Katadyn Vario Microfilter

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

i have used this filter for well over a year and have had a few problems that the previous reviewers had however i knew how to fix the problems and it has been a very stout filter for me. i use this filter when i tack groups out for weeklong trips because it gives excellent water quality and rapid fill rates. i always use this on longer life setting and i know that if i filter from a silt floored stream i will have to clean the ceramic filter at least once, all of you that have written about vapor locking the filter and blowing water out through the umbrella, this is caused because the ceramic filter is clogged not just on the surface but entirely through the filter, all you have to do is take it out and scrub it with the scrub pad that came with it and then aggitate it in the stream for about 30 seconds and that will resolve the issue, no big deal. i love this filter because i can take it entirely apart and field service it i carry spare o rings just in case but i also replace them oncea year regardless of the condition this is common sense. the only thing that i dont like about this filter is that it is somewhat bulky but im willing to compromise that any day! i also have remedied the clogged ceramic filter by adding a cotton prefilter that msr makes and since i have done that it hasnt clogged once!

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

I purchased this filter new from REI on the Saturday of memorial day weekend, took it on a 3 day in North Georgia near Jacks River Falls.
Within the first 2 liters of water pumped i had to remove the pump housing and clean the ceramic filter. After that it pumped fine as long as i kept the pre-filter "bob" away from silt. The next morning, however, the pump refused to operate at all and would not even draw water in through the inlet tubing. I read the manual and found out that this may be caused by high pressure build up in the canister and the solution was to pump slowly until water was flowing and then increase the pumping rate to normal. This did not work at all. Changed to "faster pumping" setting (which bypasses the ceramic disk) and the filter still would not pump. I cleaned the ceramic disk and still was unable to pump. I disassembled the entire pump and cleaned all the pump o-rings and made sure there was no debris hindering operation, all to no avail. Finally figured out that the pump developed enough pressure to force air out through the pump seals on top(which you could hear audibly escaping the pump with a high pitched whining sound), but not enough pressure to force the air in the chamber through the filter media to allow water to draw into the chambers and start the actual "pumping" process. As a last resort before deciding to boil water for the rest of the weekend, i removed the pump housing turned it upside down in the stream to fill it with water and assembled the pump upside down, effectively filling the pumping chamber with water (where it was previously filled with air), basically priming the pump. With incompressible water now filling the pump chamber, vs. compressible air, the pump built up enough pressure in the water to force it through and actually begin pumping water. For the rest of the trip i just turned the pump housing upside down in the water to fill it and reassembled it before beginning to pump and it worked fine. The water quality and taste were wonderful, the pumping speed was ridiculous fast(could fill 3 Camelback Hydration packs in under 1o min on longer life setting) but the need to "prime" a filter at this price point doesn't sit well with me. If Katadyn doesn't give a good explanation of this problem and fix it on their dime, I'm taking this back to REI and will probably get the MSR Hyperflow and add a DIY carbon filter for taste and clarity. I hope no one else had this problem.

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

This filter has some compromises. I recently used this filter for the first real test in a 5-day backcountry trip in Yellowstone. The water we filter is known to have a very high mineral/algae content. It is imperative on this hike to have a filter that is field cleanable. The MSR MiniWorks has been the standard before.
I decided to try the Vario because of the ceramic prefilter option and the glass filter when water is clear.
Well, compared to the MSR, the overall area of the ceramic is much smaller, therefore you would expect more frequent cleanings. This is absolutely the case. Whereas the MSR could filter a 2 liter Nalgene bottle before needing to be scrubbed, the Vario had trouble getting through 1 liter. It is very slow under these conditions too. About halfway through the filtering, the pumping gets very tough, and with building backpressure, the pumps starts dripping and squirting water from its seals.
Now, jump over to some clean water...In the "Faster Flow" mode, this baby rocks! it beats the pants off of the MSR for speed. I could do 2 liters of water in slightly over a minute. Just wonderful.
So...This filter is a hybrid. With compromises. You have a choice of ceramic or glass filtration, depending on water quality. This is great, but be aware that in mucky water, you will do a lot of cleaning, and a lot of slow pumping. But, in clear water, you will be glad you have this filter instead of the full ceramic competition. Weight is very comparable to the MSR MiniWorks. I love that it screws directly to a Nalgene bottle and and another cool "trick" is a metal clip on the end of the output hose to secure the hose into any other water bottle. This is just wonderful for Platypus water bags, and empty 20oz. water bottles. But, be sure and use a little duct tape to secure that clip to the end of the hose permanetly. I lost my first one, and Katadyn sent me a new one quickly.

