# Opinions of MSR AutoFlow XL Gravity Filter 10L?



## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I haven't used that one...but I have the Katadyn Base Camp gravity filter that is a very similar design to that and it works great. Mine is the 10l and it takes about 4-5 minutes to filter the whole bag. This means it can fill a 5 gallon jug in about 10 minutes. Both the Katadyn and MSR are $99 MSRP.

We had a couple of the Katadyn on our last trip and its super easy to filter. Just scoop some water, preferably free of debris or sediment, hang it up and put the hose into the jug or bottle to be filled and then go relax for 5 minutes as it does its thing. We did all our fill ups this way...usually at a place where most of the group can hike while 1 or 2 stay back to fill water. Way nicer then any of the pumps and not as clunky and big or hard to maintain like the big battery operated ones. Works great for water fill ups on hikes too. Nice and light weight and easy to pack.


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## IDriverRunner (Aug 18, 2015)

Electric-Mayhem said:


> I haven't used that one...but I have the Katadyn Base Camp gravity filter that is a very similar design to that and it works great. Mine is the 10l and it takes about 4-5 minutes to filter the whole bag. This means it can fill a 5 gallon jug in about 10 minutes. Both the Katadyn and MSR are $99 MSRP.
> 
> We had a couple of the Katadyn on our last trip and its super easy to filter. Just scoop some water, preferably free of debris or sediment, hang it up and put the hose into the jug or bottle to be filled and then go relax for 5 minutes as it does its thing. We did all our fill ups this way...usually at a place where most of the group can hike while 1 or 2 stay back to fill water. Way nicer then any of the pumps and not as clunky and big or hard to maintain like the big battery operated ones. Works great for water fill ups on hikes too. Nice and light weight and easy to pack.


I use the Katadyn as well. Looks to be a pretty similar setup to the MSR. I don't think you could go wrong with either one.


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## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

I like the design where the filter is not inside the bag. The problem with those is you only have the head provided by the water level above the bottom of the bag. The more difference you can get from the water level to the level of the filter, the more head you have to improve flow rates. It's why, while bulkier, I like systems like the Vital Water system.


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## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

I have to platypus gravity works filter that is similar. It has been great but is getting a bit old so I need to get a new filter... A couple side notes for this, they do not work well or at all in freezing temps. Make sure you back flush the filter after every use... I had just been doing it with gravity and it works ok. I might see if I can rig a 60cc syringe to actually backflush with some pressure.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Thanks everybody, good info.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I looked through the documents of the MSR and it seems like the Katadyn is much easier to clean since it doesn't have the plastic around it. The small increase in head shouldn't make that big a difference. By specs, the Katadyn flows slightly more (2 liters per minute instead of 1.75). The Katadyn is more serviceable since you can take a protective sleeve off and clean the main filter element with the provided sponge if it gets really clogged. No back filtering required. They have a couple of options for other filter elements too including a long lasting ceramic one that is very easy to clean but doesn't flow as much(I'm guessing similar to the expedition pump they make). Oh, and they sell a nozzle that you can screw in in place of the filter so it can be used as a shower as well. Replacement filters for the Katadyn are cheaper too.

Hard to go wrong with either though...they both filter water well. Might be advisable to use a Steripen and/or a few drops of bleach to finish the job after you filter. I've had pretty good luck just using the filter...but maybe better safe then sorrow?


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

I use the Katadyn as well. works well, cleans easily but it is a pain to use for a large group, I use it mainly in hunting camp and it does water for 6 without a problem. That being said, I'm not sure how it would deal with heavily sedimented water, the water we filter with it is from a clear stream at 10,800 feet


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I haven't seen ANY water filter that can handle heavily sedimented water for very long. Any of these gravity filters certainly cannot. I've even heard of people having problems with flocculated water going through these. You'll want to settle water at a minimum, but finding a clear water source is better.

I've filtered out of Tapeats, Deer Creek, Pipe Creek (when the Bright Angle Pipeline was broken), Vasey's Paradise, three springs and out of the Colorado when it runs clear in the Grand. Most other western rafting trips you can just have a jug or two on each boat and never have to filter water.

The only other real options are the Katadyn Expedition filter, which is a lot of effort, or something like the Aqua Partner, which is heavy and expensive (but is a nice luxury). The expedition can handle some sediment, but you are gonna be opening it and cleaning it very often. I know the Aqua partner and similar have a pre-filter for sediment, but it still feels like you are begging for it to clog. I know when we rented an electric filter from Ceiba they provided water wizard with it. Seems like you'd have to be opening those up and cleaning them too if you tried to filter silty water.

Gravity filters are really nice and take very little effort. Fill it up, hang it somewhere, put the hose in the jug...and go relax while it fills. If you leave the top open, you can use a small bucket to keep filling it. If you got really fancy, you could make a bucket with a hose bard attachment and put one of these filters on that and get rid of the bag part.


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## zipkruse (Jul 20, 2016)

Very, very happy with the Katadyn 10L, and my pals are always jealous of it when doing trips together. Cleans and stores easily, works efficiently.


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## FatmanZ (Sep 15, 2004)

+1 more for the Katadyn 10L - I've used it on the Main and Middle Fork of the Salmon trips, filtering from side streams once or twice during each trip when we wanted to limit the # of water jugs we brought along and were in-between fill-up stops. Easy to use, works great and I carry a spare filter just in case. Didn't take long to fill up two 5 gallon jugs. A couple big gulps of cold fresh filtered water on a hot day would have been worth the stop in and of itself.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Electric-Mayhem said:


> The only other real options are the Katadyn Expedition filter, which is a lot of effort, or something like the Aqua Partner, which is heavy and expensive (but is a nice luxury). The expedition can handle some sediment, but you are gonna be opening it and cleaning it very often. I know the Aqua partner and similar have a pre-filter for sediment, but it still feels like you are begging for it to clog. I know when we rented an electric filter from Ceiba they provided water wizard with it. Seems like you'd have to be opening those up and cleaning them too if you tried to filter silty water.


I have an Aqua Partner, it works well as long as you at least settle the silty water, always carry spare filters with it, and change the pre filter after every trip. You don't have to feed it clear water, but it does help. We just filter out of the side streams as much as we can, and settle with a little alum when it needs to be settled. The big drawback to that system is the filter is heavy, but past that I love it.


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## VanDave (Aug 14, 2020)

I put my own together with a 10 L MSR bag and a Sawyer filter. We did 10 days on the green river using alum to settle the sediment first, no problems.


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## Whitewater Worthy Equip (Dec 11, 2013)

Any in line filter like the sawyer. 40-50' of clear plastic tubing that goes on the nipple and an inline fuel filter to use as a prefilter and your GTG. The key to this system is to carry a few empty 5 gal buckets with gama seal lids so you can fill them from the clear sources and allow the filter time to work at camp.


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