Backcountry water....tablets or filter

[MikeWalking]

Since my office is within walking distance of REI, I'm going to go look for the Aquamira tabs as from what I read, they don't have the iodine taste. I'll throw some in my pack as I don't know the water sources where I'm going this weekend. Online, they look really inexpensive for the amount of water they purify

Been wondering what to spend my ittybitty dividend on....stacked up for two years now...

[JackOfAllTrades]

This is not an investment forum!

[MikeWalking]

Been wondering what to spend my ittybitty dividend on....stacked up for two years now...

my ittybitty $29 REI Dividend.. maybe I'll by some Aquamira...

[washelkhntr]

I use Chlor Floc tablets. Never had any problems and no iodine/after taste.

[high country]

you want aqua mira drops, they are the answer. I use a filter if I need to be pulling water from still water or mud puddles, drops if I am around strems of any kind.

[Alpine Mojo]

Katadyn micropur tablets don't use iodine so there is no funny taste.  Tastes just like plain tap water.  Or you could always add some powdered drink mix if you are concerned about the taste.

[FC]

I've recently read moving water is more dangerous than still.  Cooties sink in still water

I got Giardia once from the stream draining Surprise/Glacier Lakes. It was the only untreated water I had that week, 90+degrees, steep trail, I got impatient..

FWIW Mike, if you are drinking water from a stream that drains from a lake....You might as well be drinking straight from the lake.

I've never gotten sick drinking stream water myself.

[washelkhntr]

The average blue whale produces over 400 gallons of sperm when it ejaculates, but only 10% of that actually makes it into his mate. So 360 gallons are spilled into the ocean every time one unloads, and you wonder why the ocean is so salty. . .

Good thing that they only live in the ocean.   

[JackOfAllTrades]

I had no idea.  

-Steve

[swanny]

Been wondering what to spend my ittybitty dividend on....stacked up for two years now...

my ittybitty $29 REI Dividend.. maybe I'll by some Aquamira...

Better hurry! If your on year two it expires December 31 this year!

As far as the debate goes, I go with a filter. I have more trust in it for some reason. Little tablets are scary to me, although I have used them and survived. I think your best off filtering the night before, that way you are ready to go. Take two liters out with you for the day and you should be fine.

[MikeWalking]

Doesn't hurt to carry both, filters break. Had an unexpected cold snap one night freeze mine solid..

[Oldguy]

The Aquamira is a liquid purifier and one of the lids is the measuring tool. There is no off-chemical taste at all and it is simple to use.

The latest guide for boiling water for safe use is that it just has to reach a rolling boil and your good to go.

[ICEMAN]

I prefer a purifier bottle if it is just going to be me on the trail. For a bigger group, I like a pump.

I really do not want to wait for tablets to work, as this also allows for the water to warm.... I like cold...

[cohoho]

Slurped right from the stream, well off the Brooks Range, but utilize a filter for everywhere else...

[MikeWalking]

Slurped right from the stream, well off the Brooks Range, but utilize a filter for everywhere else...

X2   On my fiirst trip, crossing over the Junjik headed for Springcreek  I asked my pilot about how much I needed my filter. He laughed,  "Mike I've been drinking the water up here for 20 years and have never gotten sick"  Never used a filter or pills..  New TSA regs really pissed me off. I wanted to bring all my water bottles back full.  On following trips I just clipped a Sierra cup to my shoulder strap and used that, still had several bottles to allow camps well up slope...