cost of aquamira for thru?

[stonedflea]

how much would it cost to use aquamira drops for an entire thru?

what do yall think is the cheapest purification option (other than not purifying... which i still haven't ruled that out either just yet)?

[Hooch]

Depends on how long you're on the trail, how much you drink, etc. One Aqua Mira kit treats up to 30 gallons and runs about $12, so the math is easy once you factor in the variables. Personally, I stopped treating my water except at stagnant or questionable sources. I only carry Aqua Mira as a back up.

[Jack Tarlin]

This is one of the reasons I prefer Polar Pure. It's good for 2000 gallons. Also, outfitters often have a limited supply of AquaMira, meaning sooner or later you'll get to a place that has just run out.

[Monkeywrench]

I treated every drop of my drinking water with Aqua Mira. For my 6 month, 9 day thru-hike, I believe I used 4 sets and had just started a fifth at the end of my hike.

[garlic08]

I started with one set of AquaMira at $12 and finished with about half remaining in the bottles. I was able to find so much excellent spring water on the AT, I seldom felt the need to put chemicals into it. I treat water in pastoral areas and where I cannot see the source.

Since then I've hiked the equivalent of another AT hike and I still have the same set of AquaMira. I think it's going to expire this year so I'll get another set. I think it's a very cost-effective method of water treatment.

[QiWiz]

I treated every drop of my drinking water with Aqua Mira. For my 6 month, 9 day thru-hike, I believe I used 4 sets and had just started a fifth at the end of my hike.

You can save some by treating longer (eg. overnight) at half the usual dose or even less. Half the dose for twice the time; quarter dose for four times the time (maybe - I always use at least a half dose). Can also double dose for half the usual time, so you have some flexibility.

[Penguin]

Forget the Aqua Mira. That stuff is good and kills all the nasty's but you still have to deal with the taste of chlorine, albeit not that strong of a taste. Also the Aqua Mira eats the enamel off your teeth allegedly.

MSR Sweetwater Drops cost $10 at REI and 2 and a half bottles should last the whole trail. Last year I got a new bottle in a mail drop after 700 miles, and it still had plenty left. The bottle itself is only about 2 or 3 ounces. MSR Sweetwater Drops kill everything and only require 5 droplets per liter of tainted water. No mixing, no spilling. Ive used this for the last two summers and will this summer. Approved by my Bio Chem friend too. It says you should buy the Sweetwater filter, on the package and use it with that, but the filter only is used to remove chunks of debris from the water. So the drops will be enough to purify, and that's all you need.

[chiefdaddy]

Plain bleach 3 drops per liter is cheap and the CDC in Atlanta is the source of the info.

I used polar pure til I was sick of the taste and aquamira til i was broke. Did the whole PCT with plain bleach in a empty eye drop bottle and half the AT. I have seen Dozens of thru hikers doing the same also.

I have also seen a ton of people drink straight from most water sources and have no problem. I will drink from some and not from others and have never been sick.

Sweetwater rocks also like Penquin said for sure!

[brian039]

I went through 3 sets of Aquamira on my thru. I only treated if it wasn't a spring, except in the Smokies, because the signs about treating your water made me paranoid. The bathroom sink water in Bear Mt State Park also needs to be treated and flavored.

[Stir Fry]

Forget the Aqua Mira. That stuff is good and kills all the nasty's but you still have to deal with the taste of chlorine, albeit not that strong of a taste. Also the Aqua Mira eats the enamel off your teeth allegedly.

MSR Sweetwater Drops cost $10 at REI and 2 and a half bottles should last the whole trail. Last year I got a new bottle in a mail drop after 700 miles, and it still had plenty left. The bottle itself is only about 2 or 3 ounces. MSR Sweetwater Drops kill everything and only require 5 droplets per liter of tainted water. No mixing, no spilling. Ive used this for the last two summers and will this summer. Approved by my Bio Chem friend too. It says you should buy the Sweetwater filter, on the package and use it with that, but the filter only is used to remove chunks of debris from the water. So the drops will be enough to purify, and that's all you need.

Well you better stop drinking city water as most is treated with Chlorine Dioxide, AKA "Aqua Mira".

[FourG]

Plain bleach 3 drops per liter is cheap and the CDC in Atlanta is the source of the info.

I used polar pure til I was sick of the taste and aquamira til i was broke. Did the whole PCT with plain bleach in a empty eye drop bottle and half the AT. I have seen Dozens of thru hikers doing the same also.

I have also seen a ton of people drink straight from most water sources and have no problem. I will drink from some and not from others and have never been sick.

Sweetwater rocks also like Penquin said for sure!

chiefdaddy - How long do you have to treat the water before consumption? How does the taste compare to the Sweetwater?

