UKH

i am planning to do a few muti day camping trips this summer and for the first time was considering taking a water filter with me after getting sick on a previous trip.
been looking at the steripen adventurer and wondered if anybody has used this and what they thought. it looks like an excellent idea but the reviews i read are very mixed with reliability being the biggest factor.a lot of the reviews said they would carry other means as a backup which kind of defeats the purpose of a lightweight filter.
being that its an expensive bit of kit if its not up to the job i thought id get some peoples opinion on it. cheers

In reply to jabba the gut:

I use iodine drops. Cheap, simple and effective.
Tastes disgusting, but you get used to it. Or use vitamin C tablets to neutralise the taste.

In reply to almost sane:
Iodine works but i prefer chlorine tabs as they don't make your rice/pasta black.

In reply to jabba the gut: Iodine is better for longer term trips of over say 20 or 30 days, for short term use which seems what you are looking for Chlorine will work well, you can also get neutralise tabs as well you can get packs from Life sysetems which even include a filter bag, enough for say 60l of water for under £10. Little or no weight and works without worry of breakdown. Hope this helps, Snow and Rock do the lot.

In reply to wilderness: cheers for the replies, just out of interest do the chlorine tablets taste bad ?

In reply to jabba the gut: I'd just get the lightest weight filter you can,forget iodine/clorine tabs this is 2009!.Filter your water taste better looks better and just as safe.I,ve been wild camping for 20 yaers and tried just about everything i find the filters are the best bet.At the end of your day you just want to sit back and have a good meal and a brew that won't taste of chemicals.

Mac.

P.s Have a look at the Katydn range have found them the best for weight and value.

In reply to jabba the gut: Yes all the chemicals taste foul! ugh!

In reply to jabba the gut: Well I dont think so but others do, but if you use the Neutralise tabs then I dont think this is an issue. I understand from medic types that Chlorine is not good in really long term use IE Day on Day for extended periods weeks. I also understand that if the instuctions say 1 tab per Ltr and you are doing 1.5 ltr and you use 2 then this is also not an issue. But maybe not get mixed up and use 10 for 1 ltr.

In reply to gethin_allen:

If you're boiling the water for pasta won't that kill the bugs anyway?

In reply to jabba the gut: i thought it was iodine that was bad for you if over used? messes with your thyroid function or something?

In reply to jabba the gut: I have a steripen its brill you will not want to use anything else - does the job quickly and no horrible taste. Only drawback I can see is battery life if on a very long trip..

In reply to steev:
Some viruses will survive boiling, as will filtering.d

I've never used the thing, but it seems like the best solution- knock so much UV at everything in the water that nothing'll survive. Theoretically it seems the best solution really.

Chlorine/iodine tablets make the water taste absolutely horrendous!

In reply to jabba the gut:
I reviewed the gadget last year:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=1131

My opinions are in the article! It's a good bit of kit, and while I don't carry it in winter, for long summer mountain journeys I find it indispensable.

In reply to Arjen:

Have a look at this link http://www.amm.co.uk/files/factsabout/fa_crypto.htm - chlorine is ineffective against the cysts of Cryptospridium.

I've used the Steripen, it's a pretty effective tool, though it does seem quite delicate. Combined with boiling I'd say it will deal with the majority of the nasties you are likely to come across.

ALC