water purification tablets

[benlee862]

i was wondering what the best tablets are for camping, all the ones on the net seem to be for tap water and already clean water etc?

cheers, ben

[finallyME]

Chlorine Dioxide are the best.
http://www.rei.com/product/736897/po...-package-of-20

[crashdive123]

Potable Aqua is a good choice for tablets. For me, a good filter is a better choice with the Portable Aqua as a backup.

[randyt]

I use iodine crystals for my water purification chemicals. It's not a pill but is crystals in a small 1 oz brown bottle. The small bottle is filled with water and let sit for a bit. Then the water is poured out of the small bottle into a quart of water while keeping the crystals in the small bottle. This treats the water, treat time depends on temperature. I reckon some folks might be allergic or have thyroid problems and the iodine would be problematic. One of the nice things about the crystals are they don't go bad.

[randyt]

here's a link to a iodine source.

http://www.raems.com/webad/USP0.html

[kyratshooter]

Sometimes there are sources more convenient than the internet. Check out the Walmart camping section. They keep two kinds.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coghlan-s-...ablets/8586958

[hunter63]

Picked up a bottle of iodine at Walgreens
Not Walgreens but like it.
http://www.myotcstore.com/store/p/35...706_a_7c845263

5 to 10 drops per litre:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-...incture/#step1

[Rick]

I'm with FinallyMe and Crash. I've used Potable Aqua quite a bit actually and I've never had any problems. Just remember to leave your cap loose on your canteen give it a shake then tighten the cap. That way your treat the threads on the canteen as well and you're less likely to have cross contamination.

I don't much care for iodine because of the taste but you can always add some Tang or something like that after you've treated the water. That will help with the taste.

[crashdive123]

As far as local stores for you (this is where an introduction would have been helpful) we have a few UK members, but other recommendations might not work.

[Winnie]

I'm from UK and have never had to purify my water as yet because I use campsites (yeah, yeah, I know. You try and find accesable wilderness over here.) However I always carry a method of purification anyway. This consists of a Millbank bag to remove any suspended solids, then I have Oasis water treatment tablets.

[Ken]

Sometimes there are sources more convenient than the internet. Check out the Walmart camping section. They keep two kinds.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coghlan-s-...ablets/8586958

How's he gonna' check out that WalMart link without the Internet?

[crashdive123]

I don't believe anybody knew (until I posted) that he was in the UK.

[Stairman]

Like most of you I have multiple means of making water safe to drink. I prefer a water filter so taste isnt effected. I do have Polarpure and halozone pills as well. Fire seems to be the best method but sometimes isnt possible. As I understand, viruses are rare in wildwater in this country and my filter alone would allow most to slip through. Backing it up with chemicals or fire is an extra step that you have to weigh out. Any floodwaters I was forced to drink would definetely be backed up but most backwoods streams I would trust with just my filter.

[Rick]

You are correct on the filter. I'm not aware of any that have a pore diameter small enough to block viruses. There might be some out there but I'm not aware of any. Some of the major filter manufacturers also sell an anti-virus solution that is little more than bleach. Check the ingredients before you purchase any. You can pack the same thing for a lot less money. Fire, of course, kills it all.

[Stairman]

I have the Sawyer.1, and saw where they offered a smaller pore size considered to be a purifter but not able to get some of the very small virues, so its still a toss up and a slower flow rate to boot so I didnt get that one.

[finallyME]

You are correct on the filter. I'm not aware of any that have a pore diameter small enough to block viruses. There might be some out there but I'm not aware of any. Some of the major filter manufacturers also sell an anti-virus solution that is little more than bleach. Check the ingredients before you purchase any. You can pack the same thing for a lot less money. Fire, of course, kills it all.

Sawyer makes a .02 micron filter that gets viruses.

http://www.sawyer.com/sawyersaves/pr...-pointtwo.html

[Rick]

That's pretty interesting. I've never seen that before. I'm not sure how you'd keep the water sterile once it is filtered because viruses can be airborne and would be on the inside of any container you use to store water unless you sterilized it. Still, good stuff.

[Stairman]

I got the same kit but the .01 size. Mine can gravity filter 5 gallons in about an hour, or can be used for backpacking ect. portably. I filter 5 gallons a week for drinking here at home from my well into a Culligan type bottle, then tip it over and connect it to my refrigerated water dispenser. It tastes like bottled water to me and I trust it better knowing the source and the filter means. Bottled water not being regulated could be a municiple water source for all we know.

[Rick]

Bottled water not being regulated could be a municiple water source for all we know.

And very often is. Read the label.

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Cons.../ucm203620.htm

[Ken]

IMHO, Katadyn is the best in the industry. My personal favorite (other than for its 20 oz. weight) is the Pocket Pro.

Here's a pretty good read on filtering and purifying.

http://www.katadyn.com/fileadmin/use...r_Guide_EN.pdf