How much water do you use in camp? [Archive]

vaporjourney

08-06-2006, 15:59

orangebug

08-06-2006, 16:08

Depends on how many are enjoying the benefit of your water gathering. Ladybug and I share the water from a 6L BigZip platypus and have plenty left over for breakfast and trail water in the AM. She typically sponge bathes with some of the water - or even washes a few clothes.

We use the BigZip because we have one. I'd rather have purchased a silnylon bucket.

SGT Rock

08-06-2006, 16:17

Usually about 3L from stopping at night to starting again in the morning. Sometimes more, sometimes less.

Phreak

08-06-2006, 16:20

Typically a 2 liter platypus and a 16 oz Nalgene

soulrebel

08-06-2006, 16:29

if you're drinking 4L at night you're dehydrating yourself in the day, and probably not getting re****l sleep...

2-20oz (1.5oz each) bottles from your last stop should be plenty for chores, cooking, drinking, especially if you camelup at your last source for the day...if you need more get another disposable plastic bottle from the store.

I have the 4L platy bag--never used it on shakedowns, and don't carry it for nuttin' btw it weighs 3.2oz. This could be converted to 3.2oz of whiskey which will be much more valuable as you lay your head down next to a snoring bunkmate.

swift

08-06-2006, 16:41

4 liters. 2 for cooking and for that evening and to rehydrate during the night. The other 2 liters goes in the playtpus hydration bag for the following day which has velcro strips on it corresponding to ones on the bottom of the thermarest. Makes a great pillow without slipping out, keeps the water from freezing, and I'm set to pack and run in the morning

map man

08-06-2006, 16:41

From the time I stop one day to the time I start the next, and so including a dinner and a breakfast, I use between 2 and 3 liters of water -- usually closer to 3 than 2.

hikerjohnd

08-06-2006, 17:08

I used to try to camp at a watersource (keeping a reasonable distance for sanitary reasons, but within a few hundred feet) but since getting a silnylon waterbag (Dancing Light Gear - no longer in business :( ) I have not found it necessary to be that close. I think it holds 5L (sometimes it seems bottomless) and I have never run out of water at camp - filling waterbottles, eating dinner & breakfast, doing dishes, washing up (hands, face, body) and on a rare ocassion washing out clothes. Going for water once has made the $10 bag worth its weight in gold to me - I bought 3 more before they went out of business and now I wish I had bought a few more - I won't go out without one!

vaporjourney

08-06-2006, 17:45

I tried to search on google for other silnylon bags, but haven't found any. Does anyone else know of any? I'd like to get under 3 oz for 6 L or so. I may go for the Platy, but it seems expensive just for a simple reservoir, and won't pack down as small as silynlon. Although, i was just reading about silynlon possibly contaminating water? i've noticed that silnylon stuff sacks always tend to leave a smell on my hands.

soulrebel: why do u say the 4L platy weights 3.2 oz? On all sites I look at they call it 2.5. Perhaps your scale gives a more true measurement?

John S

08-06-2006, 18:02

The 96 oz. Nalgene Canteen works pretty well. It’s a soft bag with the standard Nalgene opening (convenient for catching running water), weighs about 2.5 ounces and easily attaches to your pack if you need to draw water on the way to your campsite. Unless I arrive at camp totally dry, the capacity is just about right – two liters to refill the Platypus and a liter and more for that night and the morning. If I needed more I’d get the 4L Platypus bag.

Sly

08-06-2006, 18:07

If I'm drycamping or away from the source, I'll usually grab 4 liters, two in my water bottles (for the rest of the day and next) and a 2L Platty (for cooking, drinks, breakfast).

