Post by: Heavily Armed Hiker on September 09, 2010, 08:54:30 AM
Post by: Skillet on September 09, 2010, 09:01:04 AM
I've been doing tablets only for years on wildneress hunts. Lightweight, nothing mechanical to go wrong, and cheap.
Post by: Buckmark on September 09, 2010, 09:34:59 AM
I like the lemonade flavor myself.
Post by: BLUEBULLS on September 09, 2010, 09:53:11 AM
rinse the container before every refill and you'll hardly notice the iodine.
Post by: Machias on September 09, 2010, 10:00:15 AM
Post by: Ridgerunner on September 09, 2010, 10:03:20 AM
Quote
I just bought a steri pen, LOVE it!!!
:yeah:
I bought one last year for teh high hunt, talk about a great idea. Much lighter and easier to use than a filter and no bad taste with the pills.
Post by: halflife65 on September 09, 2010, 10:24:14 AM
When I'm really thirsty, the iodine taste doesn't bother me a bit. I do have one of those collapsable Nalgene drink containers and the iodine did stain it a sort of rust color. Still usable and I take water from the sink at home in it and it's good.
The steri pens look like a really good device, too. I haven't used one, though.
Post by: PacificNWhunter on September 09, 2010, 10:25:44 AM
Post by: uncoolperson on September 09, 2010, 11:12:37 AM
cooking water gets filtered, drinking water gets both.
Post by: MikeWalking on September 09, 2010, 11:54:12 AM
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 09, 2010, 11:58:43 AM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 09, 2010, 12:21:41 PM
-Steve
Post by: Oldguy on September 09, 2010, 12:33:35 PM
Post by: MikeWalking on September 09, 2010, 12:41:21 PM
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..
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 09, 2010, 01:34:26 PM
I have had the best of 'luck maybe' drawing from where water falls through the air. I am no scientist. But oxygenated water just plain sounds better to me. :chuckle: I still filter it.
Take a read here:
http://www.trailspace.com/articles/backcountry-water-treatment-part-4-methods-for-making-water-safe.html (http://www.trailspace.com/articles/backcountry-water-treatment-part-4-methods-for-making-water-safe.html)
Uncoolperson suggested a gravity filter. And for a basecamp of several guys back in, I would think the Katadyn Base Camp gravity filter would be the ticket. Drop a 'Y' fitting off of the hose to different 2 litre pop bottles, (that you packed in empty and crushed), One filtered bottle used for cooking, (bringing water to where bubbles appear, but not necessarily to a boil), and drop the correct amount of aquamira tabs in for the drinking water bottle.
I personally am most concerned about Bacteria and Parasites where I would draw water from. They can be filtered.
I am not overly concerned about chemical contaminants, but there are natural asbestos and other natural deposits that aren't good for you that streams can transport.
In the back country I am not concerned about Ecoli except where I know that there have been Free Range Stock. (I hate that every one of the water holes I saw this and last year below 6,500' were contaminated and torn up with cattle. -But that's a different rant)
My cooking water gets super heated. Maybe not a rolling boil, but hot. My drinking water gets filtered and still may be some of what got heated.
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.
-Steve
Post by: MikeWalking on September 09, 2010, 01:39:37 PM
Quote
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...
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 09, 2010, 01:44:10 PM
Post by: MikeWalking on September 09, 2010, 02:15:22 PM
Quote
Been wondering what to spend my ittybitty dividend on....stacked up for two years now...
my ittybitty $29 REI Dividend.. :rolleyes: maybe I'll by some Aquamira...
Post by: washelkhntr on September 09, 2010, 08:33:07 PM
Post by: high country on September 09, 2010, 08:50:10 PM
Post by: Alpine Mojo on September 10, 2010, 12:01:15 AM
Post by: FC on September 12, 2010, 05:41:30 PM
I've recently read moving water is more dangerous than still. Cooties sink in still water :dunno:
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.
Post by: washelkhntr on September 12, 2010, 07:24:27 PM
Good thing that they only live in the ocean.
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 12, 2010, 10:22:50 PM
-Steve
Post by: swanny on September 14, 2010, 08:43:31 AM
QuoteBeen wondering what to spend my ittybitty dividend on....stacked up for two years now...
my ittybitty $29 REI Dividend.. :rolleyes: 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.
Post by: MikeWalking on September 14, 2010, 09:02:46 AM
Post by: Oldguy on September 14, 2010, 08:16:22 PM
The latest guide for boiling water for safe use is that it just has to reach a rolling boil and your good to go.
Post by: ICEMAN on September 14, 2010, 08:53:16 PM
I really do not want to wait for tablets to work, as this also allows for the water to warm.... I like cold...
Post by: cohoho on September 14, 2010, 10:15:45 PM
Post by: MikeWalking on September 15, 2010, 08:39:56 AM
Quote
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...
Post by: BkCntryXtrme on September 16, 2010, 09:46:12 AM
http://www.lintonoutdoors.com/products/Pristine-Personal-Pack-Water-Treatment.html (http://www.lintonoutdoors.com/products/Pristine-Personal-Pack-Water-Treatment.html)
Post by: Skyvalhunter on September 16, 2010, 09:50:31 AM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 21, 2010, 10:42:51 PM
fresh out of the stream
Been there. Done that.. Been really really lucky! Used my water filter last week for four days. Still don't have the runs!
The filter weighs less than a 20oz bottle full of water. I took an empty 2 litre bottle crushed in my pack. Filled it and blew it back into shape. (lighter and larger than any nalgine bottle) Filled it twice in the four days from the stream that was right near camp. Drew my water from upstream of the trail that the horses were using. Never needed to wait for tablets to work their magic.
Oh.. and filtered (with optional charcole), mountain spring water tastes REALLY good.
-Steve
Post by: BLUEBULLS on September 23, 2010, 11:41:43 AM
fresh out of the stream
Been there. Done that.. Been really really lucky! Used my water filter last week for four days. Still don't have the runs!
The filter weighs less than a 20oz bottle full of water. I took an empty 2 litre bottle crushed in my pack. Filled it and blew it back into shape. (lighter and larger than any nalgine bottle) Filled it twice in the four days from the stream that was right near camp. Drew my water from upstream of the trail that the horses were using. Never needed to wait for tablets to work their magic.
.
Oh.. and filtered (with optional charcole), mountain spring water tastes REALLY good.
-Steve
if the filter weighs anywhere near a full 20 oz bottle, that's way too heavy for me.
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on September 23, 2010, 12:35:25 PM
Quote
if the filter weighs anywhere near a full 20 oz bottle, that's way too heavy for me.
The Katadyn Hiker weighs in at about 10 ouces. Great for the extended back pack trip. Even the day hike if you know there's water available along your destination. If I know I'm going on a long day hike, and I'd be carrying water... The filter weighs less than the water I'd be carrying.
Otherwise, depending on water needs/length of hike, I've gone pretty far on only one 20oz bottle of water. Where I usually hunt, My morning to lunch route is not near water at all. I usually take just one bottle of water, then rehydrate back at camp during lunch.
There is no 'one right' solution. Circumstances dictate whether to use pills, filter, both, neither, carry your potable water.
-Steve
Post by: Ihuntelk2 on September 26, 2010, 07:11:50 PM
Post by: carpsniperg2 on September 26, 2010, 07:13:31 PM