Katadyn Survivor 06 Desalinator Review
In this Katadyn Survivor 06 Desalinator review, you will learn what makes this amazing water filtering device so special. But nothing is perfect and this is true for the Katadyn Survivor. We’ll take a look at the negatives as well and you can decide if the cons are too great to overcome.
While death by misadventure is always a tragedy, this is never so true as those lost at sea suffering a lingering death by dehydration while floating on billions of gallons of unpotable salt water. While it is possible to create a desalination still with low tech and inexpensive materials, such a still operates incredibly slowly and relies on calm, sunny weather to function and avoid having the entire contraption blow away. In other words, relying on such a setup is not planning to survive, it is hoping to do so.
Just as someone would not rely on life support machinery powered by a windmill, a wise person would not count on having the space required and cooperative weather to make a solar still work. Anyone wise enough to plan for being suddenly adrift should get a Katadyn Survivor 06 Desalinator and take survival into their own hands. Every boat that will see salt water contains an emergency kit, and any salt water emergency kit should contain one of these units. Beyond those of a nautical bent, everyone who lives on the coast should have a quality desalinator in the home. Coastal areas are more at the mercy of imported water than the rest of the world because local water tends to be brackish and undrinkable. In a situation where water service is cut off due to natural or other disasters, having the ability to convert readily available salt water into clean potable water can turn a crisis into a minor inconvenience.
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Specifications
Size: 5″ x 8″ x 2.5″ (12.7 x 20.3 x 6.4 cm)
While certainly not a device you are going to throw into your shirt pocket, the Katadyn Survivor is definitely small enough to store in a compact emergency kit.
Weight: 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg)
Water Production (+/- 15 percent): 1 oz/2 min (890 ml/hour)
For the average adult stuck in a life raft, the required amount of drinking water is about 4 liters per day. The Survivor’s water desalination rate means a single unit could process enough drinking water to keep six people alive indefinitely. In shifts, each individual can desalinate a full day’s supply of water for him or herself in under 4 hours.
Salt Rejection: 98.4 percent average (95.3 percent minimum)
Some salt in water is actually beneficial to someone stranded since humans lose salt through perspiration and urination. Salt is a necessary part of the body’s ability to utilize water. The nearly pure output of the Survivor is well beyond the threshold of potable water while still introducing this essential mineral into the body, turning the disadvantage of salt water into an advantage.
Desalination Technology: Reverse Osmosis
By filtering water as opposed to distillation, the Survivor allows faster processing of salt water with no power source beyond the human hand. The human power is essential as relying on being lucky enough to find favorable conditions is somewhat foolish for someone who is already in the midst of a calamity. Even in situations where the boat is intact, having the ability to process salt water into drinking water without relying on the power of the boat’s engine is a serious consideration.
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What makes the Katadyn Survivor 06 Desalinator special?
Those looking for a desalination method that is highly respected need look no farther than the Katadyn Survivor 06. The fact that the US Navy, US Coast Guard, and US Air Force all rely on the Survivor line as part of their salt water emergency preparations shows that the Survivor is not a cool gadget – it is a serious survival tool chosen by those for whom survival is an occupation. (US Coast Guard Approval Number: 160.058/7/0)
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What are the “Cons” of the product?
If there is any drawback to the Katadyn Survivor 06, it is the simple fact that it is an active desalination solution. Because of this, it requires a person pumping it for nearly 4 hours to treat enough drinking water for a single person for a 24 hour period. A large solar still in ideal circumstances can produce enough water for a person with no effort after setup. The real question is whether a person wants to place his or her odds of survival on having ideal weather conditions.
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What do existing owners of the Survivor say?
“I tested one once drinking the water after desalinating ocean water. Works fine by my test, but also by many tests from the Coast Guard and Navy, etc.This is the device for lifeboat survival for 1-2 people. Probably would work fine for a larger number, and the advertising copy does mention 6 or even 8 people in various places. Though it’s expensive, drinking water is the big limiting factor in lifeboat survival… “
“I know the idea of taking your watermaker with you in such a serious situation is tempting, but it’s not very practical. I strongly recommend having a separate small hand-operated watermaker as a permanent part of your abandon ship gear. That’s what the Katadyn model 06 and model 35 are for. “
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An inescapable truth of life is that an adult must be responsible for the protection of himself and his loved ones in the areas they choose to live or play. For those who choose to live or play on or near salt water, ensuring fresh drinking water is a large consideration.