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

Several individuals have noted that they have had filtering/pumping problems with the Vario. This is a good filter until you get a lot of silt in it...then it stops pumping.

An easy way to keep out silt is to take along a few cheap paper coffee filters with you on your hike. Wrap one around the pre-filter bob and secure it with a rubber band. This will stop the pump from sucking in silt and help ensure a longer filter life for your Vario!

For extra dirty water, use two coffee filters....you can extend the life of your filter and eliminate most problems if you use this simple technique!

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

We used the Vario this summer on multi-day trips in Olympic and Grand Canyon National Parks. In both cases we found it to work well on the "faster" setting, which is suitable for silt-free water sources. Along rivers this can mean settling your water first. The "longer life" setting with the ceramic pre-filter was unsatisfactory. Within one or two liters filtered, it began to leak prodigiously due to the back pressure created on the ceramic filter. We broke it down, checked and re-lubed all O-rings, but the problem persisted.

Nevertheless this is a satisfactory replacement for a Katadyn Hiker, which uses the same core filter. The lever handle is easier to use, the pump rate is faster (well over one liter per minute), and the screw-on feature which works with Nalgene bottles and MSR Dromedary Bags is *much* more convenient than fussing with the output tube and adapter on the Hiker.

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

don't pump too fast or it will leak just keep the speed steady when you pump an it pumps fast. Its as good as any other filter, it is a bit bulky though. Use it all the time, just be gentle with it its not your kitchen faucet. I'm not sure what people expect they act as if backpacking equiptment should be able to fall off of everest and be submerged in corosive sea water for a year and not have problems. I like it but it could be designed a little better so I give it 4 of 5 stars

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

I used it on a 7 day trek through Idaho Panhandle Forest. Some of the streams are known to carry the big "G" (my buddy got giardia from the same area). Was nervous to drink the water but had to. I will never lose faith in my water filter again! Nobody on the trip got sick and the filter was easy to use and clean. I'm glad I packed it! I like how it can attach to my water bottle too!

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

So far we've only used this in the relatively crystal clear lakes of the Boundary Waters (thus on the "faster flow" setting only), and it has worked great! Easy to pump, fast output, no leaking. Love that it attaches directly to Nalgene bottles. Very happy with our purchase!

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

I'm not really sure what many of these reviewers are talking about. I've had this filter for a year and I've never had any problems with it. I hike mostly in the Sierra Nevadas, but I've used it in CO Rockies as well. It pumps plenty fast. I've never once been disappointed with the speed at which it filters, and more importantly, I've never contracted G or Crypto or anything else. I've probably run 150+ liters through it. If it weighed a little less I'd give it 5 stars. Maybe my lack of problems with this filter derive from the clarity of the sources I pump from. I've never had any issues with excess silt building up in it. Anyway...I love this filter.

Comments about Katadyn Vario Microfilter:

Unlike most comments left for this item, I have had no problems with this filter, performance, filtering or otherwise. The pump action is easy, filters smooth, and the attachment capabilities with water bottles and hydration packs is great. I dont think that its too bulky or heavy. I think this is a great filter for the money, and it works great for me, and has right out of the box. I would have given it a five, but I have no other experience with any other kind of filter.