LifeSaver Water filter, How Do You Filter Water?

[Embark With Mark]

Hello everyone,
I hope you all are doing well. Like you all I am super excited to get out and explore! However, like the title states, I wanted to make a thread questioning the validity of filtering water vs storing enough to carry with us. For us we currently use a LifeSaver Jerrycan. I bought this system use and than went about sterilizing it and replacing key components to ensure it was safe to drink out of. We have had this thing for about a year now and use it all the time. If we go on really big trips we will supplement with another 5 gallon container just incase we won't see water for a while. So, the question is do you bring a device to filter water with you? If so, which one? If you do not, why? Also check out my long term review of this Jerrycan and how we put it to use in the back of my vehicle.

 

[smritte]

My filtering is based on where I'm going, where I'm filling from and what container its going in.
1. My trailer. From the garden hose at my house I use an inline charcoal filter. this removes some of the chlorine and is mostly for debris. My trailer has a solid block carbon filter inline with the pump and I have a counter top filter/spout I keep a ceramic filter in. I really only use the ceramic if I'm unsure of the water source. The ceramic will pull out most chemicals and anything the carbon did not.

2. Water cans (short term storage). Garden hose, inline charcoal filter coupled to inline solid carbon filter.

3. Water cans (long term) Garden hose, no filtering in order to retain the chlorine from the city. This helps reduce bacteria build up. This water would be more for washing. Can be filtered later if I choose.

4. Water cans (unknown water source or streams) I keep a "backpack" style filter with ceramic element as well as a filtering water bottle.
I can rig my water cans to "gravity feed" my trailer tank or another can through my inline filters. The inline filters are designed to go inline with a garden hose and can be found fairly cheap.

5. Personal water bottle. A Sawyer water filter bottle. This is what all water I drink goes into if I didn't run the water through my other filters. I carry this at work and filter the drinking fountain water as well as keep it with me when I travel.

One of my friends worked for the county water department and my brother in-law worked for the state doing water testing. Based on the info I got from them, I refuse to drink anything out of the tap. If anyone remembers the movie Erin Brockovich, the town it took place in is 45 mins from me. What concerns me about drinking water, isn't bacteria but the chemicals that are leaching into the water after generations of dumping into the ground.
I also don't like the taste of non filtered water anymore.

 

[CompassRose]

I recently picked up one of these:

Katadyn Base Camp Pro 10L

I haven't used it yet, but the idea is that I'll still carry a few gallons of water by plastic jug...to be sure we have clean water immediately available upon arrival at camp when the kids are hungry and tired. Later I should be able to replenish the jug by filling the Katadyn, hanging the bag and letting gravity do its thing. Of course I'll take plenty of extra water the first trip out, until I figure out if the plan works or not.

 

[4wheelspulling]

With my teeth! But in all seriousness, I need to invest and include a water filter system in my Overland gear. Vance.

 

[Embark With Mark]

My filtering is based on where I'm going, where I'm filling from and what container its going in.
1. My trailer. From the garden hose at my house I use an inline charcoal filter. this removes some of the chlorine and is mostly for debris. My trailer has a solid block carbon filter inline with the pump and I have a counter top filter/spout I keep a ceramic filter in. I really only use the ceramic if I'm unsure of the water source. The ceramic will pull out most chemicals and anything the carbon did not.

2. Water cans (short term storage). Garden hose, inline charcoal filter coupled to inline solid carbon filter.

3. Water cans (long term) Garden hose, no filtering in order to retain the chlorine from the city. This helps reduce bacteria build up. This water would be more for washing. Can be filtered later if I choose.

4. Water cans (unknown water source or streams) I keep a "backpack" style filter with ceramic element as well as a filtering water bottle.
I can rig my water cans to "gravity feed" my trailer tank or another can through my inline filters. The inline filters are designed to go inline with a garden hose and can be found fairly cheap.

5. Personal water bottle. A Sawyer water filter bottle. This is what all water I drink goes into if I didn't run the water through my other filters. I carry this at work and filter the drinking fountain water as well as keep it with me when I travel.

One of my friends worked for the county water department and my brother in-law worked for the state doing water testing. Based on the info I got from them, I refuse to drink anything out of the tap. If anyone remembers the movie Erin Brockovich, the town it took place in is 45 mins from me. What concerns me about drinking water, isn't bacteria but the chemicals that are leaching into the water after generations of dumping into the ground.
I also don't like the taste of non filtered water anymore.

