Field Report

H2O Amigo Gravity Filter Field Report

Personal Information:
Name: Christine Korhonen
Age: 30
Gender: female
Height: 5'4" (1.6 m)
Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)
E-mail: chris@wormguy.com
Location: Western Montana
Date: October 7, 2004

Backpacking Background:
I'm in Montana where I'm enjoying the summers and becoming re-acquainted with winter. Now that I'm back above the snow line, I'm attempting some winter camping and snowshoeing. I'm a lightweight backpacker mentally, if not always in practice. I've gotten my summer multi-day pack weight down to 19 lb (9 kg), but winter backpacking is still new to me, and my winter pack weight hovers around 25 lb (11 kg).

Product Information:
Manufacturer: ULA Equipment (Ultralight Adventure Equipment)
URL: www.ula-equipment.com
Item: H2O Amigo
MSRP: US $40
Year of Manufacturer: 2004
Listed volume: 1.25 gal (4.7 L)

Listed total weight: 9.25 oz (262 g)
Measured total weight dry: 8.6 oz (244 g)
Measured total weight wet: 10.8 oz (306 g)

Listed weight filter system: 7.5 oz (213 g)
Measured weight filter system dry: 7.2 oz (204 g)
Measured weight filter system wet: 8.8 oz (249 g)

H2O Amigo Description:
The H2O Amigo is a gravity-fed water filtration system. The system uses a carbon filter cartridge with a 2 micron pore size that is advertised to remove 99.8% of waterborne contaminants.

Field Information:
I've tested the H2O Amigo in Montana and Wyoming in temperatures from 45 F to 70 F (7.2 C to 21 C) and at elevations up to 7500' (2300 m). I've filled the Amigo from small streams, wider rivers, and glacial lakes.

Filling the H2O Amigo:
The H2O Amigo is easy to fill. I first remove the filter cartridge and hoses from the water bag and turn the spigot to the "off" position. I initially tried to fill the bag by holding the handles perpendicular to the water source and letting the current fill up the bag, but that didn't work very well. The bag tended to float on top of the water instead of filling up. I found holding one of the handles under water kept the bag open and got the most water into the bag in the shortest amount of time. Of course, my hand got wet, too. By holding the bag open underwater, I was able to fill the water bag with 3 L - 4 L (135 oz - 101 oz) of water very quickly.

Hanging Up the Bag:
So far, I haven't had any problems finding a place to hang the Amigo. When I hang the system 6' (1.8 m) high, the end of the tubing just hits the ground. I usually try to hang it a little higher so the tubing doesn't drag in the dirt but still reaches into my 2 L (68 oz) Platypus water bladder. The campsites where I've stayed have been in forested areas, and some trees had their lower branches trimmed. I was really glad these branches were cut off since the stubs that remained provided ideal hooks for the filter. Since the water bag is heavy when full, I found hanging the filter as close as possible to a stable support like a tree trunk was best. Branches further out from the trunk tended to be too thin and bend or threaten to break under the weight. The water bag's handles slid easily over the cut-off branch stubs. Since the handles form a loop with the water bag and are not detachable, I was worried hanging the bag if I couldn't fit the handles around a support. So far this hasn't been a problem, but as I travel to different locations, I will see if it becomes difficult to find a place to hang the filter or if I need to use a carabiner or additional rope to rig the system up.

Filtering Water:
Once the system is hung, filtering water is a snap. I just re-attach the hoses and turn the spigot on. The rate of filtration I've experienced has been a little slower than that listed on the ULA website. With a clean filter and the water bag full, it takes me about a minute and a half to filter 1 L (34 oz) of water (rate = 0.7 L/min [23 oz/min]). The website advertises a filtration rate of 1.7 L/min (57 oz/min). I will continue to check the rate of filtration for my system to see if it can reach this faster rate. The rate of filtration slows a little when there is less than 300 mL (11 oz) of water left in the bag.

I let the filter run while I hang my food or do other camp chores, and before I know it, my water bladder's full. The only problem I had was when I let the filter run too long and my water bladder overflowed. I try to hang the filter over an area with good drainage because of this. So far the source water I've used has been very clear, and I haven't given the pre-filter much of a workout. When solo hiking, the Amigo holds enough water for me only to have to fill it once. With 4 L (135 oz) of water I'm able to drink my fill, cook dinner, wash up, and have water left over for the morning.   One unexpected benefit of the filter is that I can use it as a tap. It's a lot easier for me to wash my hands when I don't have to wash them one at a time. Washing dishes is also easier -- the water's readily available and I can use both hands to wash. When I want to use the Amigo as a tap, I take off the hose with the filter cartridge and use the unfiltered water right from the spigot.

Storage:
Since I've been camping in above-freezing temperatures, I've just left the filter hanging in its tree overnight.   At more populated campsites, I emptied the filter and hung it with my food. So far I haven't had any problems with animals getting into or chewing on the filter when I left it out. The Amigo's instructions caution against leaving the filter cartridge out in freezing temperatures. With winter fast approaching, I'm concerned about keeping the cartridge warm enough in the backcountry. I don't want it to freeze, but I don't want to have to store it with me in my sleeping bag, either.   Cold-weather use and nighttime storage of the filter on winter hikes will be tested in the coming months.

Packing:
The H2O Amigo packs quickly. I just blow any excess water out of the filter cartridge and stick everything in the stuff sack. I can get most of the water out in a few puffs, and the stuff sack keeps what drips remain away from the rest of my gear.   The Amigo packs down quite small and fits easily in my pack. I haven't had any problems with water from the filter getting any of my gear wet.

So Far:
So far the H2O Amigo has been great! I like the fact that no pumping is involved. Aside from to its filtering capabilities, the Amigo provides excellent water storage in camp and is very useful as a tap. I wash my hands a lot more now on backpacking trips because it's so easy.

Likes:
Easy to fill
No-pumping
Washing up is so much easier!

Will Watch:
Potential for hanging difficulties
What to do in freezing temps
Rate of filtration

Test Plan:
During the coming months, I will test the H2O Amigo for ease of use. I will see if I run across any difficulties finding a place to hang the filter. I will find out if the pre-filter is useful for filtering large sediment. I will discover under which temperatures the filter works best and determine the easiest way to store the wet filter in camp during winter. I will continue to monitor the system's filtration rate. I will be testing the H2O Amigo in the parks and on the trails of Montana and Wyoming and on a couple of tramps in New Zealand.

Read more reviews of Ultralight Adventure Equipment gear
Read more gear reviews by Christine Korhonen

Reviews > Water Treatment > Filters > ULA Equipment H2O Amigo Water Filter > Christine Korhonen > Field Report

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