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Description

Pack Katadyn's lightweight Vario Dual Technology MicroFilter and drink clean water whether you're camping near muddy water or clean mountain streams.

Katadyn's lightweight Vario Dual Technology MicroFilter adjusts for dirty water or normal water conditions, so you get the cleanest, freshest water possible no matter where you're backpacking. A simple turn engages the ceramic prefilter when you're pumping out of a muddy lake so the pleated glass-fiber filter inside doesn't get destroyed. After a long, hard hike, this Katadyn water filter's dual piston pump works smoothly and easily—pumping out up to 2-liters per minute. The Vario Dual Technology Filter removes waterborne bacteria so you can drink safely on your camping trips, and uses a replaceable carbon core and cleanable ceramic disc. Attach Katadyn's adaptor base directly to your standard Nalgene water bottle opening, or use the output hose for larger water containers.
  • Includes refilter, carrying bag, and cleaning pad

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Katadyn Vario Dual Technology MicroFilter

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Here's what others have to say...

4 5

ma.p489127

Member since 

Seems like a good quality piece of equipment. It does leak a little before the filter at times, have to be careful not to contaminate your water bottle or container.

4 5

bra4639082

Member since 
  • Familiarity: I've used it several times

I like the filter. It's a little heavy, I kind of wish I got the Hiker Pro. I say that because its a little lighter and shares the filter with the base camp filter. But I also read about the handle breaking on the Hiker Pro and this one is much sturdier

I do like how it connects to my wide mouth nalgene bottles. It's like holding one thing instead of trying to pump and hold a bottle too.

My cousin and I both have this one. And both of ours leak a little when you push too hard. It's not that big of a deal because it is leaking before the filtering happens. The solution is to just not press so hard.

ma.p489127

Member since 
Responded on

Yeah, mine leaks too sometimes. Biggest problem with that is if you are using the nalgene and screwing it onto the filter, the unfiltered water drips right onto the mouth piece and sides of the nalgene you are supposed to be drinking out of...

Lookin at this, the hiker pro, and the...

corp399663

Member since 
Posted on

Lookin at this, the hiker pro, and the pocket microfilters. The descriptions say that the hiker pro filters out more "categories" of harmful items than the Vario (by far, I might add), and more than the pocket microfilter as well. This cant be right... Shouldn't the model that costs four times as much as this be able to filter out EVERYTHING, and at the very least, shouldn't this Vario be able to filter out at least CLOSE to as much as the hiker pro? Whats the point of a water filter that doesnt protect you from everything that the worlds water can contain?

Pat Palmer

Member since 
Best Answer Responded on

I think the description for this one is just missing some info.
Based on the specs, this and the Hiker pro both have a .3 micron pore size, so they will remove, basically everything but viruses. (most monocellular life will be .5-1.0 microns, cysts and multicellular bugs like hydra can be up to 5 microns.)
The Hiker Pro will improve taste and odor, as well as remove some chemical impurities, because of the activated carbon.
As far as the pocket model, I didn't see posted specs for the cartridge it needs, but I suspect similar a pore size.

5 5

Matthew Pizza

Member since 
Groups:
  • Gender: Male
  • Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

I have really enjoyed my water filter. Held up very nice over the years. Easy to use and clean in the field. Pumps water super fast and very efficiently. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a water filter. A little bigger than the popular hiker pro but a little more efficient in my opinion. Worth the extra size and weight and cost.

5 5

Freddie A.

Member since 
Groups:
  • Familiarity: I've used it several times

Happy I picked up this filter. I have only used it a handful of times but each time it never fails to perform and I dont have to worry about my water not being safe to drink. Overall recommend this to anyone looking for a more technical version of the Hiker Pro. It is a little more complex than the Hiker series but not to bad to have to take apart on the go.

4 5

mo.p66283

Member since 
  • Gender: Female
  • Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

Really great filter! The 2 filter mechanisms make it last a long time because the ceramic part can be cleaned. Not the lightest product on the market, but it is fast and reliable, which make it worth the weight!

4 5

Jeff Guest

Member since 
Groups:

I Love this pump! It is easy to use with it's dual action pump and is easy to maintain. try it out a few times at home before you take it into the backcountry because I and some others have had faulty ones before.

5 5

Brian W

Member since 

This is my second Katadyn and this model is simple to set up and use. Fills a Nalgene fast. Only a few things to watch out for: After your trip and you clean the filter per the instructions, it takes a couple of days for the filter to dry out so you can reassemble. You should take a ziplock bag with you to store the hose in so as not to contaminate the filter with 'dirty' water. Lastly, the red cap that covers the intake is pretty easy to lose. Other than those minor items, the pump is great.