I like how you have different filtering methods for different needs. I also employe some of the same methods when it comes to keeping water long term in water cans. Thank you for sharing! I agree, we filter our home water as well.

 

[Embark With Mark]

I recently picked up one of these:

Katadyn Base Camp Pro 10L

I haven't used it yet, but the idea is that I'll still carry a few gallons of water by plastic jug...to be sure we have clean water immediately available upon arrival at camp when the kids are hungry and tired. Later I should be able to replenish the jug by filling the Katadyn, hanging the bag and letting gravity do its thing. Of course I'll take plenty of extra water the first trip out, until I figure out if the plan works or not.

Before I picked up the LifeSaver Jerrycan, that is exactly what my plan was. Once you put the system to use, youll have to update us on how it went. I am curious how it will go since this was my original plan.

 

[Embark With Mark]

With my teeth! But in all seriousness, I need to invest and include a water filter system in my Overland gear. Vance.

I went without one for a good amount of time too. However, I can say that being able to filter water eases the planning process for me because I do not have to worry as much about how much water we bring. 5 gallons for us is usually good for a few days.

 

[Downs]

I keep a Katadyn Hiker Pro (not the transparent one linked but same idea). I also carry about 5 gallons per adult per trip and I'm typically going to make it back to some kind of civilization before I run out so I can refill. The Hiker filters aren't the fastest in the world. Pumping a 5 gallon can full of filtered water in it is going to take a bit and wear out your arms.

I keep it around as more of a backup thought incase we run out.



I'll have to check out one of those base camp ones that does gravity filtering.

 

[Embark With Mark]

I keep a Katadyn Hiker Pro (not the transparent one linked but same idea). I also carry about 5 gallons per adult per trip and I'm typically going to make it back to some kind of civilization before I run out so I can refill. The Hiker filters aren't the fastest in the world. Pumping a 5 gallon can full of filtered water in it is going to take a bit and wear out your arms.

I keep it around as more of a backup thought incase we run out.

Those are very nice filters! In the past I was carrying 10 gallons of water with me on every trip for two people. But the back of a TJ is very small and the amount of weight adds up quickly. I find that for the two of us and a few days 5 gallons with the ability to filter more quickly works out extremely well. But we also don't use the water for much more than drinking and maybe lightly raising a few dishes.

 

[MMc]

I carry a MSR pump, I don't use it much. I have a bunch of 5 gal containers and fill up as many as needed at the local RO place. In Mexico I use the RO systems that all over the place, the ice houses also have RO system in a pinch. I also use a 5gal bucket for ocean or local water.
At home keep all the 5 gal jugs full of house water just in case.

 

[Embark With Mark]

I carry a MSR pump, I don't use it much. I have a bunch of 5 gal containers and fill up as many as needed at the local RO place. In Mexico I use the RO systems that all over the place, the ice houses also have RO system in a pinch. I also use a 5gal bucket for ocean or local water.
At home keep all the 5 gal jugs full of house water just in case.

What vehicle do you use? I cant justify bringing to many 5 gallon containers for water, But that is because my vehicle is small. Payload is also a concern for me. But, if I had the space. That would be a great idea, or even one larger 25 gallon container would be great!

 

[MMc]

What vehicle do you use? I cant justify bringing to many 5 gallon containers for water, But that is because my vehicle is small. Payload is also a concern for me. But, if I had the space. That would be a great idea, or even one larger 25 gallon container would be great!

Ram 2500 long bed, usually flying solo. Keeping stuff from flying is my issue, space isn't. A ten gallon RV water container is much smaller than 2 x 5 gal water containers. Heavy, but smaller. I have a buddy with one in his Jeep with a wood cover so he stacks other gear on top without destroying the water jug, bung faces the back door with a short hose.

 

[Embark With Mark]

What vehicle do you use? I cant justify bringing to many 5 gallon containers for water, But that is because my vehicle is small. Payload is also a concern for me. But, if I had the space. That would be a great idea, or even one larger 25 gallon container would be great!

Ram 2500 long bed, usually flying solo. Keeping stuff from flying is my issue, space isn't. A ten gallon RV water container is much smaller than 2 x 5 gal water containers. Heavy, but smaller. I have a buddy with one in his Jeep with a wood cover so he stacks other gear on top without destroying the water jug, bung faces the back door with a short hose.

Ah, that makes sense. My Jeep TJ doesn’t have that kind of space haha! Yea I thought about an RV tank. Still may do something with that in the future. But for now this system works great. Being able to filter water is a big plus too.

 

[4wheelspulling]

Just want to show you some different setups that might work for you first, then what I use.