looking to round out my emergency water needs

[Chris17404]

Hi all,

My wife and I already have quite a few gallons of water stored in our basement, in portable containers. I also just placed an order for a Big Berkey water filter. This covers the "stay at home" strategy, I think.

Now I am looking for some portable water filters (e.g. Katadyn) and a portable quick water heater (e.g. Jetboil).

I'd like to ask for your help in selecting a quality model of each of these.

I do not have any experience in their use. How do the portable filters like the Katadyn's work? How do you hook them up to another bottle or storage device? Are there certain bottles that work well with them?

I plan to use the Jetboil to heat water for portable freeze-dried meal packets (Mountain House). Any tips here?

I also have a propane stove for home use. The portable filters and jetboils would be for short-term bugging out (a few days) and get home bags.

Thanks for your time.

Chris

[Zhurdan]

In my opinion, filtering water is important, but HAVING water trumps that. You can always boil water to purify it, but if you don't have any water to boil... well, you're cooked.

I have a couple of Katadyn filters with back up filters on standby as well as a third that we actually use while camping in the summer. They are easy to use, fairly sturdy, and maintenance is quick and easy. As far as connecting them, not sure what you mean. You just put the inlet hose in the container/watersource, and pump away with the outlet hose in the container you want to drink out of.

As an aside, I've been considering something like this for the basement.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/item.aspx?id=5929


*ETA*
Check this for answers concerning bottle attachment and use.

http://www.katadyn.com/usen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-water-filters-backcountry-series-products/katadyn-vario-usa/

[Moose-Knuckle]

For your water preps be sure to add purifying tablets to your list.

[montanadave]

Not to threadjack, but anyone have any experience with these ceramic drip filters that work with stacked five-gallon buckets?

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP352-1.html

[DeltaSierra]

Not to threadjack, but anyone have any experience with these ceramic drip filters that work with stacked five-gallon buckets?

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP352-1.html

I wouldn't use those, but any of these are very good...

http://www.bigberkeywaterfilters.com/berkey-filter-replacements-c-67?zenid=64e61182d8df359f737dc701ebbb0620


Big Berkey is the only way to go if you are looking for a stationary filtering system. If you want a portable system, Katadyn is the only one worth looking at...


OP, if you are seriously looking for a good filter, look no further: http://www.katadyn.com/usen/katadyn-products/products/katadynshopconnect/katadyn-water-filters-endurance-series-products/katadyn-pocket-usa/

The Katadyn Pocket is, hands down, the best option out there. You can buy parts for it (which you cannot do for the cheaper options out there) and it is a superb filter all around.


As far as pumping water into a bottle, use the supplied clip to attach the hose to the inside lip of a bottle, and you will be good to go.

[Gatorbait]

Hi all,

My wife and I already have quite a few gallons of water stored in our basement, in portable containers. I also just placed an order for a Big Berkey water filter. This covers the "stay at home" strategy, I think.

Now I am looking for some portable water filters (e.g. Katadyn) and a portable quick water heater (e.g. Jetboil).

I'd like to ask for your help in selecting a quality model of each of these.

I do not have any experience in their use. How do the portable filters like the Katadyn's work? How do you hook them up to another bottle or storage device? Are there certain bottles that work well with them?

I plan to use the Jetboil to heat water for portable freeze-dried meal packets (Mountain House). Any tips here?

I also have a propane stove for home use. The portable filters and jetboils would be for short-term bugging out (a few days) and get home bags.

Thanks for your time.

Chris

Hey Chris,

Sounds like you have a good plan for at home. I don't know if you had considered adding a water BOB to it or not, but (IMHO) it might be something to think about.....

For portable water filters and heaters....
I have found the best way(for me at least) to filter is by using one of the gravity water filters. Both Katadyn Base camp and MSR autoflow gravity filters are good choices. As far as heating water up for a MH meal, I would suggest an ESBIT stove with fuel tabs instead of a Jetboil. Jetboils are great, but not always the best choice when having a small tank of volitile fluid in your pack may not be the best choice, given the immediate envirnoment. I have used ESBITS several times, with great results, when using a space saver cup....

Space saver cup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLICAMP-BACKPACKERS-HIKERS-SPACE-SAVER-CUP-MUG-NEW-/290605762086?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a9740626

If you are using the double serve MH packs, a space saver cup holds just enough to heat up the water you need for it(16 oz's, IIRC??). It also fits around the bottom of a standard size Nalgene watter bottle. IF you get further into it, the 48 oz. Nalgene will fit 3 (double serving) pouches of freeze dried food in it. I store my MH in #10 cans, but when it's time to go camping, I have found that I can just fill my Nalgene from the #10, and use Ziplock freezer bags to combine it in.

A couple of thoughts about water...

I would reccomend having a water purifier and tablets with you, as well as a roll of $10 bills, for water. Water is one of the heaviest things in your BOB/GHB that will always get lighter on the journey....that is until you have to refill it. If you might be in an area where water might be bought, it's gonna be expensive WTSHTF. I would not be supprised to see water for sale @ $10.00/bottle. However, if it is still in a sealed(non-contaminated) bottle, this will bring the risk down from drinking....."funky" water.. filtered funky water... If you can buy water, I will bet they ain't gonna' be takin 'no credit cards for it, and it ain't gonna be cheap. Greedy people are always one of the few constants I have seen, in chaotic situations....

Good Luck,

gb

[rkba01]

Procuring your daily water supply can be one of the most important and dangerous activities during a SHTF situation. If you have a water well at your location you can cut out part of the danger. It may also make you a target if it becomes known.


Great instructional videos.

http://vimeo.com/channels/emas

EMAS is also a whole technical and social concept of water and sanitation which includes manual drilling, rain water harvesting, solar water heaters, wind power, hydraulic rams, water treatment, small tanks and sinks, a variety of hand and foot pumps, and ferrocement water storage tanks.

The sludge drilling method is very interesting! Sure, you need the right type of soil to be able to do that, still impressive.
http://vimeo.com/channels/emas#8357733

Hand pump
http://vimeo.com/channels/emas#8365884

[Brimstone]

I agree that having water is very important. I have four 55 gallon containers of water in my basement along with the contents of my water heater (never forget the water heater) and I probably need more. Actually, this is a good reminder for me that I need to rotate out my water this weekend and fill the tanks fresh.

[mcmillanman5]

I am in the market for a portable filter as well. I have read about the katadyns and understand they are good. Anyone have any experience with these filters?

http://www.lifesaverusa.com/default.asp

[juliomorris]

I like the katadyn Combi and the ceramic siphon filter they make the Combi is good for 16K gallons while the siphon filter is good for 5K. If you prefilter the water using .5 mil. filter socks you can increase thier life span.

[photosniper]

Don't overlook new products like the SteriPen. While it's not ideal for large quantities of water, it's great for 'de-bugging' up to a gallon at a pop and only takes about 90 seconds per liter.
My travels everywhere with me along with a 1L stainless steel bottle to fill, filter and drink from.