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Post by onidah on May 29, 2012 19:44:49 GMT -7
For decades the Katadyn Pocket filter used to cost $100 dollars. About 8 years ago, the price jumped to about $150. Then 4-5 years ago it jumped to the $250 range. Now it is selling in the $300-350 range.
Any guesses about how long it takes before the price gets to the $500 range?
I'm sure glad I picked up some when they were cheap. You can't even buy the replacement filters now for what I paid for the complete unit.
Has the value of the filter gone up that much in recent years? Have the price of the materials and the labor gone up that much? Has the value of the dollar gone down that much? Or some combination of all three?
Onidah
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Post by 720flysurvive on May 30, 2012 15:17:23 GMT -7
It became popular to be in the outdoors. So people are willing to pay to keep up with the " Jones " ya know
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Post by orly152 on May 31, 2012 9:04:04 GMT -7
I have a Katadyn Pocket filter as one of my back-ups to back-ups of water filters. I actually have one in my B.O.B ready to go at anytime. I bought one about 2 years ago for $ 219 on Amazon. I just checked and the cheapest is $ 295 and the replacement filter is going for $169.
My guess it will keep getting more expensive and hit $ 500 in no time. People are starting to catch on and dont want to be caught with their pants down if something ever happens. None the less, it's worth every pennie and a great investment.
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Post by offtrail on Jul 2, 2012 20:10:49 GMT -7
I need to find one that's good but less expensive .
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Post by Lawdog2705 on Jul 2, 2012 21:31:06 GMT -7
I need to find one that's good but less expensive . I'm with ya on that one offtrail! It may be a good investment but, right now that's an investment I can't afford.
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Post by jimmyq on Jul 2, 2012 21:37:59 GMT -7
Is it the pocket filter model in particular? I have the hiker pro with a replacement filter on hand, as well as an older PUR scout filter that uses micropore plus iodine to filter but its been long discontinued after Katadyn bought up the PUR portable filter division and killed it.
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Post by onidah on Jul 11, 2012 7:23:03 GMT -7
Is it the pocket filter model in particular? I have the hiker pro with a replacement filter on hand, as well as an older PUR scout filter that uses micropore plus iodine to filter but its been long discontinued after Katadyn bought up the PUR portable filter division and killed it. They are completely different types of filters. The hiker pro uses a fiber filter that filters to 0.3 microns and activated carbon granules, can't be cleaned, and is good for about 200 gallons (depending on water quality). The current price for this filter on Amazon is $74.95 with free shipping (or $0.37 per gallon). It seems like these filters used to sell in the $50 range when the pocket filters were selling for $100. So, they haven't seen nearly the percentage price increase that the pocket filters have. The pocket filter uses a silver impregnated ceramic filter that filters to 0.2 microns, is field cleanable, and is good for about 13,000 gallons. It also comes with a 20 year warranty. The current price on Amazon is $279.70 with free shipping (or $0.02 per gallon). The replacement filter for the hiker pro currently costs $39.95 with free shipping. Pumping the same amount of water through the hiker pro as the pocket filter would require the purchase of 65 replacement filters at a cost of $2,596.75. If you add the original price of the hiker pro filter, you'd be looking at a total price of $2,671.70 versus the $279.70 cost of the pocket filter. Onidah
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Post by jimmyq on Jul 11, 2012 8:30:25 GMT -7
Indeed. The old PUR filter I believe is .2 micron non ceramic with an iodine charged cartridge, activated charcoal and is cleanable with a bypass flush with the pump handle. I dont remember eactly what I paid for it but I think it was in the $100 range, I have my eye on one in near new condition on an auction website that is around $40. Not that I need any more contraptions I just figured it might be nice to have the second one for parts.
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Post by celticwarrior on Jul 11, 2012 19:26:51 GMT -7
You must have gotten a great deal from somewhere on that pocket filter. My copies of American Survival Guide and Practical Survival magazines from the 1990-1992 range put the Hiker, which was the small size (1000 gal lifespan, .2 micron) was $150 MSRP, but the Pocket Microfilter was $195 MSRP. The Hiker has now come down to around $85 while the bigger, less popular Pocket MF has moved up to around $370.
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Post by WILL on Jul 11, 2012 19:41:59 GMT -7
I use the MSR Hyper-Flow for hiking. 80 bucks gives about 1000 liters of 0.2 microns filtration. It's pretty light and packable. On the down side, it's an arm workout to filter 5 liters of water and I have snapped one in half on the trail. An eye dropper filled with chlorine bleach works well as a back up. Two drops per liter.
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Post by jimmyq on Jul 11, 2012 19:50:07 GMT -7
for back up I carry a half dozen chlorine tabs, about the same of the iodine and an Aquamira frontier pro with a 2 liter platypus bladder.
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Post by woodyz on Jul 12, 2012 0:07:20 GMT -7
Just a side note. FEMA says Chlorine bleach starts to degrade once you expose it to air, as a result the longer you carry it before you use it the less effective it becomes.
However, the powdered bleach (pool shock) does not. I carry a small piece of 1/2 inch CPVC. The 1/2 inch cap is just the right size to measure out for a gallon of solution. One cap to one gallon of creek water, not to be consumed. Wait 1/2 hour after mixing well, then add eight cpvc 1/2 caps of the solution for each 2 liters (64 oz) of creek water. If you only have a one liter container add four, etc. The gallon of solution will remain effective for 15 days, or can just be poured out with no pollution worries. If the slight chlorine taste is a problem or kids don't want to drink it carry a package of kool-aid, ect. and add a little to mask the taste.
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Post by onidah on Jul 13, 2012 22:34:50 GMT -7
Just a side note. FEMA says Chlorine bleach starts to degrade once you expose it to air, as a result the longer you carry it before you use it the less effective it becomes. That's mostly right. Chlorine bleach has a half-life of about 6 months; which means that if it starts out being a 6 percent solution, after being stored for six months it is only a 3 percent solution. After being stored for another 6 months it is only a 1.5 percent solution. However, this degradation isn't dependent on the bottle being opened. It is based on temperature. Fortunately, the manufacturer adds additional concentrations of sodium hypochlorite because they know that this degradation occurs. www.clorox.com/blogs/dr-laundry/2007/08/07/bleach-shelf-life/ Onidah
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