Travel Tap Water Filter

[Warhippo]

Hi guys and gals - just wanted to share my experience of the Travel Tap water filter and the Supalite Waterbag.

I've been using the Travel Tap water filter for a couple of years now (mainly Brecon and Dartmoor) and have found it to be a truly dependable piece of kit. I tend to use it to filter for two people (which means we only need to take a litre of water each). However, I've been on the lookout for an alternative which doesn't require quite so much effort for 2 people.

It turns out that Drinksafe (makers of the Travel Tap) also have a water filter bag (available as the Supalite and the Maxi). In essence the filter bags are dry bags that you fill with water and hang from a tree / post / hiking pole and allow the water to gravity feed through a hose and water filter cartridge.

I purchased the Supalite bag (perfect for small groups) and have used it a couple of times in Dartmoor (where the water is frequently heavy with sediment and strong peat taste). The Supalite filters out everything (delivering around 300-400ml of water per minute with zero effort). The quality of the components are top notch so I can easliy recommend the product.

I'd also like to say a very big thank you to Giles (the chap who runs www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk) who was incredibly helpful and went well past the routine customer service we expect these days.

[teflon nonstick]

I've had a 'bike bottle' Travel Tap for a while - the earlier one with the bottom screw cap. I've used it everywhere from English rivers to Morrocan hostels. I can get about half a litre of fresh water in about a minute. Weighs about 160 grams.

[Bedouin]

Its a pity that this isn't more widely available as I'd like to give it a go!

[teflon nonstick]

A few links for you Bedouin.

http://www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk/products.php

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00279OSH...SIN=B00279OSHS

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product353.asp

[Parky Again]

tis a great product. you can get reasonable amounts from a gravity fed bladder type container e.g. a source liquitainer coupled with the inline filter.



great kit.

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/f...last=1&V=1&SP=



(sod it. can't do links)

the above thread has links to some excellent videos that rmac has made. well worth a watch.

[Bedouin]

I was thinking more the main stream bricks and mortar retailers. Hate online for speculative purchases!

[Parky Again]

no danger from then bedders. giles who runs the show is the epitomy of helpfulness. and they're considerably cheaper and superior compared to the competition.

[teflon nonstick]

There are many positive reviews for what, imho, is a bloody good peice of kit - though it's nice to handle stuff before we buy.

[Guy Hurst]

I've found Drinksafe a very good company to deal with, and can't fault the product.

[teflon nonstick]

Actually spoke to the man himself a couple of years back. We were yakking for what must have been 30 - 40 minutes. Nice bloke who absolutely LOVES his products!

[Matt C]

Yep, I've also had excellent helpful service from Giles. I have the Travel Tap (original and newer versions), and an Inline Filter which is now my preference for most trips.

The Supalite Waterbag looks interesting but I already get much of the functionality from my set-up with the Inline Filter, a Source Liquitainer and Source Convertube... so I'm wondering if the Waterbag adds enough real benefits to change - I suppose the sediment filter, possibly ease of filling, and the ability to hang it (although I can't think of any wildcamp spot in the last year or three where I'd have found anything convenient to my tent to hang it from).

[Bedouin]

O.K guys I'm a bit here and there at the moment but once things settle down I'll order a travel tap.... if nothing else its lighter than the Pocket.

[Shewie]

Another fan of the Supalite here, it's my first filter of sorts and I'd read some good stuff about gravity filters in the US, the options over here are limited at best.

I've used it for the last three trips and can't fault it really, I'm still here anyway.

A good product with few moving parts to go wrong, top blokes to deal with too.

[Milly.]

Another thumbs up for Giles & for the Travel Tap as an inline filter. Absolutely hated the bottle - admittedly I don't have a good grip, but didn't think it too well engineered for sucking and squeezing simultaneously either

[Salmon Shirted Panther]

I bought the bottle a couple of years ago (in March 2009). I have no issue with the patience of squeezing the water into my bladder (first time I used an empty pop bottle).

I am confident with the water once it has been filtered and use it for cooking, coffe or just drinking. I do not drink from the filter, I always decant into a cup first.

I always fill it prior to departure with tap water and I also fill up a 2 litre bladder in my rucksack, after this I try to pick up water for filtering later.

[teflon nonstick]

decided to delete my post. My apologies.

[Bedouin]

Can see them here!

[.Matt.]

I have their Explorer Canteen which is apparently issued to some UN personnel and I used with water even the locals didn't trust while in India, and was perfectly fine. Certainly seems to do what it claims.

[Bs Dowling]

I have a travel tap and it is great. Makes such a difference to the amount of water you need to carry.

I previously had an aquapure traveller and it was actually very good to.

[Warhippo]

I hang the Supalite from two extended hiking poles (I tie a piece of guy rope to the highest point on my tent to two extended hiking poles which are set in an A frame, and then drop the guy line to the ground and peg it out). Although this doesn't allow the tube to hang completely straight, it seems to work fine. Also I can lie in my tent and filter water from the safety of the tent - luxury.

Unless I'm concerned about access to water or unless it's hot and I'm running, I don't bother carrying any more than 1 litre - carrying any more kind of defeats the point of having the filter in the first place.

I have no problems with the Travel Tap flexible bottle. I'm happy to squeeze it out to fill a kettle or cup but filling containers for two thirsty hikers gets tedious and for three people, really tedious - hence the lazy boy of the hiking world : the Supalite : )

Here's a tip I stumbled on myself. To improve drying the filter for storage first shake it out, then empty the Travel Tap of water and dry it, put the filter back in the bottle and squeeze air through the filter (it's surprising how much water remains in the filter prior to this stage). Remove the filter from the bottle and rest it on a few sheets of kitchen roll (if you have a filter that can be partially dismantled, removing the base cap will help here). Leave for a few days and voila, one much dryer filter. I've used this technique for the last year or so and have seriously reduced the build up of white mould on the filter (not that the mould is an issue of course).