Lilred

08-06-2006, 18:32

I have the 3 gallon Seattle collapsable bag and absolutely love it!! I use about 3 liters of water at camp. I fill that bucket just halfway and I've got more than enough for myself and usually two liters to start off with in the morning. The bucket folds down to the size of a pack of cigarettes. One of the best buys I've made.

doodah man

08-06-2006, 19:37

I"m looking at getting some sort of water reservoir/bucket to have sitting around at camp. I'm currently looking at these: 4 L palatypus Reservoir (2.5 oz) or a Seattle Works 3 gallon collapsible bucket (4.5 oz). Does 4 L usually last thru the night, or would I wind up running back thru camp to a water source for the morning? Just curious to see what you guys use for a water setup. This would also allow the silt in the water to sink to the bottom of the bucket, protecting my water filter.

vaporjourny,
I have one of those Seattle Sport 3 gallon collapsible buckets and weighed it on a very accurate scale... 78.6 grams (2.77oz). So you can see it comes in much lighter than advertised. It is a little overkill but a bucket is so easy to fill plus I find that I have plenty to share and/or wash-up (self, socks, etc.) without being stingy and never have to make a second trip to fetch water. In the past, I used to use a 'recycled' mylar-type bladder from a 5 L wine in a box. Those are surprisingly tough, lighter than the bucket, can double as a pillow, but they are sort of a pain to fill compared a bucket... I suppose if I was careful, 3 L per night would be the minimum I would use. Also, I have recently read somewhere that putting a hydration bladder in the bucket in packs without hydration sleeve helps prevent any leakage from becoming an issue. Have not tried this yet, but wrote it down in my notebook I keep on useful/cleaver backpacking tricks. doodah-man

Ewker

08-06-2006, 19:37

not sil-nylon but it works
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13743&memberId=12500226

Frolicking Dinosaurs

08-06-2006, 19:41

Almost There

08-06-2006, 19:49

Get 4 liters in a Platy bag I carry for camp. Use it for cooking, etc. and to fill up 2 liters worth of water for hiking in the morning. You're better off drinking water throughout the day, and then maybe a liter at night. I used to dehydrate, but with this plan in June, no problems!

blackbishop351

08-06-2006, 20:39

I have a homemade sil-nylon bucket that holds about 2.5 gallons. That is more than enough for both dinos to eat dinner & breakfast with coffee, clean-up dishes and bathe. I turn my bucket wrong side out to wash clothing when I'm near a water source (dump the wash and rinse water at least 200 ft from the water source)

What design did you use? I'd thought of just using a sheet of sil and kinda gathering it at the top, but I'd need to be able to hang it reliably. In fact, having one that I could leave in the ground would be nice, too. I haven't figured out a closure system yet though.

fiddlehead

08-06-2006, 20:50

Depends if i'm carrying water (desert) or have a source nearby. I'll drink a few cups of tea if i have extra water. 1 litre for desert camping. 3 if i have it nearby. Up to you. I know people who go for 2 gallons and bathe in it.
I prefer to dry camp. It is usually much quieter, often has a better view, and most importantly, you don't get the damp dew that goes with sleeping near creeks. And it's quieter than a creek anyday.

Just Jeff

08-06-2006, 21:21

For dry camps, I fill my 3L platy and two 20oz soda bottles. After cooking and chores, I usually have at least one of the 20oz bottles left when I hike out.

A pack cover can work in a pinch.

I think it's funny that s-t-f-u was censored from re****l :p

Skidsteer

08-06-2006, 21:23

4 liters. Normally I have 1/2 to 1 liter leftover.

Amigi'sLastStand

08-06-2006, 21:47

3L is a safe bet. With that amount you will feel re****l. Abrea****lly full by that point, you can boa****lly tell your hikermates that you have a che****l of water.

Frolicking Dinosaurs

08-06-2006, 21:57

What design did you use? I'd thought of just using a sheet of sil and kinda gathering it at the top, but I'd need to be able to hang it reliably. In fact, having one that I could leave in the ground would be nice, too. I haven't figured out a closure system yet though.I have two - one is designed like the Seattle Sports pocket bucket (http://store.seattlesportsco.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=316) and the other is more like the Ray-way Water bag (a 30" diameter circle with 8 tabs along the edges - run a rope thru the tabs to form bag and hang).

