Steripen seems like it wouldn't add too much weight, but would not want to depend on a light that could break. As a backup, filter systems seems great too, but have you guys considered iodine tablets mixed with Emergen C packets to kill it all, while getting some nutrition and taste there too?
Water: what will and won't you drink?
- Thread starter Dos Perros
- Start date
Steripen and iodine all require water deer enough to drop a bladder or Nalgene in. If is my first trip in to an area I will always bring a pump because you can draw water from just about anywhere with them, even if the others are lighter.
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Fink
Veteran member
I think you'd be pretty hard pressed to break the steripen. It comes with a pretty good padded neoprene case, and the glass has a hard plastic cover as well. Anything you did to break that, would most likely break any other filter you have.
The only real downside to the steripen is that it does take a little bit more water, as you have to be able to fill up a bottle, no pumping.. And, it takes a few minutes to fill up several bottles.
- Jul 1, 2015
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I think if it came to it I'd pump/filter iffy water first, then Steripen as a precaution against viruses. I don't think I'd want to decide on one or the other.
buckbull
Veteran member
- Jun 20, 2011
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This is something BitterootBulls wrote a while ago on this forum and I put it into the memory bank. Pretty interesting.
I have used the Steripen Adeventurer Opti for my scouting trips this year and it is remarkably convenient. The only thing I learned (the hard way) is that the steripen won't activate the UV light if the water sensor doesn't sense water. The Water Sensor senses minerals in the water, not the water itself. If the water is TOO pure, there aren't minerals for the sensor, and the sensor won't allow the UV lamp to activate. I filled my bottle straight out of the bottom of an icefield, and the steripen blinked red at me and wouldn't illuminate in the water. I was puzzled and ended up boiling water in the jetboil for the hike out.
I got home and read the manual finding that Steripen recommends carrying a small amount of salt to pinch into the water if it is too pure, and the steripen gives you the red light.
With that figured out, I am very impressed with the ease of use of the Steripen. I also have the prefilter. Altogether the system is like 6 ounces ... and no pumping.
I have used the Steripen Adeventurer Opti for my scouting trips this year and it is remarkably convenient. The only thing I learned (the hard way) is that the steripen won't activate the UV light if the water sensor doesn't sense water. The Water Sensor senses minerals in the water, not the water itself. If the water is TOO pure, there aren't minerals for the sensor, and the sensor won't allow the UV lamp to activate. I filled my bottle straight out of the bottom of an icefield, and the steripen blinked red at me and wouldn't illuminate in the water. I was puzzled and ended up boiling water in the jetboil for the hike out.
I got home and read the manual finding that Steripen recommends carrying a small amount of salt to pinch into the water if it is too pure, and the steripen gives you the red light.
With that figured out, I am very impressed with the ease of use of the Steripen. I also have the prefilter. Altogether the system is like 6 ounces ... and no pumping.
I've been very lucky over the last 35 years with some of the water I have drank. For years my brother and I drank out of a little seep we found in a steep canyon in the Ruby mountains of NV and never suffered any ill effects. For some reason we weren't very smart then. I have also drank water out of Lake Mead back when I was a teenager and had such a hang-over and all there was to drink was more beer.
Nowdays I carry a 2 liter water bladder and 2 half liters of bottled water. It may seem like a lot but after the first time bowhunting with my son in the August heat of NV I knew I was dehydrated when I got a splitting headache and had to lay in the shade waiting for my son to get back down too. Luckily I saved half a bottle to give to him because he was out of water too. We only took 1 liter of water each and it was nowhere near enough.
Nowdays I carry a 2 liter water bladder and 2 half liters of bottled water. It may seem like a lot but after the first time bowhunting with my son in the August heat of NV I knew I was dehydrated when I got a splitting headache and had to lay in the shade waiting for my son to get back down too. Luckily I saved half a bottle to give to him because he was out of water too. We only took 1 liter of water each and it was nowhere near enough.
micropterus79
Active Member
