Katadyn Vario Dual Technology MicroFilter

Purchased this filter after hiking with a friend that had one. Just completed multiple days on the Teton Crest trail and it worked like a charm. Filters water quickly, easy to use, no funny after-taste. A little heavier than some of the others but worth it. PS Keep the in-take off the bottom of lake or stream so filter doesn't get dirty as fast.

I feel so powerful with all the water I can now drink. This is the first water filter I've ever used and I'm pretty sure I'll never stray from the Vario. The filter is incredibly easy to use and I didn't have any trouble with never having used one before. Definitely flush some water through it the first time like recommended. The carbon core needs to be flushed out. The pouch that comes with it makes it nice and easy to carry and through in your bag without taking up too much space. Love it!

Took this out with a couple friends for a 3 day trek through the backcountry and after the first day, i became "the water guy." Its a bit like being "the molly guy" at a rave - cool at first, burdensome eventually, but someone has to do it, right? Anyway my two buddies had a Hiker Pro and what looked like a MiniWorks from MSR. Both the other filters held up well and were doing the job, the MSR was particularly impressive being 10 years old(or so buddy 1 claimed) but the Vario was filtering at close to twice the speed. Admittedly I had the synthetic filter selected and this thing sticks to a Nalgene like Secret Service agents stick to Colombian prostitutes, but I think the real MVP in the speedy filtration is the double pump action. The Vario sucks water on both the up and down pulls of the handle, which means the Zika factory you found in the forest is being converted to life-sustaining, bacteria-free liquid oxygen at twice the rate. For solo missions when you're really concerned with maximizing the value of each and every gram I think the Hiker Pro is still the best out there. But if you can afford another 4 ounces the Vario is bomb.com, especially for groups.

that's really all i ask. easy to use, easy to clean. light weight.

It is simply great! It is a must have. The instructions are very very easy to follow but I definitely recommend testing this thing out before you are knee deep in the brush somewhere. I take this with me every time I hit the outdoors because it is small and lightweight, and definitely durable. The water that the pump pushed out is better than any sort of water you can buy in a bottle. If you take care of this it will definitely take care of you for a long time!!

I'm telling you now, this is your filter.

I've tried multiple Katadyn filters and this is the most affordable, efficient filter of theirs. It eliminates finicking with an inlet hose, instead you just fit it to the top of your water bottle and pump.

It gets you clean water quick, which I appreciate because when I'm thirsty, I'm hangry, if that makes sense.

Speaking from experience and mistakes, if you are debating getting a handheld filter or gravity filter, I would recommend purchasing a handheld first then a gravity feed filter. Handhelds make filling up bottles while hiking more realistic and less of a hassle while gravity filters are better for base camp use.

Great filter-light weight and dependable. Highly recommended!

I have used this filter for almost four years now, and it has yet to fail me. It pumps quickly, while still doing its primary job very well. I do have an issue with leaking at the head before the ceramic filter, but as long as I'm careful not to let any of the leaked water into the bottle or along the edges of the bottle's mouth then its not a problem.A minor nuisance really.

Easy to clean, quickest pump I've ever used, and does it's job well. what more could you want?

I would highly recommend this filter.

I have owned this model since 2008 & it has been great. I did go some time without using it and did not properly inspect it before setting out on a trip & the gasket at the base by the outflow spout failed. I had to dip into my survival kit for "Plan B" water treatment. This did happen at night. The next morning I was able to easily take it apart and make a quick field repair & then it worked great. It has a fast flow & filtering the water on the Longer Life setting I am still amazed how great the ceramic disc filter works. You can obtain water from a fast flowing stream by Rapids and/or waterfalls where the water is well oxygenated and after your trip you open it up to clean it & BOOM... Dirt, grit & grime loaded on the ceramic disc. It is a bit big & bulky but well worth it.

Not the lightest out there but filters water fast. My wife and son were using the MSR MiniWorks and both complained that it was slow. I filtered and filled two Nalgene bottles in the time they did one bottle. This filter is easy to take apart and clean. It has been on about 6 trips so far and I have not had any maintenance or other problems with the filter. We sold both of the MiniWorks and purchased two more of the Varios.

We really love this filter, super easy to use, clean and maintain. The dual pumping action fills a water bladder in no time. We just pull the mouth piece from our bladder hose and insert that into the bottom of the filter and pump water directly into bladder. It's so easy a 5 year old can do it!

My husband spent 5 weeks in the Utah backwoods as part of his profession and this came in handy. He was able to filter his water rather than carry it around without getting sick. Plus, the water was nice and cool.

I have owned more compact backpacking filters in the past, but after seeing the Vario in action, I had to have one. I am sure I will still use smaller filters for when weight matters, but on rafting trips, or on treks when functionality, speed and output volume is more important, the Vario takes the cake.



The only two downsides of this filter are its weight (425g compared to 310g for the Hiker Pro) and its complexity of parts, which I imagine could lead to repairs in the future, though I haven't heard many instances of this.



If you are looking for a simple quality product that is very light weight I would favor the Katadyn Hiker Pro. But if you are looking for a faster filter, with replaceable charcoal, and a longer filter life, the Vario is for you.

This pump is MUCH faster than the old sweetwater pump I used to have, even on the long life setting. We have pumped from dirty shallow puddles and heavily silted lakes and continually get clear, good water. It's easy to maintain out in the bush and so convenient to not have to pack water . I wouldn't go anywhere without it.

This pump is great. Katadyn has really made a great product here. This pump is especially good if you're in a group of 4-8. It may be a little overkill for solo journeys. The ability to switch between fast flow and slower flow is fantastic. The faster flow filters about 2 liters per minute. I went backpacking with a buddy of mine and he had the MSR Sweetwater. We were filling up the same size bottles and mine filtered way faster than his. Great product!



EDIT: After a few trips, my pump started leaking where the pump housing connects to the actual filter. I sent it in to backcountry to be replaced. I'm hoping my unit was just defective. I'll update again after I've used the replacement awhile.

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.

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.