Anyone care to brief me on water purifiers?

[Arkansas_Ranger]

I did a search earlier regarding water purifiers. Still, what's best? Tablets, drops, pumps, the "straw?"

Any ideas, suggestions, etc would be most helpful.

[Teotwawki]

I am far from an expert on this... but here is my take and approach...

Whenever possible I boil water (10+minutes) - I think that is the surest way to get rid of any harmful micro-organisms.

I carry a Katadyn / PUR Hiker micro-filter but rarely use it.

Here is a blurb about the microorganisms found in outdoor water:

-------------
Most outdoor water sources contain microorganisms that can make you sick. Ingesting just one microorganism may cause illness. Wilderness medicine experts advise always treating water to protect against waterborne microorganisms.

Beware of these three types of microorganisms:

Viruses = .018 micron +

Most wilderness medicine professionals now recommend treating water for viruses as well as bacteria and protozoa. Viruses must be eliminated through a purification system or boiling because they are small enough to pass through a filter. Viruses are the least common microorganism in outdoor water, however they can also be quite dangerous. They are typically too small to be removed by a water micro filter. Ex: Hepatitis A, Polio, Nor walk Virus.

Bacteria = .2 microns +

Bacteria is becoming a significant threat in untreated water. Micro filters remove most bacteria, but smaller bacteria require a very small micron size micro filter or a purifier. Bacteria is common threat in untreated water. Most quality water micro filters remove bacteria from outdoor water. Ex: Cholera, Campylobacter, E coli and Salmonella.

Protozoa = 1 micron +

Protozoa are the most common microorganisms in untreated water. Their relatively large size makes them easy to filter, but their protective shell resists iodine and chlorine treatment. Protozoan cysts are present in most water sources. Their relatively large size makes them easy to filter but their protective shell resists iodine and chlorine treatment. Ex: Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

[Rick]

I guess "what's best" is what you want to accomplish. All have their good points and bad points.

Many of the tablets change the taste of the water because they use an iodine base. All require that you wait some period of time for the chemical to take affect. In the case of Sodium Chlorite, the wait is 4 hours.

The straws do a good job of purifying water but are limited on the number of liters they can purify. A great survival tool but probably not your first choice for thru hikes.

The larger filters are more expensive and bulkier but they delivery a fairly large quantity of water very quickly and there is no wait time to drink it. They are mechanical so they can break down. Blow on O ring or plug a filter and you're done.

So...It depends on your wants and needs. My vehicles have straws but I carry both a larger filter to fill my immediate water needs. I also carry tablets as a back up.

You can also boil of course (someone is sure to point that out) but there are times that you can't build a fire (restrictions) or it just isn't convenient to do so.

My 2 cents.

[crashdive123]

Not much to add to the above two posts other than for best method, for me at least is to have multiple methods available to get drinkable water. I look at it like this - fire and water are two extremely important aspects of survival, so I try and make sure that I have multiple methods for each. I have pump filters, filters in water bottle types, tablets, and of course as has been said fire. A 2% tincture of iodine solution is also carried by many.

[bulrush]

If I only need one pot of water I prefilter it with a bandanna or something similar, then boil it. If I need more water I prefer gravity fed filters. I can set up my water, let it filter, while I do some other chores.

As far as the size of virii and bacteria above, I think it's accurate IF you count ALL known virii and bacteria in the world. That said, a 1-2 micron filter will filter almost all bacteria and virii YOU WILL SEE IN THE WILDERNESS. There's a big difference between what the world at large contains and what you will actually see in the wilderness.

As far as 1 bacterium having the potential to make you sick: that is highly unlikely unless you are severely immunocompromised. That means, if your immune system is in such bad shape, and you should be in the hospital, yes your body will not be able to fight off 1 bacterium. Such is the case with people who undergo bone marrow transplants, or severe radiation or severe chemo therapy.

The average healthy person will be able to fight off 1 bacterium, no problem.

Many ultralight (UL) backpackers use tablets simply because they are lighter.

[crashdive123]

Oh - and not to start a food fight on how long you need to boil water to make it drinkable ----- most of my research suggests that as soon as it comes to a rolling boil it can be taken off the heat and you won't have problems. Of course if you care to leave it on longer, it isn't going to hurt anything.

[Arkansas_Ranger]

Well, I knew obviously that boiling was good, but as one person pointed out you can't always boil your water. Additionally, boiling won't kill many types of spores. I like the idea of the purifier drops because the wait time on the few I've read about (can't quote the brand names) had a smaller wait time and better taste than the tablets. I personally was thinking of getting a small pumping filter and drops, however, these won't necessarily filter out the toxic chemicals often spilled into water. Or am I wrong?