BTW, most commercial food service establishments use 1 oz. of bleach per gallon of water for sanitizing dishes/pots/pans/glasses.

4G

[Panzer1]

I wouldn't worry about the cost. Just worry about the effectiveness.

Panzer

[Tenderheart]

This is one of the reasons I prefer Polar Pure. It's good for 2000 gallons. Also, outfitters often have a limited supply of AquaMira, meaning sooner or later you'll get to a place that has just run out.

Ditto on Polar Pure. It costs about $13.95 and will easily last your entire trip. The only draw back is iodine taste, but you do get used to it. At least I did. I asked several MD's, before my thru hike, about the long term use of iodine. They agreed that the only problems may be for those who are pregnant or have thyroid problems. I tested negative on both.

litefoot 2000

[canoehead]

Using some thing the nothing at all. Things are changing in the north east such as higher Beaver populations and lots of them. 15-20 years ago we diddn't see many of them uless we were way into the woods. Now their everywhere I'm Ranger on a very large camp with a 70 acre Pond. Just 6 years ago 0 beavers or trace of them. Now 6 different lodges and as many beaver in the pond. Many of their young have move off the area and went somewhere else. My point is when you're kneeling next to the water in that perfect spot to refill your supply. Ask your self whats up stream from there? Just more woods, a road crossing with runoff, farms, swamp, etc.. I haven't gotten sick but I have friends who have and it's not worth it they were down for weeks with stomach & intestinal junk and funk.
It's better to know you're waters clean and you've done your best and you're not just hoping for the best. Having said that. Life's full of choices, why chance yours for the six months you're out there. Your body is your transportation. Conserve pack weight somewhere else I'd bring something.
Peace

[Papa D]

I use Aqua Mira like this: 4 drops of A and 4 drops of B (as opposed to 7 drops) per liter bottle - I then wait about 8 minutes vs the 5 minutes for activation which makes the mix a little more potent - unless, of course it is really sketchy water - I know that there is no science to this and it is risky behavior, but I get about 1/3 again more water purified than one normally would - I'd say close to 30 gallons per 2-bottle set - I only boil cooking water and don't purify it at all (unless it's really sketchy) - so, for a thru hike, if you drink a gallon a day, $12 worth of A.M. will last you 30 days. A 5 month, thru hike would therefore be about $60 plus tax using my (probably imperfect) methods. I've also seen signs that say boil water for 10 minutes! - that is an absurd use of fuel - I don't even do 3 minutes which used to be the "standard" (which I probably should) - I do about 90 seconds and then cook away - assuming I'm sourcing water from a clean running stream or spring - here is my logic:

I figure that chances are that the water is ok based on my field evaluation of it (high up as possible, coming out of rock, clear, running, etc.) as is and that any purification is just a back-up anyway - so let's say that I'm 90% ok with no treatment.

For drinking, the light Aqua Mira load, gives me 9.8% more chance of being ok and the 90 second boil does about the same thing for my cooking water. This puts me in a 99.8% or better chance every time I drink or eat - this seems like a pretty safe bet and I make again and again - seems like a decent calculated risk to save a lot of A.M. and fuel.

[Rocket Jones]

I've also seen signs that say boil water for 10 minutes! - that is an absurd use of fuel - I don't even do 3 minutes which used to be the "standard" (which I probably should) - I do about 90 seconds and then cook away - assuming I'm sourcing water from a clean running stream or spring.

If the temperature of boiling water is enough to kill the nasties, then there's no reason to maintain that temperature for more than a few seconds. When the water gets to a boil, then it should be safe.

[Papa D]

yes, I said that I do 90 seconds - glad you said that Rocket J., because even 90 seconds is way high for me - maybe 30 seconds is more realistic

[Penguin]

Technically as soon as the water hit's 165° it should be safe to drink. If it's good enough for raw pork, it's good enough for water. Personally I never treat cooking water, but as soon as it boils, I add my food and kill the flame.

[Toolumpy]

I work with a City water system and we use 12.5 % bleach as compaired to 5-7% home ( laundry) strength bleach. We pull water from wells so we treat at 1ppm (parts per million) and I still do not like the taste so I use Aquamira as I feel there is ALMOST no taste. After a few days no taste for me. I also only treat where I think necessary.

[double d]

As others have written very clearly, 30 gallons is about 120 qtrs of water. Figure that you will drink about 3-4 qtrs a day (yes, lots of variables to think about), you will need about 3 re-fills. Thats about $50 with shipping expenses. I only use Aqua Mira as well and I use those powered sports drinks to mix in with my water each time (gives me a little carbo hit as well). Good luck to you.