HikeArizona.COM

I just got this purifier fron an friend where I work. He told me he bought it along time ago pumped maybe 5 gallons through it and it been sitting for years. I see they still sell them and I can get filters. Are they good purifiers? Since hasnt been used for some time should I get a new filter or will it be ok? In the paperwork they talk of backflushing it with a little bleach do you think that would be good enough?

They're quite good, although a bit heavy. Check the manufacturer's recommendation for cleaning, but I would expect the current filter to be OK after that.

Wow this thing is older than I thought. Lookin at the bottom of the brochur it said 1988.

I use this kind, and do back flush it with a mild bleach solution. There is a test procedure I believe with blue food coloring / dye of some sort. I lost my bottle of that so have used the old filter, with no problem. The new model filters are supposed to have several improvements but I've not bought one yet. Mine has "purified" some pretty nasty water.

Very good filter. I doubt that 'sitting' has caused any degradation. You only need to backwash as the filter becomes clogged with particles, which will usually manifest itself by it being hard to pump.

I use that one too

Good purifier but the new cannister filters are much bigger then the older ones. I'd rather have a smaller one to lighten the weight. To check if the filter is still good I usually put 2-3 drops of blue food coloring dye in a pint size glass. I then pump the "blue water" into a clear glass. If the pumped water is blue, then the filter is no good. If clear your good to go but these filters just go bad without warning so check prior to each trip. I've found with the older and smaller cannister filter you'll get about 60 gallons out of them in AZ instead of the advertised 100. Best price I've found on replacement cannister filter is from backcountry.com