Bought a Katadyn Base Camp water purifier (bag type). I rinsed it out with tap water, ran a few bags of water through it, then one more to taste the final result-BLAAAGGHHH! Nasty vinyl/plastic flavored purified tap water. What can I do to get rid of that horrible taste?
Soution # 1
Take it back to where you bought it, get your money back, and buy a pump filter.
Not exactly
what I wanted to hear. 
I like the idea of this filter, nothing to break, gravity does the work so we can do something else, etc. Will be providing water for more than 1 person for extended camping.
Tom
what makes a pump filter taste better?
I just bought my first filter (Katahdin Guide Pro) pump model. I haven’t even used it yet.
used a First Need
filter for years. Never had a problem with taste.
hiker
I use the Hiker model and never had a problem with taste either. Sounds like the whole “get your money bacck” post may be on to something
i like
my MSR miniworks EX pump filter.
I have one
and taste hasn’t been an issue. Maybe if the water you ran through it is chlorinated that may have brought the taste about. Try non chlorinated water if that was the fact.
Now for the issues I did have. The nut locking the filter in place was damn near impossible to get threaded. Replaced it with a special made one a machinist friend made.
The filters tend to plug up fast. We use it in the BWCA and there is a lot of tannin in the water, so I’m not sure if that is the problem there or not.
Went to the Katadyn
– Last Updated: Mar-13-08 12:44 PM EST –
website and left them a message regarding this matter but no reply as of yet. I am beginning to suspect our tap water which is treated as the water is pretty poor/chemically flavored to begin with. The water out of the filter doesn't smell like the filter bag, it smells worse actually. I purchased this filter on the advice of a scoutmaster who has one and has used it for a while with his scouts with no complaints whatsoever. He says he puts in 2 tsp of household bleach with water after use, and before storing, and runs it through and that keeps it fresh.
Tom
One possible solution
would be to heat up some bottled water (160 degF or so) fillthe bag and allow to stand. Discard the water and repeat several times. When the vinyl is new it nay still be bleeding plasticizers, and the hot water may speed the process.
Jim
Love my Katadyn bag
Used the hell out of it at the Boundary Waters last year and there was no discernable off flavor. Previous years we would have 2 guys sitting around for 30 minutes to make a couple gallons with a pump. Now fill the bag, walk away, and presto! Really increased our fishing time.
Be aware though the filter element is non-cleanable and since you don’t have the added pressure of the pump behind it I found the flow significantly decreased after about 20 gallons (with the highly tannic water of the BW). I did manage to use a toothbrush to gently brush away the surface of the filter and it functioned well for the rest of the trip. Figure a $25 element is worth the extra couple hours of relax time.
Randy
Got a reply
from Katadyn (impressively fast response) and it seems to be related to my crummy tasting tap water. The water produced tastes nothing like the bag smells. In fact the bag only has a really mild plastic smell. I am going to pick up a gallon of bottled water and run it through and see what I get.
Tom
Not had that problem with my base filter
This will be starting it’s 3rd year. Never gone back to pumping water after using it. I like hanging the bag and coming back 15 minutes later with enough water for the evening. Most people that use it seem to think so.
Gene
If
– Last Updated: Mar-14-08 6:33 PM EST –
you got this one ..it IS cleanable
http://products.katadyn.com/brands-and-products/produkte/Endurance_Series_23/Katadyn_Camp_25.html
I have one and it just takes a little scrubbie to clean it same as all the ceramic filters
Best Wishes
Roy
I also have this one....same scrubbie to clean
http://products.katadyn.com/brands-and-products/produkte/Endurance_Series_23/Katadyn_Pocket_22.html
put in good water with a little stuff to filter out...you get out good tasting water with no floaties or bugs