Camelbak all clear the new steripen?

[Timinator]

So yeah after reading countless stories of steripen's failings and having 2 of mine be defective right after I bought them I started to wonder about trusting myself to the steripen. I went out and bought The Camelbak All Clear http://www.camelbak.com/Sports-Recre...All-Clear.aspx and I've been using it for a couple days so far in different temps and it's working with flying colors. The quality of this product is a lot better than the steripen because the uv lamp is very well protected like a tank and the battery lasts 16 gallons per charge which I'm sure is a lot more than the steripen's and unlike the steripen it doesn't feel like some device some guy put together in his basement. I've also yet to see any anybody online say anything about it failing. The downside is it's only been tested with the included bottle which makes 10 ounces for both and the fact that it is USB rechargeable only, you can't replace the batteries. You can drag along any kind of solar panel and keep it charged but that's also extra weight. However from what I've read and the way it looks feels and works so far I'd assume unlike the steripen, it is a much more reliable piece of equipment. Has anyone else tried this product before? Am I right about my suspicions?

[Bucho]

The quality of this product is a lot better than the steripen because the uv lamp is very well protected like a tank and the battery lasts 16 gallons per charge which I'm sure is a lot more than the steripen's and unlike the steripen it doesn't feel like some device some guy put together in his basement.

I had a couple of defective steripen classics before I gave up on them and I know what you mean, the bulbs weren't even in there straight. I don't know about battery life though, I mean sure it was terrible with the rechargables I was using, a tiny fraction of what hydrophoton claimed but I heard the lithium batteries worked better. According to the packaging: "Purify 200 16 fl. oz. glasses of water with 4 lithium AA batteries". If my math is right that's more than the Camelbak, anybody actually get 25 gallons out of their steripen?

[House of Payne]

Anytime I see a steripen thread I pay close attention. I bought the classic 1 yr ago in order to introduce a lighter and more effective way to clean water. The pen I have has only about 20 uses so far with no problems as of yet. This makes me wonder, do I have the 1 out of say 200 that is working correctly? I hear nothing but problems with steripens, this option may not be worth the entire AT for me.

[romany]

Anytime I see a steripen thread I pay close attention. I bought the classic 1 yr ago in order to introduce a lighter and more effective way to clean water. The pen I have has only about 20 uses so far with no problems as of yet. This makes me wonder, do I have the 1 out of say 200 that is working correctly? I hear nothing but problems with steripens, this option may not be worth the entire AT for me.

I've had no problem at all with my Steripen. It helps if people read and make sure they understand directions though...BEFORE using it. Most problems I hear about seem to come from people not understanding how the thing works or perhaps not taking care of it, then getting ticked off "as it doesn't work" and as long as they're upset, making it a point to let everybody know. It's just gear- learn how to use it and take care of it. The company does seem to be good in handling defects if one doesn't work. There's a lot of options so check em out. The Camelback sounds great..good luck with it!

[Bucho]

This makes me wonder, do I have the 1 out of say 200 that is working correctly?

Well I've met people with working steripens and I haven't met 200 steripen users so I doubt it's that bad.

[scree]

Well I've met people with working steripens and I haven't met 200 steripen users so I doubt it's that bad.

I've got a steripen adventurer that has worked like a champ for more than a year / many uses, and I had a steripen classic that died on its second use and got returned to the store. The adventurers seem to work pretty well, the others seem to suck pretty bad.

That said, I'd be skeptical of this item for anything other than light use / vacation travel until it's been field tested and earned a reputation. I'd prefer not to be the one doing the testing on something like this.

[couscous]

Has anyone else tried this product before?

Yes, I have one and it appears to work well. It should handle 4 liters a day for 15 days between recharges, so the recharge-only issue may not be a problem for most hikers. My daughter's first reaction was how useful it would have been in Cambodia.

[Timinator]

Been using this thing for awhile now and it works like a dream. The thing is invincible and works flawlessly. I've dropped it a few times onto rocks with no issues (not recommended). Would be nice to get some sort of clearance on whether or not using a different (and lighter) bottle works but I'll stay safe for now since the manufacturer says not to even though they should really test that sort of thing. Good bye steripen.