If you want it to sit on the ground, the Pocket bucket design is better. I used a mix of silicon chalking and mineral spirits to seal the seams. I added a piece of regular polyester lining material to the bottom to protect the sil-nylon from abrasion. Mine has about a 10" diameter and 8" high sides.

frieden

08-06-2006, 21:59

This was an excellent question. I hadn't really thought about how to budget my water in camp. I got a Platy too, but I plan on cooking and washing up about 30 min. from where I plan to camp. It isn't good for your body to eat before 30 min. after you wake up, so I was going to pack up in the morning with a quick cup of tea, and then eat later. I'll probably need the Platy more at pre-camp. I think it's a 4 L. Unless things get really bad, I probably won't do laundry out there. Nothing dries, in the Smokies at least.

opqdan

08-07-2006, 10:57

3L is a safe bet. With that amount you will feel re****l. Abrea****lly full by that point, you can boa****lly tell your hikermates that you have a che****l of water.
Ha! Somebody needs to change the filter to only pick out full words (those with whitespace before and after.

Just Jeff has pictures of a homemade silnylon waterbag that can hold a gallon or more. It supposedly weighs only 1/2 oz. The project seems amazinlgy easy, and for that weight, there is really no reason not to carry one.

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearWaterBag.html

opqdan

08-07-2006, 11:00

Ha! Somebody needs to change the filter to only pick out full words (those with whitespace before and after.

Just Jeff has pictures of a homemade silnylon waterbag that can hold a gallon or more. It supposedly weighs only 1/2 oz. The project seems amazinlgy easy, and for that weight, there is really no reason not to carry one.

http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGearWaterBag.html
On closer inspection, I see that he has even already replied to this thread, but there was no mention of the water bag.

Did it end up not working out so well?

Alligator

08-07-2006, 11:11

I use about 3-4 liters. I'll drink one in evening, one in the morning and the rest is for cooking (1 1/2 dinners, breakfast) and cleaning up. I like to collect six liters and that generally gives me enough to reach the next water source. That is, about a 2 liter start in the morning.

I hate fetching water.

Just Jeff

08-07-2006, 11:15

It works ok for a waterbag. I think I would make it bigger next time, though. I don't carry it b/c sometimes I need to carry more water in my pack for dry stretches, so the Platy works better for my style at the moment.

Footslogger

08-07-2006, 11:52

4 Liters, give or take. I have a 4 Liter Platypus handle bag. Generally fill it to about the 4 Liter line and set it next to the tent. Pour off what I need for dinner into my cookpot. Then I fill my 1.8 Liter Platy and 20 oz bottle (and start it purifying). The next morning I pour off what I need for a cup or two of java and refill the containers I drank from during the night and re-purify.

If there's any left I offer it to other hikers and then water the plants with what's left.

'Slogger

Time To Fly 97

08-07-2006, 16:15

I usually arrive at camp hydrated because I drink all during the day...

1/3 litre for dinner
2/3 litre large coffee/hot chocolate
1 litre to drink before and after dinner
1/2 litre after early morning "nature" walk
1 litre before leaving camp at breakfast
1 litre to carry out in my pack

It varies for everyone. I like water and drink a lot of it when I hike. If I'm camping at an area without water (overlook, etc.), most times I'll carry the extra water weight to camp. Gallon and a half an MSR dromodary, carabiner it to my pack and hump it for a couple miles to camp. I may have to take it easy, but I'd rather do this than not have lots of water at camp.

My muscles stay looser if I am well hydrated and I sleep better. It is just more healthy all around. I can enjoy a big mocha coffee (my favorite around a campfire), a smoke, wash my face, etc with no worries about water.

It depends on where you are hiking too. The Southern sections of the PCT (desert) is a different animal and you REALLY have to dial in on water conservationh...but the AT has plentiful water and I take advantage of this.

TTF

Spock

08-07-2006, 17:56

In the spirit of 'make it do more than one job' , a silnylon pack cover can be a very good water bag. All it needs is access to the drawstring at 4 points and a non-elastic draw cord. Those are easy modifications. Of you can make your own easily.

blackbishop351

08-07-2006, 18:03

SGT Rock

08-07-2006, 18:07

Iodine will get into any type of material I would believe. Bladders are plastics and sil nylon is just nylon with silicone added. I'm not a chemist, but wouldn't the iodine more likely go to the water and mix with it more quickly than try to penetrate the nylon or plastic? Anyway, I think it will take so long to break down the plastic and/or nylon that you will probably wear one out before the iodine screws it up. And if you add Vit C, filter, or use aqua mira it should be even mo' better.

