Katadyn MyBottle: filtration in a drinking bottle

Katadyn’s MyBottle was presented as a drinking system with integrated filters designed to remove viruses and bacteria. An additional activated-carbon stage was intended to improve taste and odor and reduce some chemicals. These were the product’s filtration claims in the original 2013 review.

The system is no larger than an ordinary sports bottle and is easy to pack. It requires no batteries, chemical dosing or pumping. It was marketed as a way to reduce the risk of illness from drinking water while traveling, hiking or taking part in other adventures.

The intended method was to fill the bottle from a water source, attach the lid and filter assembly, and drink through it. It is not designed to treat several liters at once: it works best for one or two people drinking directly from the bottle.

The quoted flow rate was approximately 0.2 liters per minute, modest on paper but adequate for drinking directly.

Filter capacity was up to 100 liters, depending on water quality. The filter is replaceable, but is also the expensive part of the system. The prefilter was specified to remove particles larger than 0.3 microns; the ViruPur three-layer main filter was designed to retain viruses, bacteria and small particles. The final carbon stage primarily improved taste and odor.

The MyBottle weighs 260 g and holds 0.6 liters with the filter installed. Without the filter, it can serve as an ordinary drinking bottle with a capacity of 0.8 liters.

• Filter capacity: up to 100 liters.
• Volume: 800 ml without filter; 600 ml with filter.
• Weight: 260 g.
• Recommended price at the time: SEK 895.

Strengths

• Convenient size and simple handling.
• Bottle can be used independently of the filter.
• Designed to reduce exposure to contaminants in drinking water.

Drawbacks

• Limited capacity for treating larger amounts at once.
• Replacement filters are fairly expensive.

www.katadyn.com