4 5

Banning Lyon

Member since 

I’ll preface this review with my cut and paste statement that I work as a backcountry backpacking guide in Yosemite National Park. Nearly all of the products I take the time to review have seen at least a half a season, if not more, of use... and I’m committed to not bothering to write a review until I feel like I’ve really gotten to know a product. I never thought I’d bother to write reviews, but I’ve recently decided that since I’ve spent so much time over these last many years reading reviews, and finding a tremendous amount of value in articulate and well-informed opinions, that I wanted to give back to the community. So, with that being said, here we go...

Since we do some filtering of water in the park we split time between two filters - the MSR Miniworks (which is what I personally own) and the Katadyn Vario. Both are great filters, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Each time I wind up filtering water I find myself cursing each filter in one breath, and then praising it the next... for nearly opposing reasons.

The Katadyn is, in many ways, the opposite of the Miniworks. We've had filtering races in the backcountry between the two filters, and the Vario is far and away much faster, and easier to use. Since its a dual action pump you're filtering water on both the up and down stroke. There's also less resistance on the handle of the filter, so if you're not one that wants to exert a bunch of energy while filtering then the Vario is also a good choice.

I only have two issues with the Vario - replacement filters are quite expensive, and the paper portion of the filter is not capable of being cleaned, meaning that over the life of the filter you'll be spending more for clean water. Honestly, this is a relatively minor complaint since most of us are not going to be pushing thousands of gallons through it while quite literally living for months or years in the backcountry. The value of clean, safe water is incalculable, and paying a little more for it is a niggling issue.

My bigger issue with the Vario are the times I've had certain portions of it, namely the 'cup' inside the top of the filter, literally disembody itself, therefore cross contaminating the rest of the filter. The two or three times this has happened we closely watched the seal around the top of it while we filtered, only to see it gently beading up unfiltered water into this 'cup' in the top of the filter, which is located just below the handle pivot point, underneath the smokey plastic lid.

To be honest, this problem is very possibly a result of our treating the filter with less care than it probably deserves. Having gotten used to the bombproof MSR Miniworks it takes a little bit of a shift in your touch to handle the Katadyn. While it might not be the filter you're looking for to deal with the second coming or some other post-apocalyptic scenario... it is lightning fast and easy to use. There have been plenty of times I've been tempted to forsake my MSR Miniworks in favor of this veritable Formula One of a filter... and I still might.

As for care, like any filter... make sure to disassemble it once you're home. Don't put it up with moisture in it and let it fester and get moldy. Check the ceramic element from time to time, scrub it lightly with some Scotch Brite when needed, or back flush it on the occasions that its really dirty, then boil it occasionally.

Regardless, its a great filter. Take good care of it and it'll supply you with clean, safe water for years and years.

Would this fit an MSR Dromedary bag?

sjc4563009

Member since 
Posted on

Would this fit an MSR Dromedary bag?

Arthur Debowski

Member since 
Groups:
Responded on

Yes you could screw it onto the drom opening.

Banning Lyon

Member since 
Responded on

It'll screw onto any Nalgene-sized opening, that includes the Dromedaries.

4 5

Josh Nelson

Member since 

I haven't used mine yet but my buddy has this model. We used it on two backpacking trips in the Beartooth Wilderness and I liked it so much that I had to get one. On our most recent trip we filled four 3 liter camelbaks and two 2 liter packs and it took 10 to 15 minutes. When you're on a trip the last thing you want to do is sit around and pump water through a filter and thank God we didn't have to! Many people complain about leaks but we didn't have any problems.

5 5

Matt

Member since 

I used this filter in the ADKs on a kayak camping trip and it served us well. No sickness, nothing. The water tasted great - fresh. I need to learn more about the calibration of the ceramic filter, as I could have processed more water in the same amount of time. But I love this filter. I love how it screws directly onto nalgene bottles and the provided accessories prepare you for maintenance and varying situations.

5 5

jwr4549651

Member since 

Just took this out for a few days in the Columbia Gorge. Like the last reviewer, I have been using the MSR Mini Works, and hands down this thing is at least twice as fast. The dual action pump works flawless. The pump is also much more ergonomic than the msr, much less fatigue pumping 10 liters than 5 with the MSR. My only complaint is that the foam float is worthless, should be an easy fix to make my own though.

Great Filter
5 5

Dwayne Vincent

Member since 

Took two filters with me on my last trip, 8 days through Algonquin Provincial Park, through some pollen coated lakes, rivers, and streams. The other filter was the MSR miniworks. This filter blows the MSR away, it has to be at least 2x as fast. There were four of us, with our nalgene bottles and 2 dromedary bags. This filter was super reliable and quick. Without the need of taking apart every few liters to clean the filter ( ala MSR model) Picture is of my friend pumping from lake

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