8/7/2023 0 Comments Platypus water filter problemsHollow fiber filters require some maintenance. On most long-distance trails in the USA, such as the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Continental Divide Trail, pollutants and viruses are not a major problem, so hollow fiber filters are great for these treks. Most hollow fiber filters have tubes that are too large to remove viruses or chemical pollutants, so these filters are not a good choice in areas where those are a risk. coli and salmonella, and protozoa such as Giardia, are caught by the hollow fibers and never make it through to the clean side. ![]() Unsafe biological contaminants including bacteria such as e. On the dirty side, unfiltered water is forced (or sucked) into the hollow fibers, and on the clean side filtered water exits. They usually have a clean side and a dirty side. Hollow fiber filters are made of tubes with tiny pores that water can squeeze through but bacteria and protozoa can’t. ![]() Dirty End of a Platypus QuickDraw (bottom right) What is a hollow fiber filter and how does it work? Clean End of a Platypus QuickDraw (bottom left) vs. They do come with a few drawbacks, which are highlighted below. They are lightweight and durable, and they can be maintained in the field. Hollow fiber filters like the Platypus QuickDraw and Sawyer Squeeze are our go-to type of filter for thruhiking. Our preferred method: hollow fiber filters We knew several thruhikers who contracted giardia and had to take time off trail due to diarrhea and vomiting. Giardia was our main concern on the Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail, but contaminated water can cause other diseases too. Why do we filter?Įven beautiful looking natural water sources along the trail can be full of germs. Although camping away from water means carrying more weight for the final miles of the day to get to camp, it can be worth it for increased solitude and scenery. When we are camping away from water sources, which we do more often than not, we factor in an additional liter for dinner and another for breakfast (for two). ![]() Our preference is to study our maps and only carry as much as we need to get to the next reliable source. Different hikers have different drinking/carrying preferences. When it is very hot out, this isn’t enough, and when it is cool, this tends to be more than necessary - it is important to adjust according to conditions. We always filter before drinking, and while hiking in the USA or Germany we haven’t gotten sick yet! How much water?Īs a general rule, we each aim to carry about one liter of water for every five miles of hiking. We have collected water from beautiful sources, but also from cow troughs, green ponds, and even mud puddles in tire ruts when necessary. Clear mountain springs or streams taste the best and have the least filter-clogging sediment and algae, but lakes and rivers are fine sources for water collection too. ![]() Properly water purification, like filtering, makes most water safe to drink. What is a hollow fiber filter and how does it work?.Our preferred method: hollow fiber filters.This post describes our water filtration strategy ( Platypus QuickDraw or Sawyer Squeeze ), which so far has kept us hydrated (enough) and has prevented either of us from catching unpleasant waterborne diseases like Giardia. Sometimes you don’t know what a long-distance trail will throw at you, so being adequately prepared for the unexpected is always a good idea. We had to add an additional town stop to our itinerary to resupply. We would survive! Because of the 22 mile detour and the extra day on trail that it caused, we no longer had enough food. After backtracking 11 miles, we found the muddy cow pond in the photo above. With less than 1.5 liters between us, we had to decide whether to walk backwards toward water we knew was there or forwards, crossing our fingers that an unmapped water source would turn up… We decided to go backwards on dirt roads that paralleled the trail hoping to find an earlier water source. We were 12 miles (plus a hitch into a town) north of the last water source, and about 20 miles south of the next water. One of our most frightening moments on the Continental Divide Trail was in New Mexico when we arrived at a water source called Adobe Springs to fill up, and the water was gone! The spring had gone dry.
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