Micropur Tablets

[g0ri11a]

Just curious if anyone has used these as his/her primary means of water treatment out on the trail. I have some laying around that I had leftover from an emergency kit I put together a while back and I'm considering using them for a short trip sometime soon.

If anyone has experience with these, did you wait the 4 hours to kill off cryptosporidium, or just roll the dice after 15 minutes?

Thanks.

[take-a-knee]

Just curious if anyone has used these as his/her primary means of water treatment out on the trail. I have some laying around that I had leftover from an emergency kit I put together a while back and I'm considering using them for a short trip sometime soon.

If anyone has experience with these, did you wait the 4 hours to kill off cryptosporidium, or just roll the dice after 15 minutes?

Thanks.

Yes, I've used them and I like them, they are foil packed, light, and the taste isn't bad. I always tried to wait the 4hr but didn't always with no ill effect. Crypto is a crap shoot, it's out there but it isn't everywhere unless you are around some funky water. They are an excellent back up to a filter.

[dla]

They work great for me, or it could be that I just don't drink from bad sources - hard to know. I sure like them better than the iodine tablets we used in days of old.

They will break down in their packaging so don't expect them to last in your pack for years.

[take-a-knee]

They work great for me, or it could be that I just don't drink from bad sources - hard to know. I sure like them better than the iodine tablets we used in days of old.

They will break down in their packaging so don't expect them to last in your pack for years.

They have an expiration date on the package insert. I've bought them half-price at Dick's Sporting Goods when they were within months of expiration and used them for upcoming hikes.

[Greentick18d]

I have used these on some sorry a**ed water after my filter broke. Didn't have a problem but then again, I have a cast iron GI tract. The fastest I used them was about the amount of time it took me to uncap my water after the minimum time...

[snaplok]

I use them, both with a gravity filter to kill the small stuff and as a backup should the filter become unusable. So far the easiest water treatment to use that doesn't make the water taste like crap.

[Franco]

Don't really know if they have worked or not for me but I know that they have not failed...
Like others, the taste does not bother me, in fact I find it hard to detect .
Franco

[Marta]

I think they taste a bit worse than Aqua Mira, but still tolerable. The packages are the dickens to open. Swiss Army knife scissors work well. For a long hike, they would be very expensive.

I don't wait four hours. So far, so good.

For chemical treatment, I prefer Aqua Mira. Right now I like the Steripen, though.

[Bluegill]

I have also used them with no ill effects. Marta is right about the foil package not being the easiest to open.

Bluegill

[Footslogger]

Just curious if anyone has used these as his/her primary means of water treatment out on the trail. I have some laying around that I had leftover from an emergency kit I put together a while back and I'm considering using them for a short trip sometime soon.

If anyone has experience with these, did you wait the 4 hours to kill off cryptosporidium, or just roll the dice after 15 minutes?

Thanks.
======================================

I use them to treat my overnight water supply ...generally a 4 Liter Platy. That way my storage container gets debugged and my water for breakfast and the start of the next day is ready to go.

'Slogger

[budforester]

I like Micropur: the individual packaging is great for emergency kit or daypack. I've used them on weekend trips; they're a little pricy and are hard to open. I try to wait the 4 hours; if I can wait long enough (like overnight), the swimming- pool taste goes away.

[MtnTopThinker]

4 hour wait time is for really nasty, dirty water. 15 min. is enough for clear water. I have used them exclusively for many years with no problems.
Specifications:



Purification Method: Chlorine Dioxide Tablets
Output: 1 tablet treats 1 quart (1 liter) of water
Capacity: 30 tablets
Wait Time:
Microorganisms KilledContact Time
EPA Water #1
(Clear, 20 °C)EPA Water #2
(Dirty, 4 °C)Bacteria15 Min.15 Min.Viruses15 Min.15 Min.Cysts30 Min.4 Hours

[Franco]

We don't have Aqua Mira in Australia (that I know of) so I cannot compare costs (postage from the US is rather expensive) but the Pur tablets are relatively expensive and have a shortish shelf life. The other point is that you need to pack them carefully because as pointed out above they can (and do...) crush easily.
Considering that neither the Pur tablets nor Aqua Mira get rid of impurities anyway , for regular use a Steripen and a spare battery is provably the best way to go.
Franco
( I wish that I could tell contaminated water by looking at it. Rather annoying seeing a silvery stream coming down and not knowing)

[QiWiz]

work fine but much more expensive than drops (Aquamira) though quick to use. foil packs can be tough to open - good use of your razor blade

[CherrypieScout]

works for me. I don't carry the filter anymore.

[q-tip]

I have used them for two seasons in FL and GA. Always waited at least half and hour with no bad results. Starting my thru hike on March 2nd and will use Steripen as primary, tablets as secondary. Dehydration is the number one issue for me on the trail, so water treatment fast is a priority.

[freakflyer9999]

I used a Steripen on my first hiking trip, but in an effort to shed weight have converted to tablets only. I never wait the full 4 hours, but do try to plan ahead as much as possible. I have always carried two water bottles, so not much of a problem.

I've never had a problem using the tablets, but that could be because the water I was drinking was from extremely clear and clean sources that were probably low in bad stuff to begin with. I do prefilter with one of the filters that comes with a Steripen. Helps to keep out any chunks of algae, etc.