Reviews > Water Treatment > Filters > Katadyn Hiker Pro > Jim Sabiston > Long Term Report

Long Term Report Katadyn Hiker Pro Water Filter

Date: January 21, 2006

Reviewer Information:

Backpacking Background:

Product Information:

Manufacturer’s Specifications:

MSRP:          

Specifications as measured:

Brief Description of the Hiker Pro Filter:

The Hiker Pro is part of Katadyn’s Backcountry Series water filters, intended for backpacking and trekking. The Hiker Pro is marketed as a ‘higher performance’ version of the Katadyn Hiker.

Externally, the Hiker Pro is virtually identical to my old PUR Hiker. There are some small differences noticed on closer examination. The first change I noticed is the quick release fitting on the pump input, located on the side of the pump shaft tube. A quick review of the provided assembly instructions indicated that this accepts a male quick release fitting (provided) and which must be installed on the input hose. Next is the dark blue color of the pump shaft, filter cartridge cap and brand label.

Much attention has been given to preventing, or at least reducing, the old bugaboo of water filters: clogging. In addition to the external strainer, designed to filter out any impurities larger than 130 microns, Katadyn has designed a secondary pre-filter, referred to as a ‘filter protector’ in the literature, which wraps around the primary filter element. Its primary purpose is to afford additional protection against clogging of the primary cartridge. An additional advantage is that the filter protector is field maintainable. The instructions are provided illustrating how to remove the filter cartridge and then to remove the filter protector, held in place by a stretchable plastic mesh. The filter can then be scrubbed with a provided sponge and the filter reassembled.

The primary filter cartridge is rated to .3 microns, which will remove all bacteria and protozoa, such as Guardia and Cryptosporidium. The next important feature is the activated carbon core now included as part of the filter cartridge design. The activated carbon is located within the filter cartridge itself and intended to reduce the presence of any organic chemicals and generally improve the flavor and color of the filtered water. In the rare instance that one might require additional protection against viruses, Katadyn properly recommends a secondary chemical treatment of the water on the box labeling.

Katadyn has provided a dedicated plastic storage pouch just for (and even labeled!) the outlet hose. This is a very nice detail. Another plus is that by having two different hose fittings, it is not possible to accidentally connect the input hose to the output fitting, further reducing the possibility of accidental contamination. Another nice detail is the inclusion of a black nylon carry pouch. The pouch is 9 in (23 cm) X 7 in (18 cm). It has a zipper closure across the top front and two nylon webbing loop tabs at either end, one 1 in (2.5 cm) long, the other 2.3 in (6 cm) long. Inside the pouch is a tag that gives “Important Field Tips”.

For more detailed information on the Hiker Pro, please refer to my Initial Report. For more extensive field use information, please see my Field Report.

Field Experience:

I have carried the Hiker Pro on a series of backpack overnights starting in late summer and finishing in early winter. The Hiker Pro has been used as the primary and usually the only filter used on these weekend trips, ensuring a fair amount of use.

I carried the filter on two trips where the temperatures dipped a bit below freezing in an effort to see if any problems appeared. The lowest temperature I exposed the filter to was about 24 F (-4 C). I made a point of pumping the filter dry after each use. In these low temperatures, I took the extra step of removing the filter cartridge and shaking both the cartridge and filter body dry to ensure no excess water remained. I also shook any remaining water out of the hoses and other bits. I made no effort to insulate the filter other than keeping it in it's nylon stuff sack, which in turn was placed in my backpack when it was not being used. I experienced no unusual problems at all. I occasionally found a bit of ice on the outside of the filter, but never inside. I would not be inclined to use the filter in temperatures colder than this, however. This is no shortcoming of the filter, but rather a recognition of the risk of possible damage to the filter if I should forget to drain it properly and experienced a hard freeze. I have seen ice formation blow open heavy steel, so there is no reasonable expectation for plastic to stand up to it. 

The filter continues to perform flawlessly. It has survived several short drops, several onto hard rock, with nothing to show for it other than a couple of minor cosmetic nicks and scratches. As mentioned in my field report, the only 'wear & tear' issue has turned out to be the little plastic bag that the intake hose is stored in. It remains intact and the zip-lock closure works fine, but several small holes have appeared in the plastic. I'm not certain what caused this, as the bag has been stored inside the filter's nylon stuff sack at all times, except when being used. So, it is either a result of being knocked around inside my backpack or when lying around on the rocks while filtering (or both!). Fortunately, the bag can be replaced with an inexpensive ziplock bag available at most grocery stores. I checked to see if any parts are available for the Hiker Pro and was pleased to find that Campmor (campmor.com) already carries a Field Maintenance kit and replacement filter cartridges. They also carry a Katadyn Hydration Pack Adapter kit, which has the fittings necessary to use the quick-connect options for additional hydration systems. 

The Hiker Pro continues to perform as easily and reliably as expected. Pumping efficiency has deteriorated only slightly. Pumping a liter of water, starting from an empty filter, takes 52 strokes. Once full of water, the second liter only takes 46 strokes, still better than Katahdin's advertised rate. Pumping effort has not changed noticeably, but this changes very gradually over time. 

I finally used the supplied adapters to hook the filter directly to my Camelback 3 liter Unbottle bladder. I had to take the extra step of cutting a small bit of hose to fit the bite valve and cover to the quick-connect fitting. The fitting process was otherwise very straightforward. This allows the bite valve assembly to be removed and the filter to be connected to the bladder in just a couple of seconds, which is very convenient. An unexpected advantage is that having the bite valve assembly easily removable makes the installation of the bladder into different packs much easier. The bulky assembly often did not fit through the various holes and straps which often must be negotiated when threading the hose into position on the packs shoulder strap. Having the ability to quickly remove the bite valve and cover, install the bladder and hose, and then reconnect the bite valve and cover is much, much easier. I find it was worth installing the fittings for this advantage alone! Note that the white quick connect fitting does not have a barbed tip. This makes it much easier to switch the output hose from the quick connect fitting to, say, the water bottle adapter supplied with the filter.

Fig.2  - The Bite valve with quick-connect fittings.	Fig. 3 - The Bite Valve removed and filter output hose connected.

Fig. 4 - I also found this fitting, made by Platypus, which allows the filter output hose to attach directly to a Platypus bladder. This makes filling those light, plastic bladders much easier.

 
Summary:

Likes:

1 – Quality materials used all around.
2 – Very easy to filter large volumes of water.
3 – New upgrades, including quick release fittings and filter protector design.
4 - Quick connect fittings are terrific.

Dislikes:

1) Size and weight, which really are not that unreasonable, especially when considered against the resulting advantages: Easy filtering of large volumes of water.

The more I use the Hiker Pro, the less the size and weight seem to bother me. The fact is, in areas where frequent water supplies can be expected, the filter takes up less room and weight than a  typical 1 liter water bottle. This has the additional advantage of letting me drink cool, fresh water instead of the tepid, stale water that I've carried in my pack all day long. This is far more refreshing. I find a short water break is also a pleasant opportunity to relax a bit and take in the scenery.

In conclusion, the Hiker Pro has proven to be a logical upgrade to the old dependable Hiker filter. It retains the rugged, reliable design and construction of the Hiker, while adding some modern convenience details. All-in-all, well done.

The Hiker Pro will continue to be my primary filter for the foreseeable future.

Reviews > Water Treatment > Filters > Katadyn Hiker Pro > Jim Sabiston > Long Term Report