"love this pump" - Review of Katadyn Mini Ceramic Microfilter

I bought this pump in the mid-90s for desert day hiking & have since taken it along for several week-long backpacks in Utah canyon contry & the Sierras, where it has performed beyond expectations. On my last backpack, however, the high sierra trail, culminating on Mt Whitney, I noticed air in the output line, which led me to discover minute horizontal cracks in the filter casing (cover). When I contacted the manufacturer regarding this defect, they responded that "The mini is designed for cleaning hotel water in 3 world countries. In the backcountry it needs to be cleaned after every liter of water or the pressure gets too high and breaks the housing." News to me. In the past, I had pumped up to 6 liters of water (enough for both hikers) before cleaning the filter & had not had any problem, so I'm suspecting a flaw in the replacement element I bought & hoping that REI will accept a return. So yes, I will continue to use this great filter in the backcountry & recommend it to all my friends. And I will probably start cleaning it a little more often in the backcountry, although after every liter seems a bit excessive. BTW: we have rigged this filter to also work as a gravity-feed, which is pretty fun as well. Sleep while water filters!
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