Yes, you could drink from the lake and you’ll probably live to tell about it. However, we like to know that we’re not going to come down with a gnarly case of giardia a week after we return home.
We tested out the Katadyn Basecamp water filter. This unassuming dry bag holds at least 2 gallons of water. The activated carbon granulate filter is screwed to the inside, while a tube and shut off clip connects to the outside. All you gotta do is take the bag down to the shore, fill with lake water, roll and clip the top shut and your done. Hang it from a high branch so that the force of gravity allows for efficient flow.
At first we thought it might be overkill as we’re fond of our Steripen, which is quick and efficient. It was handy, however to have two sources of filtering. We found that we usually used the Steripen while traveling and we used the Katadyn while in camp. While it is a little slower than our other filter, it produced 2 gallons in 15 minutes. You could set your pan or bottle underneath the tube and walk away to do something else.
We think the best use for the Katadyn Basecamp would be for groups of four or more. It provides more volume quickly, but would be unnecessary bulk for a smaller group. For cleanliness and protection, we store it in a 2 liter dry sack. For the job that it does, its light at 11 oz.
We’ll drink to that.
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