The Vario combines individual efficiency with the simplest possible handling. The technology it uses consists of three filter levels: a high-performance glass fiber filter, a ceramic pre-filter that can be adjusted indiv A member of Katadyn’s Backcountry Series of water filters, the Vario Multi Flow Water Microfilter is the first water filter that is adjustable for different conditions. It combines two leading technologies into one high-performance pump: ceramic for a longer life and pleated gla
$ 72.79
Clean Water in the Amazon,
I recently went to the Ecuadorian Amazon and spent a week living in the rain forest with indigenous people. I went on long treks and relied on the Vario to deliver drinking water from streams I passed on the way. The fact that I never got sick is a testament to the effectiveness of the Vario.
It was easy to hook up directly to my CamelBak, so there was no chance of contamination. Whenever I used it, I had it in the “longer life” setting where you pump a little less water per minute, but it passes through both filters inside. I’ve used several other filters and the speed and ease which I was able to fill up my 100oz Camelbak is far superior to any of them. The pumping motion is easy to use and it pumps a lot more water even on the “Longer life” (slow) setting than other filters.
Overall I think it is a fantastic product that I would recommend to anyone traveling to locations where you don’t know if you can trust the water.
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|Good overall, but slightly cumbersome to use,
I agree with consensus of prior reviews that it’s good all around, faster than other models, but has some issues w/back pressure & leaking if you pump too fast or while using the “faster flow” setting instead of “longer life”. The faster setting bypasses the ceramic filter (your biological nasty filter) and uses only the charcoal (some bio, chemicals & taste, like your average Brita filter).
I bought this instead of Katadyn’s Pocket Microfilter (found for $179 on some sites at the time) for 4 main reasons:
1) ability to attach directly to Nalgene bottle. I’ll be using this primarily while living overseas in areas w/questionable tap water, so this is a nice convenience. Don’t think the Pocket filter allows this.
2)2-stage filter w/activated charcoal to remove chemicals, pesticides & bad taste. This option isn’t available w/the ceramic-only Pocket Microfilter, and again was something I want specifically due to where I’m going. If chemicals aren’t an issue where you’ll be, this aspect might not matter to you.
3) Double-piston design for faster output & ease of use compared to the Pocket Microfilter. Pumping action was simple & ergonomic.
4) Cost. $80 is great compared to $180+. I may regret that mentality if/when this breaks, but for now it’s a good deal.
Three things so far that I’m not excited about:
1) Although they state that the paper carbon “cartridge” is good for 500 gallons, the instructions say that the activated charcoal INSIDE the cartridge should be replaced about every 50 gallons or every 6 months, depending on chemical content/taste of the water. I felt deceived after discovering this omission from the reviews I read. Not printed anywhere in their online documentation, but REI does mention it. Without the charcoal, I might as well have purchased the more expensive Pocket filter w/lifetime warranty & just use a separate PUR/Brita pitcher for taste & chemicals (which I’ll probably do anyway)… (The pocket filter’s ceramic filter has a life of 13,000 gallons, compared to the 1000 gallons of the Vario’s ceramic pre-filter).
2) The back-pressure & leaking issues mentioned by people in other reviews seem to be true, but mainly occur after removing the “source” tube to flush the system. After a few pumps, handle resistance increases & it wouldn’t lower fully. I have to unscrew the pump head to release the pressure, which of course splatters water everywhere. This could potentially contaminate your filtered water if you’re not careful.
3) This doesn’t seem like the simplest system to use, clean & maintain. Several O-rings & moving parts to deal with. Also, the plastic housing may or may not hold up over time. We’ll see.
Since I need a filter for travel/living overseas where the water is allegedly contaminated both w/chemicals and biological stuff, I’ll keep this around & replace the charcoal until it breaks. After I get back, I’ll probably get the more expensive filter for camping/backpacking use. This one is a bit large too, but hopefully will be ok.
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|Poor durability,
The inlet connector broke after the first day of our 7 day canoe trip. We are not rough with our filters as we have had our other filter for several years with no issues like this. We just wanted something that wouldn’t clog so quickly.
We spent the rest of the trip either floating in the water next to or leaning over the side of the canoe with the filter submerged to enable us to pump clean water. Also, there is a little plug under the ceramic filter that will stop all water flow if it gets pushed in. This seemed to happen if the pressure in the filter built up by pumping too quickly. We had to disassemble and reassemble the filter several times to correct this issue.
When the filter was working, it was fast and filtered very well. The ceramic pre-filter was great. The water was clean, clear and tasted great. If this filter was more durable I would give it 4 or 5 stars.
Hope this helps anyone in the market for a water filter.
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