“Great filters, have one and have used them (Scouts) since 1996.

Coffee filter over the acorn (little thingy that goes in the water) or use a Sweetwater Pre-filter to extend cartridge life.”

“I've had mine for several years and it's still kicking butt.”

“PUR no longer makes them. The part of PUR that made portable filters sold that to Katadyn. They still sell the Guide and Hiker models, just with the Katadyn name on it.”

“Do they still sell the other filter element you can pop into the PUR 'Hiker' so that it 'purifies' instead of simply filtering? I think that same 'Hiker' model with the purifying element was sold as the 'Voyager'.”

“They had to stop claiming that the Voyageur was a "purifier" because the iodine in the filter element didn't stay in contact with the water long enough. I believe that the Voyageur filter element is no longer sold.

The easiest way I can see to purify is to use one of those collapsable water bags, and put some iodine tabs in it. Wait for the iodine to do its job, toss in one of those taste-neutralizing pills, then filter the water. That should take care of it.”

“That's what I usually do. The iodine taste doesn't bother me that much.”

“They no longer make the old PUR purifiers.

I have a voyager but the elements are no longer available so I have to use the hiker elements.

It seems that if you pumped the voyager too fast it wouldn't purify to the 99.99% mandated by law to legally call it a purifier. So PUR stopped selling them. I was told it hit 99.97-8%

Heck, that works for me.”

“I just bought a Pur/Katadyn Hiker to replace my aging Pur Explorer (pre-Pur guide). Works great, lightweight, and pumps real nice! Do yourself a favor and buy a Sweetwater siltstopper for use as a prefilter. cut the inlet hose about 5 inches above the acorn and the siltstopper slips right on! (Make sure you attach the siltstopper in the correct orientation) Once you see the crud that the siltstopper captures, you'll be happy you did.”

“Am I wrong to assume you could do the same thing with a miniworks? Sounds like it's worth the extra dough.”