In a perfect world, nothing would ever go wrong – this is not a perfect world though. Things do go wrong and the people who weather the storms are those who cared enough to plan for emergencies. While some consider themselves clever to pack a few sheets of plastic to rig solar stills in the event of a water shortage, they could easily find themselves feeling far less clever should this emergency strike on cloudy days, or even worse, windy days when they watch the contraption that is supposed to keep their family alive turn into a kite and fly away. Anyone serious about survival in the midst of catastrophe chooses tools that provide complete control over their use in any conditions. For converting salt water to drinking water, there is no more serous tool than the Katadyn Survivor.
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To view additional information about this water filter and pricing, click the following link: View Katadyn Survivor 06 Desalinator
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Katadyn Hiker Water Microfilter Review
The Katadyn Hiker Water Microfilter is like having 1600 pounds of potable water in the side pocket of your pack.
Backpacking – an awesome activity that combines stress decompression and bonding with nature with the childlike glee of preparing supplies and packing them just so. To a backpacker, weight is the biggest consideration for what gets brought along. Terribly expensive, but super light clothing is chosen over heavier, more reasonably priced alternatives. Food is dehydrated to enable a person to carry enough to last several days. Tiny hiking stoves that can only heat a cup of water at a time are given the nod over more powerful, but heavier models.
While weight is a hiker’s concern, water is his or her life. The problem is that a hiker needs roughly 2 gallons per day to drink and prepare meals and that water weighs over 8 pounds per gallon. Since most human bodies simply can’t schlep enough of this liquid life to last several days, the alternative for backpackers is to carry a quality water filter and collect the water along the way. With its ability to filter 200 gallons of water to safely use for drinking or food prep, the Katadyn Hiker Water Microfilter is like having 1600 pounds of potable water in the side pocket of your pack.
Specifications
Size: 7.6 x 16.5 x 6.1 cm (3 x 6.5 x 2.4 inches)
A little too big to comfortably sit in the typical pants or jacket pocket, the Hiker rests nicely in a small backpack pocket. While in the backpacking world we always clamor for smaller, lighter products, for a high capacity, durable water purifier with a glass fiber filter, this is about as small as it gets.
Weight: 310 g (about 11 ounces)
Output: 1 liters/minute (roughly a quart)
For a person in an outdoors setting performing heavy activity, conventional wisdom states that they should have 4 to 6 liters of clean drinking water per day. The Katadyn Hiker’s glass fiber filter makes short work of the need. Compared to a ceramic filtered device, the Hiker feels less tedious than those with an identical filtration speed. This is due to the very slightly larger openings in the filter and large filtering surface. The result of these features is a pump that requires less force and “feels” faster than a comparable ceramic filter.
Filter Technology: 0.3 micron glass fiber and activated carbon filter
The Katadyn Hiker actually is two filters in one. The primary filter is a glass fiber paper. As bacteria range in size from 0.2 to 5 microns, the 0.3 micron filter is designed to screen virtually all bacteria from the water. A long lasting, pleated design, the Hiker’s filter is engineered for maintenance free operation. This glass fiber paper is the Hiker’s method of making water found in the wilderness safe to drink. It does not, however, improve the actual taste of water filtered. For that, the second filtration feature comes into play.
The secondary filter that the Combi uses is an activated charcoal filter. The charcoal filter is designed to remove chemicals from the water. Naturally occurring chemicals like sulfur or trace levels of man-made chemicals like those used on agricultural fields can cause an unpleasant taste without being actively harmful to the person drinking the water. The charcoal filter is a luxury that removes the foul taste of many of the chemicals commonly found in water.
Filter Lifespan: 750 l (Just under 200 gallons)
At 6 liters per person per day, the Hiker’s filter would clean enough drinking water to last a pair of backpackers sixty-two and a half days. This lifespan can be reduced by constant use to filter extremely muddy, gritty water.
What makes the Katadyn Hiker special?
The maintenance-free filter is a huge advantage to using the Hiker. For someone who has spent an entire day on his or her feet, the last thing that would be pleasant is dealing with difficult to clean equipment.
The input hose on the Hiker comes with a removable pre-filter to prevent larger pieces of debris from getting to and clogging up the filter, extending the life of the device.
It combines the effectiveness and speed of a much larger filter into a light-weight unit that easily fits in a pack pocket.
The output hose of the Hiker has an attachment to allow water bottles to be connected directly to the hose, preventing spills and possible contamination from the surrounding environment.
