View Full Version : FREE steripen..
I sent an email to the steripen's CS, asking for a complimentary unit for my thru-hike as a good form of advertisement. They gladly sent me one, and now that i have it, (without paying a cent), and i'm now messing around with it to make sure it works and i just have a quetion about how it works..
Is the actual light bulb supposed to turn on or is it just the green light turning on that signals that it is working?
Cannibal
02-04-2008, 15:15
The light will come on as soon as it hits the water. Cool deal on the freebee!
Cannibal
02-04-2008, 15:16
Correction: the light will come on when the sensors (near top of glass tube) hit the water.
Before you push the button and before you insert it in the water... the sensors have to start out dry. If they start out wet, then the UV light will not turn on and the led will flash in some color... red I think.
I have a strei-pen and love it... Sounds like a very nice company too if they sent you one for free... cool!
wrongway_08
02-04-2008, 16:39
Shame on you for begging for free stuff................could you PM me a copy of your begging letter? Mine have not worked so far...:)
A Yogi Master in the making. :D Use the Force, Luke!
Mrs Baggins
02-04-2008, 16:50
I sent an email to the steripen's CS, asking for a complimentary unit for my thru-hike as a good form of advertisement. They gladly sent me one, and now that i have it, (without paying a cent), and i'm now messing around with it to make sure it works and i just have a quetion about how it works..
Is the actual light bulb supposed to turn on or is it just the green light turning on that signals that it is working?
That little light bulb is very fragile. Met a guy on his first night out on a thru-hike that realized his was already broken. And he paid full price for it.............
What's the standard retail price?
Mrs Baggins
02-04-2008, 17:40
What's the standard retail price?
I think around $80?
I hope they get the bugs worked out of the Steripen, it sounds like a great idea and I would like to get one. But it seems to have some reliability issues they need to address and I won’t buy one till the reviews of it say it’s reliable and better made.
When I was on the trail 2 years ago 2 guys that were hiking together had one and it looked like it worked o.k. I wasnt with them but for about a week. It sure was faster than my "hiker" filter. It didnt do to much for the color of the water though.
Cherokee Bill
02-04-2008, 18:41
Unlike some water safety systems, remember your "pen" is NOT user-repairable.
So, carry a backup. A number of "Thru-hikers" I met last year, had sent their's back to the factory for repair (dropped, etc.) :mad:
wrongway_08
02-04-2008, 18:47
I still think, on the A.T., the water is safe enough to not worry about the bugs in the water - my big concern is still taste. The pen will not remove any nasty taste. You still need a filter if you want good tasting water.
Hey, congratulations dmb658. Now if by chance to do end up with Gardia (sure hope not) DO NOT let that company know......they'd be real pissed :D
I used my SteriPen on three hikes lasting 4,5 and 7 days respectively. I've had no issues with it and love it. I finally have complete peace of mind in the water that I drink. Yes, it is fragile but with common sense in caring for it, you should get years of use out of it.
Yes, the sensors have to be dry to activate the UV bulb when the sensors "hit the water." After use I wipe it dry with a soft cloth taking care not to snag the two little sensors. Then I store it in my North Face head sock (if not wearing it while hiking) with the plastic cap OFF to aid in further drying. This provides plenty of protection and has worked very well for me.
I've got one of these for sale, or rather Terry7 has one for sale...........
envirodiver
02-05-2008, 01:05
I still think, on the A.T., the water is safe enough to not worry about the bugs in the water - my big concern is still taste. The pen will not remove any nasty taste. You still need a filter if you want good tasting water.
You think that on the AT, there are no bug problems, yet there is a taste problem? Where do you think the nasty taste comes from that would not generate bacteria, protozoa or virus?
ofthearth
02-05-2008, 08:02
I sent an email to the steripen's CS, asking for a complimentary unit for my thru-hike as a good form of advertisement. They gladly sent me one, and now that i have it, (without paying a cent), and i'm now messing around with it to make sure it works and i just have a quetion about how it works..
Is the actual light bulb supposed to turn on or is it just the green light turning on that signals that it is working?
Quick Start PDF Guides
http://www.steripen.com/PDF/QuickStartEnglish.pdf
We have a Steripen Adventurer that we'll sell for $70.00.
Bare Bear
02-05-2008, 16:20
I started with a Steripen and quickly found they did not work well, lots of bugs (later longer probes version is a little better) and went to using two drops of bleach in 32 oz which is lighter than the 20 oz weight of the Steri-pen............
I still think, on the A.T., the water is safe enough to not worry about the bugs in the water - my big concern is still taste. The pen will not remove any nasty taste. You still need a filter if you want good tasting water.
Uhhh....No? Can't think of any other way to respond to a flat out clueless post.
Uhhh....No? Can't think of any other way to respond to a flat out clueless post.
Well, what exactly is wrong with wrongway's remarks?
As I understand it, those really nasty viruses are mostly not an issue in the USA. Crypto and giardia exist, but are rare. A steripen will sterilize (not kill) micro-organisms in the water. It won't remove them, nor will it remove particulates from the water like a filter will. And if the filter has charcoal (eg. as in the Katadyn Hiker) that should generally improve the taste.
Darwin again
02-05-2008, 19:23
Oh man. Just this last summer, I did an annual section hike through Grayson Highlands. The dog who went with us got giardia from one of the streams up there.
I've been sick from bad water in both Virginia and New Hampshire, two specific times when I stupidly didn't filter or treat. Needed antibiotics both times. Dead micro-organisms still carry toxins, so I filter everything I drink now. Aqua-mira kills the bugs but leaves the bodies and I'd assume the steripen does the same. The dead micros can make you sick.
Viruses certainly do exist in water in the USA and are not really that rare. I've also found that some people are more susceptible to getting sick than others, depending on their previous exposure to things in the water. Some folks can drink straight from streams the whole way (ick!) and not burp twice. Others are more sensitive to the nasties.
I'm one who probably couldn't get away with using the steri-pen. YMMV.