As for me I have a 100 ounce Platy bladder (no hose) and a Gatorade bottle. These have lasted for years while using iodine.

hopefulhiker

08-07-2006, 19:59

I would fill up with three to four litres at night and also if the water supply was close camel up in the morning. In the summer I carried one two litre plat, one 1 litre plat, and a gatoraid bottle. In the winter I used the gaitoraid bottle as a pee bottle/

Alligator

08-07-2006, 19:59

As far as a silnylon bag (of any type), would Iodine water treatment eat the silicon or the nylon over time? I'm not sure what bladders are usually made of, but they hold up fine. I'm not as confident about sil.Just add the iodine after it goes into the water bottle/bladder. You'd end up with iodine all over stuff otherwise. Plus, you don't need to treat cook water that you boil.

Footslogger

08-07-2006, 22:13

Another alternative to iodine water treatment are the chlorine dioxide tablets:

http://www.basegear.com/micropurwater.html

One tablet treats a liter. They are like a "fizzie" tab and disolve on their own. Also helps keep the bugs down in your water container. No taste or discoloration.

I carry these for overnight water treatment and use AquaMira during the day.

'Slogger

blackbishop351

08-07-2006, 22:26

Ok...at the risk of sounding like a complete newbie here...what's the big deal with AquaMira? I've seen it in stores, but I just assumed it was a different take on the old iodine standby.

And, btw, I'm more resolved against filters than ever. I took a look at some in the store the other day and the lightest one I could find (MSR Sweetwater, I think) was about 11 oz.!! My stash of iodine, even with the glass bottle, weighs less than 2 oz.....

[\QUOTE]Another alternative to iodine water treatment are the chlorine dioxide tablets[\QUOTE]

I'd be more afraid of material failure from chlorine than from iodine...it's even more corrosive.

[\QUOTE]Plus, you don't need to treat cook water that you boil.[\QUOTE]

I don't fully boil water, I just heat it enough to put in my freezer bag. And sterilization by boiling has it's drawbacks, too - You have to maintain full rolling boil for at least 2 minutes (waste of fuel), and it doesn't kill viruses...

blackbishop351

08-07-2006, 22:27

Hmm...apparently I did the "quote" code wrong...sorry about that.

hikerjohnd

08-07-2006, 22:27

In the winter I used the gaitoraid bottle as a pee bottle/

Not the same bottle I hope :eek:

Skidsteer

08-07-2006, 22:34

Hmm...apparently I did the "quote" code wrong...sorry about that.

[quote=Skidsteer]Just leave out the \.:D [quote/]

Seriously, just use the 'wrap quote tags' button.

vaporjourney

08-07-2006, 22:53

Now I'm thinking of getting a smaller waterproof Granite Gear clothing stuff sack than the one I have, and just empty my clothing out of it and use it for water at camp. It has a cylinder shape, unlike silnylon bags, so I think it would stand up a little better on a table or flat ground.

mweinstone

08-07-2006, 23:21

i need alot.much more than any ive ever seen.i dont understand why other people dont drink as much as me.i know some of its my un treated diabitis. but i dont go to doctors and i try to use diet health and exersize to control it. so i drink all the time. 2 gals a day in the heat. i fill my 2 littre cookpot and my 6 litre dromelite.thats every day when i stop. i dont get less than 8 at a time. and i cook alot and i make everything extra watery to make cleaning easy. i cook 4 to 5 times a day.oatmeal,coffie,macs an cheese, coffie, potatoes or stove top.each of these dishes is at least 11/2 litres. thats 4.5 just to cook dinner!all i can say is i eat alot.sorry.

mweinstone

08-07-2006, 23:30

i never carry water untill summer . i carry a half pint if im gonna make a dooky to wash my hands only. i drink untreated from each and most every water source. this year my record was 14 springs in one 18 mile day. never been sick. bad water is avoided, not treated.i know alot of people dont agree with this but i say with enough skill one can safely determine safe water. theres an equation to use to find clean water that works. elevation above nearest man related activity , times distance from population, times density of said population, plus health factor of waters edge equals gut feeling!

Johnny Swank

08-07-2006, 23:39

We've gone to cooking in the afternoon and camping somewhere else later on. Doing that was cut down on how much water we carry for the most part, plus we feel more human instead of the usual routine of "hike till starving, then try not to kill each other while the pasta is boiling."