What are the “Cons” of the product?
Honestly, the complaints about the Katadyn Hiker tend to be wistful “I wish it were a little smaller (lighter, faster)” type comments. While any product can break and there are examples of every product disappointing someone, the Hiker’s owners are virtually universal in their happiness with the filter.
What do existing owners of the Katadyn Hiker say?
“This filter works great. It is very fast. It will fill a Nalgene or Camel Back in no time. It comes with the adapters to fill both with ease.”
“Easy to assemble, no brainer operation. Water filter is one of the best I have used on outdoor excursions. Volume of water is exceptional for the minimal effort.”
“My husband and I, along with other adults, take a group of girls up into the Los Padres National Forest in California every summer for a few days. We have used this filter for a number of years and it works great! We can pump enough water for over 10 people and it’s so easy to use.”
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When weight means the world and heavy water is the key to surviving, a backpacker must find some way to reconcile these crucial but opposing issues. The Katadyn Hiker Water Microfilter has done this for many people by allowing them to rely on the natural supply of water by turning it into safe, clean tasting H2O – not bad for a 10 ounce water filter with a tiny footprint and a pricetag to match…
To view additional information about this water filter and pricing, click here: View Katadyn Hiker Water Microfilter
Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter Review
Imagine a group of friends seeking bonding time away from the rat race. They decide to institute a new activity – a group camping/hiking getaway – and decide to purchase a Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter based on recommendations they’ve received from others. Not being seasoned outdoors-people, they have misadventures along the way but succeed in their goal. Their friendships grow stronger and their stresses are reduced as the group enjoys nature and everything that goes along with it. Years later, each and every member of the group look back on the trips as some of the best times in their lives.
Now imagine an identical group but one with no knowledge of the Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter. Instead of minor camping surprises that later become the fodder for friendly ribbing, the friends drink or use contaminated water to prepare food and are forced to rush back to civilization to treat their possibly life-threatening illness. Years later, each and every member of the group can point back to that first trip as evidence that camping is a bad idea.
Two scenarios, virtually identical, but with extremely different outcomes. The only difference in the two imaginary scenarios is that the second group took for granted one thing that most people in the industrialized world take for granted – having fresh tasting, uncontaminated drinking water at their disposal. The Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter is engineered specifically to prevent that second scenario.
Specifications
Size: 27 x 6 cm (10.6 x 2.4 inches)
More backpack size than pocket size. A high capacity, rugged filter designed to support up to 4 people, the Katadyn Combi is both larger and functionally better than the pocket sized filters found in many hiking or emergency kits.
Weight: 580 g (about 21 ounces)
Output: 1 liters/minute (roughly half a gallon)
For a person in an outdoors setting performing heavy activity, conventional wisdom states that they should have 4 to 6 liters of clean drinking water per day. While it is clear that the Katadyn Combi can provide this, it is a little slow. If you have ever performed a simple, repetitive task for a solid minute (a task like pumping a water filter), it is amazing just how long 60 seconds can seem. While this rate can change slightly in either direction based on just how dirty the water being filtered is, the 1 liter/minute rating is going to be very close to the Combi’s actual performance in the field.
Filter Technology: 0.2 micron ceramic depth filter and activated carbon
The Katadyn Combi actually has two filters working in concert. The main filter is a silver impregnated ceramic filter. As bacteria range in size from 0.2 to 5 microns, the 0.2 micron filter is designed to screen virtually all bacteria from the water. It is also, incidentally, the reason for the Combi’s slow filter rate. Forcing water through holes that are invisible to the naked eye is a slow process. This ceramic filter is the primary method of making water found in the wilderness safe to drink. It does not, however, improve the actual taste of water filtered. For that, the second filter comes into play.
The secondary filter that the Combi uses is an activated charcoal filter. The charcoal filter is designed to remove chemicals from the water. Naturally occurring chemicals like sulfur or trace levels of man-made chemicals like those used on agricultural fields can cause an unpleasant taste without being actively harmful to the person drinking the water. The charcoal filter is a luxury that removes the foul taste of many of the chemicals commonly found in water.
Main Filter Lifespan: up to 50,000 l (Just over 13,000 gallons)
At 6 liters per person per day, the ceramic filter would clean enough drinking water to last a group of 4 nearly 4 years. This lifespan can be reduced by constant use to filter extremely muddy, gritty water.
