How do you make your water potable?

[jeffmacewen]

I use my Steripen with rechargeable batteries. No issues to report thus far.

[pencak]

I use my Steripen with rechargeable batteries. No issues to report thus far.

I hate that Steripen. Perhaps I got a bad one but it is very unreliable.

My kit:
MSR MiniWorks EX water filter http://www.rei.com/product/695265
MSR MIOX Water Purifier http://www.rei.com/product/709012

I got the MiniWorks because the bottom screws directly on a Nalgene bottle, which makes a great support when you're pumping it. The ceramic filter is easy to clean and will filter down to the micron level to the point where it will remove giardia and cryptosporidia. The MIOX purifier uses rock salt and electricity to create a powerful oxidizer. This will take care of anything missed by the mechanical filter (like a virus.) This setup is rock solid as far as I'm concerned and I've tested it in places in Central America where the water can positively make you sick (exotic pathogens, virus', malaria, etc.)

If that system didn't work, I wouldn't be writing this right now because I can assure you, I would have probably died from something. I would stake my life on that setup because I already have.

[pencak]

Keeping the water pure is pretty important. If you are hiking in very high country were the steams are all flowing and clear, it's probably not an issue, but in the desert some of the sources are pretty skanky.
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emer ... rifier.htm

Imagine the most crystal clear, pristine mountain stream, it looks so pure and wonderful. Now the reality, there's a rotting Elk carcass lying in a pool about a mile up stream from where you are sipping water. Now-a-days giardia has overtaken almost all of the streams in the U.S. Unless, it's the initial outlet of a spring that hasn't already been contaminated by animals. Interesting thing about giardia is that some people don't have symptoms and carry it around their whole life. Their contamination spreads into wild animals which have no issue about taking an infected dump in crystal clear mountain spring water.

Treat the water, you'll be better off.

[pencak]

the last time I drank unfiltered water, I was sure glad the beavers had built a dam just upstream, giving me a nice clear pool to dip my cup in.

The thought of that brought to mind... You then lifted the beaver's tail up and let him squirt a little poop into your cup before you drank it. After all, that is what was really happening when you dipped your cup. Then again, it was not as concentrated, so it probably tasted fine.

[kevinweitzel75]

te-wa wrote:
the last time I drank unfiltered water, I was sure glad the beavers had built a dam just upstream, giving me a nice clear pool to dip my cup in.
The thought of that brought to mind... You then lifted the beaver's tail up and let him squirt a little poop into your cup before you drank it. After all, that is what was really happening when you dipped your cup. Then again, it was not as concentrated, so it probably tasted fine.

In 1995, I worked at an elk hunting camp up in Idaho. We were an 8 hour horse ride and a 3 hour drive from any sort of civalization. We drank right from the stream for 3 weeks and nothing happened. Never once thought about any sort of contamination. Just was thinking what was up stream from us?

[te-wa]

Keeping the water pure is pretty important. If you are hiking in very high country were the steams are all flowing and clear, it's probably not an issue, but in the desert some of the sources are pretty skanky.
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emer ... rifier.htm

Imagine the most crystal clear, pristine mountain stream, it looks so pure and wonderful. Now the reality, there's a rotting Elk carcass lying in a pool about a mile up stream from where you are sipping water. Now-a-days giardia has overtaken almost all of the streams in the U.S. Unless, it's the initial outlet of a spring that hasn't already been contaminated by animals. Interesting thing about giardia is that some people don't have symptoms and carry it around their whole life. Their contamination spreads into wild animals which have no issue about taking an infected dump in crystal clear mountain spring water.

Treat the water, you'll be better off.

that giardia has "overtaken" almost all of streams, (or other water sources" is complete BS. Im calling it here, BS.) I would bet that the only real claims you can find, about giardia's overtaking of anything, is brought to you by you guessed it, the water filter company! (or their stockholders)

read:
http://erikschlimmer.com/pdf/GiardiaMyth-Buster.pdf
I have seen numerous hiker friends drink untreated. at first, i thot they were nuts. now, maybe i dont think they are. fwiw, giardia can live anywhere so it seems and hand to mouth contamination from that slice of gouda may be your culprit.

i practice treatment with micropur CLO2 tablets, at 1/2 strength. at such a low weight per treatment to conquer bacteria and possible protozoa, its my insurance- but still i dont feel giardia is a threat since the research proves it is not.

[Sredfield]

Treat the water, you'll be better off.

. . . or never look upstream after you water up.

[pencak]

that giardia has "overtaken" almost all of streams, (or other water sources" is complete BS. Im calling it here, BS.) I would bet that the only real claims you can find, about giardia's overtaking of anything, is brought to you by you guessed it, the water filter company! (or their stockholders)

Maybe you're right. However, I can speak of first hand knowledge that you don't want to get something if you can avoid it:
http://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=145&start=20#p55959
I'd imagine that most of the streams may not be a problem but it only takes one of those little buggers to make your life a living hell.

[nonot]

Having found plenty of dead animals and bear, deer, and elk crap in relatively pure AZ streams, I prefer to filter my water as opposed to deal with floaters and treating with chemicals. While the second method may be lighter, filtering gives me piece of mind. Unless you're absolutely sure of what's upstream, treating is best. While giardia may not be there, who is to say that there isn't ecoli or some other awful bacteria from a rotting carcass.

