Tester Bio
I live outside a small town in northeast Alabama. I enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing and most other outdoor activities. Backpacking is my favorite pastime. I enjoy hiking with my friends and family or solo. I hike throughout the year and actually hike the least in the hot humid months of summer. My style is slow and steady and my gear is light. However, I will sacrifice weight for comfort and durability. A typical 3 season load for me is around 20 lb (9 kg) not counting food or water. I usually sleep in a hammock and cook with an alcohol stove. My backpacking trips are usually 2, 3 or 4 days in length.

Product Information

Manufacturer:	Katadyn Products, Inc.
Year of Manufacture:	2005
Website:	http://www.katadyn.com
Listed Weight:	11 oz (312 g)
Verified Weight:	14.3 oz (405 g)
MSRP:	$69.95 US

Product Description
The Hiker Pro is basically a unit which uses a hand operated pump to force water through a cartridge filter to remove anything smaller than 0.3 microns. This would be most microorganisms that can make you sick. Viruses are generally smaller and if the water to be treated is suspect of viruses, further treatment should be used. This might include chemicals or boiling.

The cartridge also includes an activated carbon core to reduce unpleasant tastes and odor from the water. The literature and website both mention that it takes 48 strokes to pump 1 L (1 qt) of water through the unit.

The Hiker Pro has several parts which must be assembled before operation. I counted 11 individual parts not counting the zippered pouch or the lube and sponge. Four of the pieces are for filling different types of water containers so the count is inflated by three.

The whole system seems like it is well thought out by folks who have actually used it in the field. For example, the kit includes a small clear bag which is labeled "outlet hose". I assume this is to avoid mixing the inlet hose which will have unfiltered water running through it. The handle is shaped to distribute the pressure of pumping over a wide area of the palm.

Testing Location and Conditions.
My testing has been in North Alabama. The weather has been mostly hot for fall, with several hikes on days above 80 F (27 C). It has also been very dry with the ground producing a puff of dust wherever the ground was bare. However, the creek down the mountain from my house is still flowing at just below normal level. Some of the side streams are dry though.

Field Test Results
I got my filter just a few days after completing a 3 day hike and have not been on a long multi-day hike since then. I have however, been able to hike with the filter on several day hikes and used it as my water treatment method. I did manage one overnight campout but used the filter more on several of the individual day hikes than on the overnight campout.

I checked the pumping rate the first time I used the filter. I got 1 liter (1 qt) with 46 strokes, two less than predicted. I also got the predicted black water from the carbon dust. I pumped another quart (1 L) which came through clear. It tasted good. Test over...not quite! Below are the first two quarts (liters) I filtered. It shows the carbon dust in the first picture.

The water is black from carbon dust

clear water

but it cleared by the second bottle.

The first few times I used the Hike Pro I just sat down and pumped some water into my empty Gatorade bottle. This proved easy but until I got a little water into the bottle it wanted to tip over. This was while using both the big mouth bottle adaptor and with the hose just put inside the bottle. Then there is the round bottom on the filter itself. I had to basically hold the filter with both hands because the shape of the bottom does not sit well on the ground/rocks. This is no problem once the bottle I am filling stabilizes but for the first little bit it is tricky. I also noticed I had some trouble getting the outlet hose placed on the filter a few times but not much. Other than that, everything worked like a charm.

Fast forwared a couple of weeks and severl hikes later. I was sitting there filling my bottle when it hit me; why am I filling the bottle? I am the only person using the filter so why not just pump the water straight into me. I casually looked around to see if I was alone (I was). Feeling a little silly, I sneaked the outlet hose from the bottle over to my mouth. I half expected the force to send water out my nostrils or some other wired reaction but low and behold it was more like drinking from a straw, only easier. Suffice it to say I stopped bringing the empty Gatorade bottle along and just started using the filter in this manner.

To be fair, Katadyn sells a bottle which you fill with water and suck through the straw; only you are pulling the water through a filter. By using the Hiker Pro in similar fashion I have not gained much, or have I? Well for one, I found I never had to bend over to get a drink. I could pull out my Hiker Pro, attach the inlet and outlet hoses and let the pickup hose plop down into the water. Then I could stand at the edge of the water and drink away. With the outlet hose in my mouth my hands were free to hold and pump the filter.

Caring for the filter has been easy. I usually used the filter for a couple of times before a good cleaning. Cleaning may not be the proper term here. I just pumped some tap water through it, then pumped it dry, disassembled it and ran tap water over the cartridge and left it disassembled in the drain rack by the kitchen sink overnight. I have considered taking a quart jar (1 liter) half full of water and adding a few lids of household bleach and pumping this through the filter. However, the care instructions provided do not suggest such care. I wonder if this would adversely effect the Activated Carbon? I'm pretty sure it would not hurt the filter and would in fact clean it some.

To date I have probably filtered around 20 gallons (76 L) of water with the filter. I have a long ways to go before I hit the 750 L (198 US gal) limit. With no rain to muddy up the creeks around here my water thus far has been fairly silt free to start with.
Likes So Far

The filter still produces a quart (1 L) of water at approximately the same rate as when new.

I have eliminated my drinking bottle on day hikes by drinking from the outlet hose.

Dislikes So Far

Rounded bottom of the filter does not rest on the ground very firmly.

Bottle wants to tip over when filling begins.

NOTE: Neither of these are an issue if I am drinking straight from the outlet hose.

Future Testing
First, I will be doing a few longer hikes in the near future. I will continue my day hikes. I will see if the filter begins to clog with more use. While testing in this later stage, I should see a dramatic fall in temperatures. Winter is just around the corner and I also hope to hike some on the Appalachian Trail where it is usually well below freezing in the winter. Hopefully, I can keep the filter in operation by keeping it dry between uses but I will document any troubles I may encounter. So far the filter is working well. Stay tuned!

Read more reviews of Katadyn gear
Read more gear reviews by Coy Ray Starnes

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