Katadyn Hiker Pro

i have taken my filter backpacking many times, and it has performed flawlessly every time. in really cold weather (ie: when there is ice on top of the water) it tends to freeze up, but that is kind of to be expected. other than that, it pumps fast, cleans the water well and is compact and easy to use. i love it!

Not the highest-throughput filter out there, or the easiest to pump, but still one of the best options for a compact, lightweight, simple filtration system. Smaller and lighter than an extra water bottle.

I purchased this unit earlier this summer after sucking my bottles dry too often.

Positives:
Nice job filtering, good capacity for cartridge, love the hydration pack and nalgene bottle attachments, light weight, filter replacement cost not bad

Negatives:
Large, a bear to pump, no solid foot on bottom so falls over easily, low throughput as mentioned above.

Fixes:
Add a stabilizing foot to the bottom and this would rock (pun intended)!

solution to empty water bottles in the backcountry. Easy to use. The only downside is the weight.

The only drawback I've found is that I lost mine around the house somewhere two nights before a 3 night trip so I went out and bought another. This thing is reliable, easy to use, easy to clean, and has some great attachments for Nalgene bottles and bladders. I wouldn't consider buying a different filter because this one works and works well.

Great filter that's a lot lighter than a bottle of water.
However, this filter works best with 2 people: one to pump and one to hold the hose and bottle.

Awesome filter. Easy to use, especially when kayaking. I don't think the filters strain waterborne viruses though....if you're taking it overseas that is. Was worth buying a second one for sure though.

good value and packable, easy to use

Mine clogged and stopped working after a year. It's also much heavier than other options. I'd look into the MSR sweetwater instead.

I got less than 200 liters out of my original cartridge due to filtering a lot of shallow water and water with heavy metals/minerals (such as "glacial flour". A replacement cartridge is $50, but still, I really loved this thing. It packs light and stows easy and I thought the up and down handle would be less prone to breaking than some with a pivot or elbow joint handle. However, shortly on my second cartridge, the handle snapped when my hand slipped during use in a downpour. I lost a little weight by now having just a shaft to pump with, and could still use it, but soon after it began to leak a few drips at a time. Mountain temperatures doing what they do, and going from near freezing to often quite warm in 24 hours, that little crack opened up just like rock faces often do, and it was soon a big crack letting out most of my filtered water. I fixed with a steel epoxy water-safe putty, but will this hold forever? If you spend 2 months in the mountains each year, this, or any light-weight pump, is a product that likely needs replacing often. And don't say to baby it because if I am getting cut and scraped and bruised and suffering boot rot, I can't possibly spare my gear from the rough terrain as I'm falling and shivering and being rained on. There is no perfect solution to water in the wilderness. I would still buy this one if I were buying another pump filter.