Shelf Life of potable aqua?

[MatthewnOK]

I have the whole USGI canteen with cup and stove my dad gave me. He bought it about 10-12 years ago near/during Y2k. Well it has the vial of potable aqua in the little pouch. It's still sealed. Do you think I should just go buy another vial or do you think this one is still good?
TIA
Matthew Luce

[SARKY]

as long as it hasn't been opened it is good to go.

[welderguy]

I looked at my bottle that I have,as well as checked online and the shelf life is 4 years unopened and a year opened.

[vthompson]

I was curious so I looked at a bottle that I have and it has a two year shelf life on it, and one year after opening.

[Rick]

It's a few bucks vs. your health. Toss the bottle and get a new one.

[endurance]

I'd carried the same bottle in my camelbak for the last three years until this summer, then in a period of a month, needed it on three separate occasions. I'd trust them out to four or five years unopened, but they change color within a month after opening, so I'd tossed my bottle after the season was over.

BTW, they worked well. The taste wasn't as bad as I'd worried about and I didn't get sick despite one of the sources being somewhat dicey. That said, given the choice between certain dehydration and dicey water... well, I was glad I had the tablets.

This year I've decided to carry a UV treatment (steripen) instead of iodine. It's a little more weight, but I seem to be pushing my luck more than I used to and I want something that can treat a lot of water without risking my intestinal flora. My bigger concern with iodine isn't that it won't work, it's that it'll work too well and I'll end up killing off the good bacteria in my system and become vulnerable to something like C. Diff. My ex-wife went on anti-biotics earlier this year and got c. Diff. as a result. Six days in the hospital; no thank you!

[MatthewnOK]

I tossed the bottle last night. I think I'm going to go with katadyn tablets instead of potable aqua this time. At least until I can afford a hiker pro. Thanks!

[Rick]

Lot's of options out there. Boiling is number 1 of course. But Katadyn's Mocropur tablets are good. They weigh next to nothing and 30 tablets can treat a lot of water (30 liters). It's affective on bacteria, viruses and cysts. Drink up!

[Alpine_Sapper]

http://www.potableaqua.com/potable-aqua-faq/

[crashdive123]

Nice link.

[Ken]

I won't hike or camp without this: http://products.katadyn.com/brands-and-products/produkte/Endurance_Series_23/Katadyn_Pocket_22.html

[mitch.chesney]

Isn't it because the iodine evaporates? So you're left with less potent antibacterial tablets.... maybe