Carbon Filter Lifespan:400 l (105 gallons)
At 6 liters per person per day, the charcoal filter will last a group of 4 just over eleven days. Since improving the taste of the water is a luxury, many people simply use the ceramic filter alone for most of their needs and only use the activated charcoal filter for exceptionally foul tasting water. Even using the charcoal constantly, 11 days worth of filtration for four people is more than enough for casual trips, and those planning extended trips can easily bring along extra charcoal filters.
What makes the Katadyn Combi special?
With an optional attachment, the Combi can be used as a countertop filter for a normal water faucet. This makes the Combi the only water filter that can be taken from the boat, RV, or home faucet straight into use in the field. When looking at a product, the more versatility it has, the more useful it tends to be. The Combi’s ability to connect to a water faucet places its versatility in a different world from other portable water filters.
What are the “Cons” of the product?
There are only two actual disadvantages to the Katadyn Combi Microfilter, and they are both situational and unlikely to affect the vast majority of users:
- As durable a material as it is, ceramic is brittle. After use, allowing the Combi to rest in freezing conditions could result in the filter being cracked by the water within it freezing. The two solutions to the issue are drying the ceramic filter thoroughly near a heat source (out in the sun or near a fire) before leaving it out in freezing cold, and simply never leaving it in freezing cold.
- - Designed to filter water directly into a drinking bottle, the Combi does not use an output hose. Those with water containers that do not mate to the Combi (like certain canteens) may need to find a workaround.
What do existing owners of the Katadyn Combi say?
“My wife and I bought this for back-country camping in the UP of Michigan and it worked awesome. The filter is very sturdy and well built…”
“i have had my katadyn combi since 1995 it gives you not only safe drinking water but good tasting with the carbon filter…”
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A rarity in today’s consumer world – a product that does what it was designed to do and does it well. This is the Katadyn Combi.
To view additional information about this water filter and pricing, click here: View Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter
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Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter Review – Popular Among Travelers and Outdoorsmen
The familiar red and white Swiss image on the side of the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter isn’t just a fashion statement. No, this little water filter is one of the best (if not THE best) filter pumps on the market today. It is especially popular with international travlers, hikers, outdoorsmen, and disaster relief agencies. Let’s find out why in this Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter review.
First of all, the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter is made to last. It is constructed using heavy-duty materials instead of the cheap plastics you find on other lower priced water filters. For example, the Pocket Microfilter utilizes a silver-permeated ceramic element that’s very effective against bacteria. (Note: Silver is commonly used in the medical community due to its ability to kill bacteria. Source: Wikipedia – Medical Uses of Silver.) The ceramic filter element may be washed many times before needing to be replaced.
But how well does the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter actually work? Very well in fact! For example, it is made to filter out all microorganisms larger than 0.2 whereas other popular filter pumps typically handle 0.3 microns. And although a typical concern of water filter pumps is the difficulty of the handle pumping, the Katadyn model has a sturdy but smooth mechanism that is easy to use.
In case you’re concerned about a ‘more expensive than usual’ pocket water filter breaking after just a few uses, that really should not be a conern with the Katadyn Microfilter. As mentioned previously, it is made from heavy-duty materials and as one buyer put it,
“the only way to break it would be to take it apart and drop the inner ceramic filter”.
But no pocket water filter is perfect and although the Katadyn Pocket Microfilter may be as close to perfect as we’ve seen, some owners have reported a few shortcomings. For example:
- Size – It is not the smallest water filter on the market.
- Price – More expensive than your “typical” filter.
As the popular saying goes “it is what it is”. In other words, there isn’t much you can do about the Katadyn Pocket’s weight, size, or price. The only thing one can do is compare the negatives to the positives and make a decision if the product is right for you.
In addition to the positives mentioned previously – quality of construction, durability, filtering performance – there are two other significant positives to mention:
- Capacity – Up to 13,000 gallons of clean water.
- Guarantee – A 20 year guarantee.
In addition to the Katadyn Pocket Filter, you also receive a measuring gauge to help you determine when to change the filtering element, a cushioned base that makes it easy to pump on all surfaces, a pre-filter, and a carrying bag.
Here is a short video demonstrating some of the features of the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter:
Overall, we highly recommend the Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter. Yes, it may be more expensive than other models you’re considering, but this filter should/will last a very long time and will most likely exceed your expectations.
To view additional details about this water filter and see pricing, click here: View Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter Information