[Teotwawki]

As far as 1 bacterium having the potential to make you sick: that is highly unlikely unless you are severely immunocompromised. That means, if your immune system is in such bad shape, and you should be in the hospital, yes your body will not be able to fight off 1 bacterium. Such is the case with people who undergo bone marrow transplants, or severe radiation or severe chemo therapy.

The average healthy person will be able to fight off 1 bacterium, no problem.

I am on and off of meds that the warning says may significantly lower my immune defenses (among other dire things).

Like I said in my original post - I'm no expert so I just took / take it all seriously.

I would like to get one of those straw filters for me and the boy for a backup in a pinch...

[Sam Reeves]

The straws do a good job of purifying water but are limited on the number of liters they can purify. A great survival tool but probably not your first choice for thru hikes.

I was considering getting one of these. Are you saying that after a certain amount of water passes though them that get 'used up' and become less efficient or are you just saying that it would take forever to pass a large amount (about a half gallon) of water though them?

[crashdive123]

They get "used up". Unlike the other filters (pump, bottle, gravity) you can't replace the filter. They are very inexpensive, but disposable.

[Sam Reeves]

They get "used up". Unlike the other filters (pump, bottle, gravity) you can't replace the filter. They are very inexpensive, but disposable.

Thanks for the info.

[Rick]

AR, you are correct. You cannot filter out heavy metals and some chemicals unless your filter also has a carbon filter. Then you would be able to remove those chemicals that bond with carbon. If you go with MSR or Katadyn I don't think either of them have such a filter.

Sam - Those emergency straws either use a filter or an iodine base or both. Either way you will eventually plug the filter and/or use up the iodine and it will be much quicker than something like an MSR pump because of the size. You are looking at something in the neighborhood of 12-15 gallons of water with the straws depending on brand. My MSR Sweetwater will pump 200 gallons before I have to replace the filter. That will give you some idea of the difference. That will be dependent on the turbidity of the water as well.

[Sam Reeves]

Sam - Those emergency straws either use a filter or an iodine base or both. Either way you will eventually plug the filter and/or use up the iodine and it will be much quicker than something like an MSR pump because of the size. You are looking at something in the neighborhood of 12-15 gallons of water with the straws depending on brand. My MSR Sweetwater will pump 200 gallons before I have to replace the filter. That will give you some idea of the difference. That will be dependent on the turbidity of the water as well.

That's what I was looking for. Thanks, Rick.

[Rick]

Check the manufactuer's specs. before you buy. They should list how much water their filter can be expected to purify under ideal conditions.

I pumped from a silt laden pond about two weeks ago and my MSR had to be clean about every 12 pumps or so. That really kills the life of a filter. As you clean it you also remove a layer of the filter material.

[kx250kev]

Look into the FIRST NEED filters. They do it all. Never gotten sick from the water I filter. Just don't let the filter freeze or it is ruined. This means carrying the filter on your body and in your sleeping bag when winter camping.

General Ecology water purifiers utilize our unique, proprietary "Structured Matrix" chemical-free technology to offer the highest level of water purification instantly without chemicals, pretreatment, double pumping or hold time. General Ecology's water purifiers remove viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, plus many organic and inorganic chemical and aesthetic contaminants at the highest "purification" micron level (0.4 microns absolute) to provide great tasting water while protecting against water related disease. First Need Deluxe Water Purifiers like all General Ecology Water Purifiers are certified to meet EPA Microbiological Purification Standard against cysts, bacteria AND virus!

http://www.generalecology.com/portablesystem.htm

[Sourdough]

Or just move to where the water is pure, and drinkable right from the creeks....

[LostOutrider]

Other than the first 2 quarts I bring from home, all of the water I consume & use when backpacking has to be purified. This stuff here, Polar Pure, is the best I've found. http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___81320

"Will destroy water-borne pathogens including Giardia cysts when used as directed. Active ingredient: 99.5 percent Iodine Crystalline. Purifies up to 2,000 qts. A specially designed bottle with a thermometer determines the iodine solution and temperature. Wt. 3 oz."


3 oz. = 2,000 qts. = 500 gal.

Not bad for $13.


The problem with pumps and filters is that moving parts break down and filters need changing. With this stuff, just pour and go.

[bulrush]

Or just move to where the water is pure, and drinkable right from the creeks....

...and full of e. coli from moose and bear. No thanks.

But seriously, I know most people don't have a problem drinking from cold mountain streams. The low temperature prevents bacteria from growing to bad concentrations.

[bulrush]

What do you people think of the Katadyn Base Camp gravity filter? It says it's a 0.3 micron (glass fiber?) filter. It also says cleanable in the field. Does that mean it clogs a lot?

[Beo]

I just boil, seems easier to me. Never used any water purifying stuff except in the Army and those were just tablets.