User Review: Katadyn Vario Microfilter

Katadyn Vario Microfilter
Above: The current Vario Microfilter, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed January 11, 2007 by Karman

Rating:
Price Paid: $80 @ Moosejaw

My old treatment system was a great product, but my lovely wife bought me a new one. My old Katadyn Exstream XR was awesome in most respects, especially for its reasonable price. Actually, the Exstream isn’t much less than this Katadyn Vario: $50 vs. $80. The Exstream was a bugger to use in cold weather though, although I didn't mind a little work to get clean, tasty water. However, depending on what kind of day I had it could be slightly bothersome.

I have only used the Vario once but am already convinced that it is a superb product. Water pools lined with this past year's oak, beech, and maple leaves, which tend to add a unique bitterness even to the taste of filtered water, was crystal clear and tasted better than my well tap water; the stream water I used was beyond messy after a tumultuous January downpour in the Allegheny National Forest. This product is incredibly fast- up to two quarts per minute. It has two options for filtering: essentially based on fair or poor quality source. Apparently, its triple filter design sorts it all out. I highly recommend this water treatment system and would like to thank my wife for loving me enough to buy it. (she patiently listened to me bitch and moan while using my Exstream on the Sesquehannock Loop in north central PA. . .it was a long day and I was cranky after all the bushwacking on the way to Ole Bull State Park) I don’t anticipate problems as Katadyn has a great reputation. Even after one use, I would recommend this to anyone out there looking for a treatment system. The technical links for the Vario listed above will help with the geeky details. . . Again, it’s well worth the money. Superb product, wonderful wife.