Years ago, I purchased a Katadyn Base Camp gravity filter to avoid the chore of manual pumping for fresh water. While it was easy to use, the included filter quickly clogged and the clean water flow would basically stop. The only solution was to purchase a new filter. The inability to back flush the system and the high replacement cost of the filters ($45 CND) lead me to start using a Sawyer squeeze system. It has a much better longevity since it can be back flushed easily but the smaller squeeze bags it came with were not ideal for large water needs.
Both Katadyn and Saywer have since come out with "new and improved" models of their systems. The new Katadyn Base Camp Pro costs over a $100 here in Canada and claims to have solved the premature clogging issue. Instead of slapping down more money for gear, I read about a mod to the older version that would eliminate the costs of replacement cartridges. It involves sawing off the pleated membrane of a the Katadyn filter at the base, revealing a mesh particle screen at the bottom. This is returned the base camp gravity bag and the Sawyer filter is attached the outlet hose. My Sawyer kit came with the inline attachment piece included so this setup made sense.
Here are some visuals starting with an internet image of the original filter. I forgot to take a picture of mine before cutting mine up. It was nasty and disgusting to look at anyway...
The filter is cut at the base of the pleated membrane, just above the blue casing by the o-ring.. This process was a bit messy as it released all the granulated carbon embedded in the interior tubing. The result is a bottom piece that can be re-screwed to the filter bag to form a tight seal.
The Sawyer filter is then attached to the end of the hosing using the inline attachement (grey piece) that was included in the kit.
Here's a pic of it slung up a tree branch on the property.
The original white shutoff clip still works to clamp down on the hose, but this edition of the Sawyer filter also has one of those pull up bottle lids to also stop water flow. When opened, the filter immediately begins to go to work with a decent flow.
The other nice thing about this mod, is that without the original, delicate pleated membrane encased in the bag, the whole setup can collapse into a tighter package. Here it is all bundled up.
Also, if out for just a quick trip where large quantity of water isn't needed, the Sawyer filter can removed and used with its original smaller squeeze bags.
If you've got an old clogged Katadyn Base Camp filter collecting dust, maybe this mod will help bring it back to life.
Both Katadyn and Saywer have since come out with "new and improved" models of their systems. The new Katadyn Base Camp Pro costs over a $100 here in Canada and claims to have solved the premature clogging issue. Instead of slapping down more money for gear, I read about a mod to the older version that would eliminate the costs of replacement cartridges. It involves sawing off the pleated membrane of a the Katadyn filter at the base, revealing a mesh particle screen at the bottom. This is returned the base camp gravity bag and the Sawyer filter is attached the outlet hose. My Sawyer kit came with the inline attachment piece included so this setup made sense.
Here are some visuals starting with an internet image of the original filter. I forgot to take a picture of mine before cutting mine up. It was nasty and disgusting to look at anyway...
The filter is cut at the base of the pleated membrane, just above the blue casing by the o-ring.. This process was a bit messy as it released all the granulated carbon embedded in the interior tubing. The result is a bottom piece that can be re-screwed to the filter bag to form a tight seal.
The Sawyer filter is then attached to the end of the hosing using the inline attachement (grey piece) that was included in the kit.
Here's a pic of it slung up a tree branch on the property.
The original white shutoff clip still works to clamp down on the hose, but this edition of the Sawyer filter also has one of those pull up bottle lids to also stop water flow. When opened, the filter immediately begins to go to work with a decent flow.
The other nice thing about this mod, is that without the original, delicate pleated membrane encased in the bag, the whole setup can collapse into a tighter package. Here it is all bundled up.
Also, if out for just a quick trip where large quantity of water isn't needed, the Sawyer filter can removed and used with its original smaller squeeze bags.
If you've got an old clogged Katadyn Base Camp filter collecting dust, maybe this mod will help bring it back to life.