Depending on the water sources, about 3 liters or so is about as much as we need, each, after we leave from our cooking spot.

Just Jeff

08-08-2006, 00:18

Ok...at the risk of sounding like a complete newbie here...what's the big deal with AquaMira?

Search the threads here. AM is chlorine dioxide, which is what many municipal treatment plants use. It kills all the bugs and doesn't have the iodine aftertaste. Amigi isn't very impressed with it, though... :p

And, btw, I'm more resolved against filters than ever. I took a look at some in the store the other day and the lightest one I could find (MSR Sweetwater, I think) was about 11 oz.!! My stash of iodine, even with the glass bottle, weighs less than 2 oz.....

You can get an inline filter for a few ounces. Use it with a platy or water bag as a gravity filter. It'll take a few minutes, but AM takes at least 5 to mix then 20-30 to wait...a gravity filter will probably take 5 min, but that's 5 min of resting instead of pumping, and your water will be ready immediately.

I haven't use an inline, though - AM works fine for me.

blackbishop351

08-08-2006, 02:48

Thanks for the AquaMira info! Is the advantage only the taste? Or is it easier to store? Work better? Not as harmful over long periods?

You can get an inline filter for a few ounces.

Where can I find one? I've looked around...the H20 Amigo and the Katadyn Base camp seem to be the only things I can find.

SGT Rock

08-08-2006, 08:36

Aqua Mira - it doesn't have the iodine taste, but it still has a taste (at least a few of us notice it) that is like city water and some lime juice. I didn't care for it. It comes in two plastic bottles and has to be kept in those bottles which are opaque. Prior to use you mix the two liquids together and let them sit for something like 5 minutes before you add them to the water and then you have to let the water cure for about 30 minutes - just like iodine.

With all that, I prefer iodine with Vit C.

In line filters are out there. I tried one in 2001 and wasn't happy with it because the flow rate wasn't that good. It ended up clogging up completely on me while I was out on the trail and I had to go a few days without filter or iodine (forgot to bring the old reliable as a standby) until I got to Neels Gap and got me some as a replacement.

Alligator

08-08-2006, 09:38

I don't fully boil water, I just heat it enough to put in my freezer bag. And sterilization by boiling has it's drawbacks, too - You have to maintain full rolling boil for at least 2 minutes (waste of fuel), and it doesn't kill viruses...

Boiling does kill viruses. It is also considered to be a better treatment than iodine.

From the CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/water_treatment.htm
Boiling water is the best method for making water safe to drink. Boiling water as recommended will kill bacterial, parasitic, and viral causes of diarrhea. Adding a pinch of salt to each quart will improve the taste.

If boiling water is not possible, chemical disinfection with iodine (e.g., Globaline, Potable-Aqua, or Coghlan’s, found in pharmacies and sporting goods stores) is another method for making water safer to drink. Cryptosporidium (a parasite that can cause diarrhea) and other coccidian parasites (e.g., Cyclospora, Toxoplasma) might not be killed by this method. Cloudy water should be strained through a clean cloth into a container to remove any sediment or floating matter, and then the water should be treated with iodine.

http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml
Boiling is the most certain way of killing all microorganisms. According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude. To be extra safe, let the water boil rapidly for one minute, especially at higher altitudes since water boils at a lower temperature (see page 68.)

Just Jeff

08-08-2006, 10:50

Thanks for the AquaMira info! Is the advantage only the taste? Or is it easier to store? Work better? Not as harmful over long periods?

It also kills crypto and viruses, which iodine doesn't. Tastes better than plain iodine, but Vit C can take care of much of iodine's taste. Personally, I only notice AM's taste on the last swallow or two of the container.

With iodine, you can just pop in the pill. With AM, like Rock said, you have to mix it for 5 minutes before adding it to the water. I usually mix it, then gather the water and rest for a second, then add it and start hiking.

Where can I find one? I've looked around...the H20 Amigo and the Katadyn Base camp seem to be the only things I can find.

Sweetwater makes an inline and there are a few others...McNett's straw filter or something like that is another. Almost any filter cartridge can be adapted for a gravity feed system, though...might give a better flow rate than an inline. Probably still not as fast as a pump like Rock said, but it's less work and less weight and fewer parts to worry about gear failure.