[azbackpackr]

I still have the heavier Katahdyn which works fine. I have drunk out of several mountain streams around here without experiencing any problems, but I don't make a habit of it. We never used to treat the water in the Sierras, but nowadays that is just not done. The Sierra Cup was designed exactly for that purpose. You hung it on your belt and scooped water as you hiked along. Or you could cook in it. I still have one, but I never use it. Another relic of 70's backpacking.

[PLC92084]

The Sierra Cup

I keep mine for nostalgic purposes too! It never seems to make it on trips anymore...

The filter does, though!

[azbackpackr]

I actually have one with "Sierra Club" stamped in the bottom. Apparently it has become a collector's item, and could be sold on ebay as such.

[skatchkins]

Odd as it may be, apparently my friend Steve's stomach must be a vault to buggies. He's literally straight drank whatever water he's around from almost every place we've been. Bear Canyon Lake, WCC and others, Fossil, the Verde, probably even the lake at Cave of the Bells.
I carry my First Need purifier just about everywhere I go.

[joe bartels]

Sounds like he has his resistance built up. Now we just gotta figure out how to do that without getting deathly sick.

[jeffmacewen]

I use my Steripen with rechargeable batteries. No issues to report thus far.

I hate that Steripen. Perhaps I got a bad one but it is very unreliable.

My kit:
MSR MiniWorks EX water filter http://www.rei.com/product/695265
MSR MIOX Water Purifier http://www.rei.com/product/709012

I got the MiniWorks because the bottom screws directly on a Nalgene bottle, which makes a great support when you're pumping it. The ceramic filter is easy to clean and will filter down to the micron level to the point where it will remove giardia and cryptosporidia. The MIOX purifier uses rock salt and electricity to create a powerful oxidizer. This will take care of anything missed by the mechanical filter (like a virus.) This setup is rock solid as far as I'm concerned and I've tested it in places in Central America where the water can positively make you sick (exotic pathogens, virus', malaria, etc.)

If that system didn't work, I wouldn't be writing this right now because I can assure you, I would have probably died from something. I would stake my life on that setup because I already have.

Just used it again with a sketchy water source. It rules.

[jeffmacewen]

Keeping the water pure is pretty important. If you are hiking in very high country were the steams are all flowing and clear, it's probably not an issue, but in the desert some of the sources are pretty skanky.
https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emer ... rifier.htm

Imagine the most crystal clear, pristine mountain stream, it looks so pure and wonderful. Now the reality, there's a rotting Elk carcass lying in a pool about a mile up stream from where you are sipping water. Now-a-days giardia has overtaken almost all of the streams in the U.S. Unless, it's the initial outlet of a spring that hasn't already been contaminated by animals. Interesting thing about giardia is that some people don't have symptoms and carry it around their whole life. Their contamination spreads into wild animals which have no issue about taking an infected dump in crystal clear mountain spring water.

Treat the water, you'll be better off.

that giardia has "overtaken" almost all of streams, (or other water sources" is complete BS. Im calling it here, BS.) I would bet that the only real claims you can find, about giardia's overtaking of anything, is brought to you by you guessed it, the water filter company! (or their stockholders)

read:
http://erikschlimmer.com/pdf/GiardiaMyth-Buster.pdf
I have seen numerous hiker friends drink untreated. at first, i thot they were nuts. now, maybe i dont think they are. fwiw, giardia can live anywhere so it seems and hand to mouth contamination from that slice of gouda may be your culprit.

i practice treatment with micropur CLO2 tablets, at 1/2 strength. at such a low weight per treatment to conquer bacteria and possible protozoa, its my insurance- but still i dont feel giardia is a threat since the research proves it is not.

They just went through and did a big water quality analysis of all of the sources in Saguaro and it sounds like the biggest cause for concern is chemical or mineral contaminants. I'll post more info when it's official...

[big_load]

the biggest cause for concern is chemical or mineral contaminants

That's something I pay attention to, especially in areas with industry, mining, or agriculture.

[te-wa]

yeah, me too guys. i know of some springs that are free of organisms, but pose a mineral/heavy metal threat.
choice is yours on what you carry. or how you treat. im not totally down with drinking out of any water source untreated, and plan my treatment method based on knowledge of the water sources that I glean from HAZ. aint HAZ great?

[jeffmacewen]

yeah, me too guys. i know of some springs that are free of organisms, but pose a mineral/heavy metal threat.
choice is yours on what you carry. or how you treat. im not totally down with drinking out of any water source untreated, and plan my treatment method based on knowledge of the water sources that I glean from HAZ. aint HAZ great?

agreed. 100%.

[Tough_Boots]

Yesterday I went to use my Katadyn hikerpro filter only to find that it was broken. I carry tablets just in case but I was finally able to pinch and force closed the broken seal that was preventing it from pumping in water. I just got it in December so I took it back to REI to exchange it. My suspicion is that after pulling the intake hose off and on a few times, it must weaken the seals. I think I was probably right because the newer generation that has come out sometime this year has these great little quick release connectors for your hoses. Its a really fantastic improvement they've made. Now I feel like I got a free product upgrade instead of being annoyed that a very necessary tool failed on me. It also happens to be on sale for $59.95 right now at REI so I actually made money on the exchange.