Katadyn · Explorer series · replacement element · virus membrane 0.01 µm
Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element
0.01 µm, up to 10'000 litres
Virus stage used up with a trip coming? This 54 g module restores the Explorer Pro’s virus protection – without a new filter.
Buy the Katadyn Explorer virus filter replacement element – renew the third layer
The Katadyn Explorer virus filter replacement element is the spare hollow fibre membrane for the virus stage of the Katadyn Explorer Pro and for any Explorer retrofitted with the Explorer Pro Upgrade Kit. With a 0.01 µm pore size the membrane closes exactly the gap that 0.2 µm ceramic leaves open: viruses. In testing with the MS2 model virus the system achieves a 99.99 % reduction. The module filters up to 10'000 litres depending on water quality, weighs 54 g and can be fitted or removed at any time.
54 g · fit and remove · 10'000 L
Virus protection you carry only when you need it
The virus stage is not a fixed component but a module. On an Alpine tour with clear spring-fed streams it stays at home: that saves 54 g and lowers pumping resistance. If instead a trip to South-East Asia, Africa or South America is coming, or surface water has to be treated after flooding, you fit it. This separation also makes economic sense: the membrane is only consumed when water actually flows through it – so its 10'000 litres last exactly as long as you need them.
Why ceramic alone is not enough against viruses
Bacteria measure 0.2 to 5 µm and protozoa such as Giardia are considerably larger – 0.2 µm ceramic retains both reliably. Viruses, at 0.02 to 0.3 µm, are an order of magnitude smaller and pass through any pure ceramic or activated carbon filter. The 0.01 µm hollow fibre membrane closes that gap. It becomes relevant wherever untreated sewage can reach surface water: in densely populated catchments, after heavy rain and flooding, and in regions with patchy wastewater infrastructure.
When the membrane needs replacing
Unlike ceramic, a hollow fibre membrane cannot be brushed clean – it is a consumable with a defined capacity of up to 10'000 litres. Replace it when that volume is reached, or when flow stays persistently low despite a cleaned ceramic. Important: a hollow fibre membrane must not freeze. If water freezes inside the fibres they tear, and the membrane loses its protective effect without any visible sign. After contact with frost it belongs in the bin.
Fits Explorer Pro and upgraded Explorer
The element fits the Katadyn Explorer Pro and any Katadyn Explorer extended with the Explorer Pro Upgrade Kit. Fitting and removal are tool-free. If you often move between regions with and without virus risk, simply keep the module in your pack and fit it as required – the other filter stages continue unchanged.
Key features – Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element
- 🧬 Hollow fibre membrane · 0.01 µm pore size
- 🎯 99.99 % virus reduction (MS2 model virus)
- ♾️ Capacity up to 10'000 litres depending on water quality
- 🧩 Module – fitted and removed without tools
- 🔧 For the Katadyn Explorer Pro and Explorer with upgrade kit
- 🛡️ Third filter stage after ceramic and activated carbon
- ⚖️ 54 g · 55 × 55 × 65 mm
- ❄️ Not frost resistant – replace after freezing
- 📦 Pack contents: 1 element
- 🇨🇭 Katadyn · Swiss water treatment since 1928
Virus membrane, ceramic or carbon – which spare is due?
The three wear parts of the Explorer series have very different service lives, and only one concerns virus protection. The virus membrane lasts up to 10'000 litres and is a consumable – it cannot be cleaned. The ceramic element manages up to 20'000 litres and is brushed rather than replaced in between. The activated carbon is the shortest-lived at around 500 litres and comes as a twin pack. If you use the Explorer Pro on long-haul travel, take membrane and carbon along as reserve. Buy the Katadyn Explorer virus filter replacement element at Swiss-Sale.ch – your Swiss specialist shop for outdoor gear with fast shipping.
Who is the Katadyn Explorer virus filter replacement element for?
The replacement element is for owners of a Katadyn Explorer Pro or an upgraded Explorer – particularly long-haul travellers, expedition teams and emergency personnel working in regions with elevated virus risk.
Technical Specifications – Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element
| Model | Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element |
|---|---|
| Brand | Katadyn |
| Product type | Replacement filter element (virus membrane) |
| Filtration | |
| Filter material | Hollow fibre membrane |
| Pore size | 0.01 µm |
| Filter capacity | up to 10'000 L, depending on water quality |
| Virus reduction | 99.99 % (MS2 model virus) |
| Function | Third filter stage after ceramic and activated carbon |
| Handling | |
| Fitting | Tool-free · module fitted and removed |
| Cleaning | Not cleanable – consumable part |
| Frost resistance | Not frost resistant – replace after freezing |
| Dimensions, compatibility & identification | |
| Dimensions | 55 × 55 × 65 mm |
| Weight | 54 g |
| Fits | Katadyn Explorer Pro · Katadyn Explorer with Explorer Pro Upgrade Kit |
| Pack contents | 1 element |
| Manufacturer part no. | 8021288 |
| EAN | 0604375212886 |
| Warranty | 2 years Swiss statutory warranty |
Package Contents – Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element
- 🧬 Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element 1 hollow fibre membrane 0.01 µm
Frequently Asked Questions – Katadyn Explorer Virus Filter Replacement Element
Answers around the Katadyn Explorer virus filter replacement element – from capacity and virus protection to compatibility, frost and Swiss shipping.