Just another way of doing things. Like I said, I'm happy with AM for the time being...YMMV.

SGT Rock

08-08-2006, 10:57

Well Jeff, you are mostly right. Iodine will kill viruses but does not work well against Crypto, but it does provide some protection against crypto:

Iodine vs. Crypto: http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=155436

Iodine vs. Viruses: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10676896&dopt=Abstract

Just Jeff

08-08-2006, 11:06

Interesting - I've read elsewhere that iodine isn't effective against viruses. Maybe it depends on concentration: "Iodine was very effective against all viruses at concentrations of 0.015% to 0.0075%..." Do you know what concentration hiker's normally use?

SGT Rock

08-08-2006, 12:34

max patch

08-08-2006, 12:47

Gray Blazer

08-08-2006, 13:03

In the spirit of being cheap and using free gear, I use 20 oz soda bottles (3 or 4) and a Katahdin water filter. I fill them often from mountain spring water sources. If I ever thru-hike, I'm sure I'll upgrade. Haven't caught giardia yet (Hopefully, never will). It never fails...if you have a lot of water when you stop for the night, you will have plenty left over. The less you have the thirstier you will become and end up drinking it all (it's psychological). I only go out for 4 to 6 days at a time. Thrubees need to hydrate more so listen to these guys and don't scrimp like me. You don't want to dehydrate or get sick on your thru. Contrary to what Terri Schiavo's doctors said, dehydrating is extremely painful!

Just Jeff

08-08-2006, 14:24

16 parts per million I think.

I also know from looking at some filter info that filters often add an iodine resin layer to protect against guardia and viruses. They often market it as Viral Stop or something, but if you read the literature you are getting iodine. I find it interesting how some people say they do not use iodine and then list a filter as their filter of choice which uses iodine as a part of the filter.

I think I've heard 16ppm before, too. Doesn't .0075% equal 75 ppm - or almost 5x the dose hikers and soldiers normally use? And that's the low end of the range given in the report.

I've wondered how those filters work. I'm pretty sure they add the iodine on the way through the filter, but filter it out before it gets to the bottle so there's no taste. But iodine has to sit in the water to function - it's doesn't kill the bad guys, it just surrounds them so they pass harmlessly through the body, and that's what the wait time is for (at least that's what my SERE instructor said). So have the filter makers found a way to make iodine work w/o the wait time? And if they can do it, why can't that be carried over to plain old iodine tablets?

hikerjohnd

08-08-2006, 14:31

mnof1000v

08-08-2006, 15:22

I typically overfill my 96 oz. Nalgene canteen (usually above the 96 oz. line, so it's more like 120-128oz.) and my 32 oz. Nalgene bottle. That's usually more than enough water.

SGT Rock

08-08-2006, 16:34

I think I've heard 16ppm before, too. Doesn't .0075% equal 75 ppm - or almost 5x the dose hikers and soldiers normally use? And that's the low end of the range given in the report.

I've wondered how those filters work. I'm pretty sure they add the iodine on the way through the filter, but filter it out before it gets to the bottle so there's no taste. But iodine has to sit in the water to function - it's doesn't kill the bad guys, it just surrounds them so they pass harmlessly through the body, and that's what the wait time is for (at least that's what my SERE instructor said). So have the filter makers found a way to make iodine work w/o the wait time? And if they can do it, why can't that be carried over to plain old iodine tablets?

Not sure on the dose thing completely, I was going off some data with military use guidance, as I remember the iodine thing from the Army version the dosage is about the same as the civilian stuff. I could be wrong on that. but the point is it still affects viruses and crypto - just doesn't do well on crypto.

As to the iodine in filters, what I remember from reading about them is they have a iodine impregnated membrane that somehow attracts viruses to the membrane and then kills the viruses on contact with it. So the plan isn't to soak the water in iodine in this case, but to do the same thing with iodine that iodine water does - kill viruses (the reason I really pointed the iodine use out). But since iodine can mix with the water I don't know if the filters have small enough holes to actually stop iodine since it can even leak through plastic bottles. So in any case, you would still get iodine in your water and the filter still needs iodine to do what people are thinking their filter is doing without the iodine.