Water Filters?

[evenstarx3]

Got an REI gift card from my kid for my B-day and thinking of getting a water filter. Suggestions please?

[azbackpackr]

A fellow hiker had the pen on my recent GC Pt. Huitzil adventure. It worked fine, as far as I could tell.

[Tough_Boots]

RachelT uses the UV steri-pen and likes it. I've had trouble with the Katadyn myself, though, I do like it-- not sure why... the quick release for the hoses on the newer generation definitely helps stop wear and tear on the connecting pieces you used to have to yank off with force. The last time I replaced mine, the actual filter piece was faulty. Either the charcoal was crushed up to small or it was missing some type of screen inside-- black chunks would come out no matter how many times I used it. It was a total pain.

[te_wa]

please note what is required for Chlorine Dioxide (sodium chlorite) to do its business.. the package states that the water has to be treated for 4 hours. further investigation shows that this is true in the worst cases, ie very cold water, very stagnant/anaerobic water. (a disclaimer if i ever heard one)
it also says it kills viruses on contact, bacteria in 30 minutes, protozoa like cryptosporidium in 4 hours IF the prior conditions exist.

i have been using micropur for 4 years. i wait between 20 and 30 minutes for consumption, at half dosage. It has been discovered that AquaMira drops are 1/3 as strong as the tablets, so by using half dosage I'm still a good % above recommendation, all things considered.

one thing you may find mildy "astonishing" is that regular samples of tap water can contain giardia cysts, moreso than samplings of running streams regardless of location. (sources of this info are from micropur, backpacker magazine, an AZ state hydrologist, and a chemical engineer that i chatted w/ via email)

[azbackpackr]

One thing I do a lot is just dip and boil, if I happen to be cooking or making coffee, and skip the rest. You don't have to boil it very long to kill it all.

[autumnstars]

@te-wa
What you say is so true. I mostly worry about water quality where a lot of people are messing around in the water.
I work with folks who do a lot of water quality testing, and it is shocking what is in the water we drink every day, yet don't get sick.
All told, I'm probably drinking at least 50% cleaner water while backpacking than I am at home...

azbackpackr
I def used the boiling method for most of my around-camp water - worked great.
However, I don't like to carry a tremendous amount of extra fuel along, so that kinda limits that method for me.

[te_wa]

^well, water filter companies (and BOTTLED water companies, who started and maintain the 'hype') would not make much $$$ if they told us all the water is clean!
now, if i could just get out of this dirty air.. that is the pending issue.

[Jeffshadows]

I just started using the Sawyer to great effect...

[MtnBart01]

I'm pretty happy with my sawyer as well although I haven't used it on any multi day trips. Can't beat 3.5 ounces.

[hikeaz]

I carry both Aqua-Mira drops and a Frontier Pro Filter - total weight about 4 oz. I am thus armed for clear OR cloudy/turbid water.
( dead link removed )
Although I just hiked Grandview to Hermit last week with numerous side-canyon hikes and never treated any of the water - with no ill-effects.

The directions for the drops are (you can double the dosage to halve the time and vise-versa):
AQUAMIRA WATER TREATMENT
Directions For Use:
1) Prior to treatment, clean water container.
2) Place 7 drops AQUAMIRA (Part A) and 7 drops Activator (Part B) in mixing cap. If water is cloudy or tinted use 15 drops of each.
3) Let mixture react 5 minutes.
4) Fill container with 1 quart (1 liter) water. Add contents of cap.
5) Shake to mix. Let stand 15 minutes. If water is very cold, cloudy or tinted let stand 30 minutes.
6) Water is ready for use.

[Sredfield]

I'm a First Need fan, in spite of the weight.

[kevinweitzel75]

I love my Sweetwater. Easy and fast if it gets clogged. It is a little heavy, but not as heavy as water.

[azbackpackr]

I just hiked Grandview to Hermit last week with numerous side-canyon hikes and never treated any of the water - with no ill-effects.

You might want to be careful around Monument and Horn Creeks. Especially Monument, because fecal matter from settling ponds up on the rim is known to percolate down to Monument.

[BEEBEE]

I have a MSR Miniworks EX that I have used for a few years now. It works well and is easy to clean. I also have a MIOX that I use for a back up and to treat the water after filtering when the source is questionable.

[autumnstars]

Gonna look into the Aquamira drops. Loved the convenience of using the tablets, except for the long wait time. Will have to keep thinking about a new filter - it's hard not to go back to what you know, even if it broke your heart.

[te_wa]

Loved the convenience of using the tablets, except for the long wait time.

keep in mind the AM drops are 1/3 as potent as the MP pills. this came directly from a rep at MicroPur/Katadyn
if anything, the pills take less time.. immediately erasing the 5 min. you have to mess around with drops.. try mixing aquamira when it's 20 degrees out.. just sayin'

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... 585#431585 read Lance's post about his info found from Aquamira's chemical engineer. here's the skinny: on the liquid mix.. it was tested in POTABLE WATER! and the tablets were tested in more far exceeding real-world conditions, EPA type II water. The only reason the wait times vary is because of the testing methods. for aquamira, the liguid drops and the tablets are about the same concentration/strength. pay special attention to this quote: "Keep in mind that in very few cases would anyone encounter water sources that are even remotely close in difficulty to treat as EPA Type II water."

but like i said, Micropur is 66% stronger than aquamira, so i use a half-dosage.

[autumnstars]

@te-wa
Thanks for sharing the link. Very informative.
Sounds like the real difference between tablets and liquid is legal labeling (and therefore treatment instructions).