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The Katadyn Pocket Water Filter
We have not been
sponsored by any
company.
If a product stinks,
we'll tell you
A little old man in a village in central Brazil told
us it was safe to drink the water directly from
the tap and we believed him.  The water
systems of the large coastal town provided safe
chlorinated water and we assumed this village
would be no different.

Just a few days later Amanda began showing
signs of a giardia infection.  Rich followed a few
days later.

A good water filter would have saved us both
from the weeks of discomfort.

Back at home we began researching this
cycling journey and decided a good water filter
was a necessity.  While bottled water is
available in most large towns throughout the
world, we would be cycling in some remote
locations where water quality would be
questionable.

The Katadyn Pocket is different from everything
else on the market.  The first indication of this
difference is the price.  It costs is two to three
times the price of it's competition.  Also, it is not
lightweight.  And really it's not all that' easy to
use.

So why did we decide that this filter was the
best available for international bicycle touring?

The aluminum construction makes it very
durable.  We wanted something that would not
break if the bike accidentally tipped over onto
the pack with the filter.

The filter is fully field-cleanable.  That means
there is no expensive filter cartridge to replace
after a month of use.  The ceramic cartridge in
the Katadyn Pocket has a life of 13,000 gallons
or 50,000 liters.  So this filter will last for a
lifetime of adventure.

Katadyn has been making this filter for
decades.  It has been used by the Navy Seals
and other special forces for years.

.

The water filter was not really necessary
when cycling down the West Coast of the
U.S.but once we landed in Southeast Asia
we used it constantly.  While bottled water
is readily available in the region, it seemed
extremely wasteful to use 15 to 20 plastic
bottles each and every day. We were
happy we had the filter.
Southeast Asia Update:
This is a guesthouse restroom in
Southern Thailand.  We were able to
avoid purchasing about 20 of those liter
bottles of water every day by having the
pump.  
After using the filter
for close to two yeats
it was time to
purchase a new
cartridge.  
We found them at
warehousedealsgalore
for a great price.  

You deal directly with
Keith, the owner,
who is willing to work
with the unusual
requests of the
touring cyclist.   
Rich Ligato pumping a Katadyn Pocket Water Filter While Filling an MSR Dromedary Bag
Repairing a Katadyn Pocket Microfilter using the lubricating gel
Repairing a Katadyn Pocket Microfilter
Measuring the element life of the Katadyn Pocket Microfilter Water Filter
Cleaning the filter element of the Katadyn Pocket microfilter water filter
Katadyn Pocket Microfilter Maintenance
There are a few things that need to
be done regularly to keep the filter in
good working condition.  


Katadyn provides an organic
lubricant that is applied to the pump
handle at the bottom and the point
where the rod enters the pump.  

While the lubricant is a tiny little tube
it seems to last a long time.  At the
point when these photos were taken
we had been using the pump for
more than two years of everyday use
and the lubricant is still more than
half full.  






The pores of the ceramic filter
element soak in the contamination
and must be scrubbed periodically.  
Generally I give it a light scrubbing
after pumping about ten liters of sink
water.  If the water source is slightly
salty or dirty then the element must
be scrubbed more frequently.  I can
tell it needs a cleaning when the filter
becomes difficult to pump.

When I first began using the filter I
would scrub it too often and too hard,
removing more of the ceramic coating
than necessary.  The first filter wore
our faster than the 50,000 liter limit
and I learned my lesson.

Now I am careful to scrub it lightly and
evenly so the wear occurs at the
outer edges of the filter at the same
rate as the center.  

Here I am measuring the wear of the
element using the plastic gauge
provided with the filter.