Katadyn Combi Microfilter - 2010 BCS

Bought this pump/filter for my newfound passion ... hiking/trekking and i must say I love this thing ..... although i found a few things about it that need's adressing ..... first of all ... the carbon filter .... nice addition and it DOES remove odours and bad taste, provided you dont go for the 1Liter/minute mark ( pumps about 20ml per stroke ) .... instead take a slow upstroke because thats when the carbon get run through by water and if you "push" this phase your not letting the carbon do its thing, down side to carbon is after a refill you get ALOT of carbondust in the ceramic, clogging it .... katadyn please wash the granulate before packing ... my best thought about it sofar was been getting a long teafilter bag ( the kind made for pots, they are very open but not to much ) pour the carbon granulate in there then flush with water, let it drain and dry until the grains are loose again, then fill the Combi cartridge ….. it will take some time to dry enough, but you can hang it from the backpack while walking … or wash and dry completely at home before the trip

Weight wise ... yeah its heavy ... but if you can get to watersources on the way, you can save huge amount of dead weight in water on the way ... I carry two lifeventure widemouth tritan bottles that can take boilt water aswell. (nalgene like things except they dont fit the Combi's nalgene bottle adapter due to much to long neck above the threading .... not to much of a problem though and not katadyn's fault.), plus a 1L thermos with hot water.

My experience with the Katadyn Combi although short but sweet, is to take your time preparing things not to cross-contaminate ( find a way to do it right …. )
Here is my way.
1. Choose one hand for Clean work and the other for Dirty.
2. Get the bottles ready, unscrew the lid but keep it on.
3. Unpack the Combi keeping the outlet pointed upwards …. keep Clean hand on the Combi's body , use Dirty hand to get the intake hose, putting it on, dropping it into the watersource, no need to get your hand wet.
4. Place Dirty hand which should still be reasonbly dry on the pumphandle, unlock and pump firmly till the pump is primed and most likely doesnt push air through anymore ( pumping feels solid, with air its kind of bouncy ).
5. Lock the pumphandle and use Clean hand to get a bottle and remove the lid, place the Pump on top and grab the pumpbody with the Clean hand again …. start pumping ( fast for emergency and slow for great taste ).
6. When bottle is full let the pump sit for a short while to stop dripping, lock the pumphandle and lift the pump, then change bottle with Clean hand.
7. New bottle … look at number 5. I think you get the idea.
8. When all done, it is time for packing, set filled bottles aside with Clean hand.
9. Hold the Pump body with Clean hand and pull the intake hose off of the pump ( with take a little twist ) and let it drain before lifting it out of the watersource, place it somewhere safe without touching wet part of the hose ( I got a loose netted pouch on the outside of my backpack closed with a zipper where i lock the pump-end into, and keeping a clean spare safely inside the backpack ).
10. Place dirty hand on the Pumphandle and pump pointing away from the Bottles ( Watersource or elsewhere ) until the pump isnt squirting to much water anymore, flip the pump so that outlet is pointing up, pull the pumphandle all the way out and the unscrew the cap to the carboncartridge, gently since the chamber is under pressure, pull the handle completely off, and flip it to pour the water out, this all drains most of the water from the pump, some is left inside the ceramic chamber, but it will be very small amounts, assemble the pump again and put it into its bag, store it with the output upwards.
11. Use Dirty hand to hold the filled bottle body and use Clean hand to screw the cap back on, repeat for all bottles.
12. Done …. pack away or drink or cook or …...you choose.

Take your time to filter water, the Combi will likely last longer and the water will taste better provided the carbon is functional, you will know when to replace it due to taste.

Thats all from Denmark ....
Hope you will enjoy and dont go break a leg :)