Long Term Report

Katadyn Hiker PRO Microfilter
Long Term Report
January 16, 2006

Tester Biographical Information:

Name: Ken Bigelow
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 9” (1.8 m)
Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
Email: krb84108 (at) yahoo (dot) com
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Backpacking Background:

I was first dragged on a backpacking trip eight years ago and have been addicted to it ever since. My adventures vary in length from a weekend to over two weeks. I am slowly shifting my backpacking style to a light-weight approach. I recently upgraded to using a hammock in order to reduce weight. From spring through fall I typically backpack in the mountains or desert, while in winter I often go snowshoeing. I typically see a wide variety of climates ranging from 10 F (-12 C) with snow to 90 F (32 C) and sunny with just about everything in between.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Katadyn Products Inc.
Website: http://www.katadyn.com
Listed Weight: 11 oz (312 g)
Listed Filter Height: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
Listed Hose Lengths: 36 in (91 cm)
Measured Weight: 8.2 oz (232 g) Filter alone, 13.8 oz (391 g) overall kit
Measured Filter Height: 6.5 in (16.5 cm)
Measured Hose Lengths: 36 in (91 cm)
MSRP: $70 US

Field Conditions:

For the final two months of testing I used the Katadyn filter in Zion National Park, the Wasatch Mountains, the Uinta Mountains, and Arches National Park. The terrain has varied greatly and has included wet and muddy corridors, slickrock, snow covered trails, creek wading and plain old dirt paths. Temperatures have ranged from 15 F (-9 C) to 60 F (16 C). I have seen all types of weather ranging from heavy rain and snow sunny. The elevations experienced have been between 4,000 ft (1,200 m) and 9,000 ft (2,700 m).

Long Term Report:

The true test of the filter's performance rests in its ability to remove enough harmful bacteria so I will not become ill from contaminated water. I am happy to report that I never became ill while testing the Katadyn filter. I am still using the original filter, but doubt I have surpassed the manufacturer's recommended cartridge capacity of 750 liters (198 gallons). I have not experienced any problems (including clogging) with the filter and no maintenance or cleaning has been required. The pump action still operates as smoothly as when I first used it. I have noticed the Katadyn Hiker PRO takes a few extra pumps to filter one liter of water, but I can still pump one liter in less than the manufacturer's claim of a minute. The overall decrease in pump output has been minimal during the test period.

I spent four days exploring the backcountry of Zion National Park. Throughout the trip I used water from numerous creeks. None of the creeks were what I would call "crystal clear". The sediment in the water gave the liquid a brown tint. I used the filter for the trip's duration and was unable to taste the soil that was visibly in the water source. On the third day of the trip my paranoia kicked in and I became concerned that perhaps I was clogging the filter. To ease my worries, I unscrewed the filter cartridge and removed it from the rest of the device. I was immediately able to tell that filter media had screened out a large number of particles as numerous dark spots were noticeable on the white cartridge. I was relieved to see that there were still substantially more white spots than dark spots and screwed the filter back into the device. It should be noted that removing/replacing the filter cartridge is a simple process and can easily be done in the field.

While camping near Arches National Park I had the opportunity to use the Katadyn Hiker PRO in less than ideal weather conditions. In addition to freezing temperatures a steady rain was falling from the sky. I filled my hydration bladder from a water pocket and had no problems connecting the filter to the bladder. I should state that I always keep all the connector fittings constantly attached to their various hoses so I do not have to do this on the trail. I suspect it would prove to be a real workout attaching hoses to connector fittings with shaking hands, but that really is unnecessary. I should also note that I kept the filter covered with insulation to keep it from freezing over.

For the final two months of testing I have primarily used the filter in conjunction with my Camelbak hydration bladder. Using the filter to fill the bladder has been a real benefit (as noted in my field report). I no longer have to remove the bladder from my pack in order to fill it. Having a curious mind (and a male, underage mentality) I elected to see what would happen if I pumped too much water into the bladder, in essence, overfilling it. Would the pump action become too resistant to the increasing pressure in order to function properly? Would my hydration bladder explode after reaching maximum capacity (part of me wanted this to happen even though I did not want to replace my Camelbak)?

I elected to test this out after returning to the trailhead from a day of hiking. I removed the bladder from my pack to prevent my pack from becoming drenched (and if it exploded I sure as heck wanted to witness it firsthand), attached the filter and pumped away. I quickly reached the bladder's capacity, but continued to pull and push the pump up and down. The pump operated with its normal resistance until water had filled both the bladder and the drink hose before water starting erupting from the point where the drink hose connects to the bladder. This ended my experiment in hydration bladder pressure experimentation. I also discovered that care should be taken when detaching the filter from the drink hose after performing such an experiment as the built up pressure continued to shoot water from the bladder at an alarming rate until equilibrium was restored.

In addition to withstanding "over-pressurization", both the filter and its hoses have withstood four months of testing with no sign of damage. I have taken no precautions when storing the filter in my pack other than keeping it in the provided carrying case. I've even stored my crampons on top of the filter (while in its case) and had no punctures or scratches to show for it.

Summary:

The Katadyn Hiker PRO Filter is an easy form of water treatment. I have successfully removed screened sediment and a foul odor from water using the filter. It can adapt to fit multiple water containers and has not shown any need of maintenance. The durability of the Hiker PRO has never come into question even after some unusual experiments. Overall I would say that I prefer using the Katadyn Hiker PRO to boiling water or using tablets to treat my drinking water as I save fuel and do not have to wait in order to take a drink.

I would like to thank Katadyn and BackpackGearTest for allowing me to participate in testing the Hiker Pro Water Filter.

Read more reviews of Katadyn gear
Read more gear reviews by Ken Bigelow

Reviews > Water Treatment > Filters > Katadyn Hiker Pro > Ken Bigelow > Long Term Report

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