View Full Version : newbie question about water filter /iodine
wilconow
04-08-2004, 23:18
no this isnt a filter/not to filter question..but a question from a complete novice
im reading the backpacker's handbook by Chris Townsend and he seems to feel that iodine tablets are the best way to go. mentions the poor taste but says they have neutralizer tablets that make the water taste better ( i see REI has that)
barely even talks about filters - says they clog up
my question is why is there a market for filters? if the tablets work fine, you save money, weight, time..
thank you.
hungryhowie
04-08-2004, 23:54
Reasons to filter (rather than iodine).
-Filters are instant. Sure, you have to pump the water, but you could pump it right into your mouth if you wanted (I've actually done this). Iodine takes time (typically 20-30 minutes) to treat the water before it's safe to drink.
-Filters, especially those with activated charcoal cores, make all water taste the same. Iodine has a strong taste that takes some getting used to. Citric Acid (Vit C) will neutralize both the color and the taste...but not completely.
-There are no known or suspected health problems concerning the use of filters. Excess Iodine is associated with thyroid problems and as a result, many leaders in the backpacking industry have shied away from recommending it.
I prefer chemical treatment. I use Aqua Mira now, however, not Iodine. Aqua Mira has no taste (that I can discern, some have said it has a SLIGHT citrus taste...but not to me), does not discolor water, and has no known related health problems. It is Chlorine Dioxide, the same chemicals used to treat many municiple water sources around the country and world. Chances are that if you've drunk tap water in the US, you've had water treated with it at some point in it's travels.
Of course, like any chemical treatment, it still takes about 20-30 minutes to treat the water effectively.
Liquid for thought...
-Howie
I agree with Howie 100 percent and I use Aqua Mira myself with complete satisfaction! Most thruhikers ditch their filters at Neel's Gap with a great number already clogged or by observing others using chemicals!!!
im reading the backpacker's handbook by Chris Townsend and he seems to feel that iodine tablets are the best way to go. mentions the poor taste but says they have neutralizer tablets that make the water taste better ( i see REI has that)
barely even talks about filters - says they clog up
my question is why is there a market for filters? if the tablets work fine, you save money, weight, time.. thank you.
Wilconow
sounds like youre on the right track!
on my first section hike in 2002 (Springer to Standing Indian) my hiking partner "TeePee" took a PUR water filter....he used it the whole trip...
it clogged a few times...& weighed a couple of pounds.
i used the iodine tabs...never had a clogging problem! hehehehehehehe! ;)
(i didnt use the citrus tabs or neutralizer tabs..i just got used to the taste)
i also took a 28oz BOTA water bottle (with charcoal filter) commonly called a "scoop & go" water bottle. it works great...but dont expect to guzzle any water... :D
Iodine used long term (as mentioned above) has some health risks. I carry the AquaMira as back up, havn't used it.
I like my filter for several reasons. Instantly drinkable water, etc. I also like the fact that it makes me stop for a few minutes to filter, as I have a bad habit of not stopping when I'm hiking ;)
My last section hike, I filtered only about 1/2 the time, the rest I just drank from the spring, no treatment or filtering. I should mention that I have been drinking from springs & streams etc. for my whole life (most of my 49 years), so am possibly immune to most nasties as I have already had them :clap
Doctari.
tlbj6142
04-09-2004, 11:10
I should mention that I have been drinking from springs & streams etc. for my whole life (most of my 49 years), so am possibly immune to most nasties as I have already had them.I'm not sure immunity is the issue. It is more likely there are far fewer nasties in the water than we are led to believe. Even BP'er magazine (notoriously very conservative WRT backcountry saftey) even admitted (large article 4-6 months ago) that treatment is rarely needed inside the US.
Tweedledee
04-09-2004, 13:31
I'm really curious about the thyroid problems mentioned as a result of the iodine purification. I, myself, have thryoid problems and take medication to correct the problem, but I usually use the iodine to treat my water. What kind of problems does this cause?
I don't think that iodine poses much of a threat for people without current thryoid problems. Rather than using tablets like Potable Aqua, I've come to really like iodine crystals, like Polar Pure. The doseage is lower, so the taste is fairly minimal. A bottle costs $6, although I'm sure there are only 32 cents of crystals in it, and should last 2-3 thruhikes. Compare that with Potable Aqua which will last you a week or so and costs $4 a bottle (approx).
I would bring a filter if I was going to be consistently getting water out of disgusting water sources, like some of those found on the CDT, or going to a place where cryptosporidium was semi-common (Boundary Waters, etc). Iodine won't kill that, and crypto can kill you, I suppose. Filters make people feel more secure, and people like that feeling. This is the same reason why people take mountaineering packs and four season tents on the AT.
Pennsylvania Rose
04-09-2004, 13:52
What about chemicals with kids, though (5 of them, ages 2-13)? I've been using a water filter because I'm afraid that chemicals will make them sick, or build up over time and cause problems. We're planning on starting long trips this summer now that the "big" kids can carry more. I want to lighten up, and wouldn't mind ditching the filter, but don't want anyone to get sick for different reasons.
Brushy Sage
04-09-2004, 17:29
When we were revamping the Annapolis Rock campground in Maryland, the county health department required that we post signs at the spring advising users to filter or boil all water. It's a fast-flowing stream coming out of a mountainside. Beautiful, clear, cold water.
smokymtnsteve
04-09-2004, 19:32
I
, or going to a place where cryptosporidium was semi-common (Boundary Waters, etc). Iodine won't kill that, and crypto can kill you, I suppose. .
Places like , Panther creek, right outside the NE corner of the smokies
or maybe Hump Mtns just north of Roan.
or that area north of 19E?
wilconow
04-09-2004, 21:43
as always, thanks for the quick, kind and helpful answers.
What about chemicals with kids, though (5 of them, ages 2-13)? I've been using a water filter because I'm afraid that chemicals will make them sick, or build up over time and cause problems. We're planning on starting long trips this summer now that the "big" kids can carry more. I want to lighten up, and wouldn't mind ditching the filter, but don't want anyone to get sick for different reasons.
If you use Aqura Mira and a small bottle of alcohol to clean everyone's hands after nature's calls, you should have no problems. In very low water capacities and very still water use a bandanna to filter the water BEFORE treatment!
deeddawg
04-10-2004, 17:55
What about chemicals with kids, though (5 of them, ages 2-13)? I've been using a water filter because I'm afraid that chemicals will make them sick, or build up over time and cause problems. The you ought to look at either Aqua Mira or the new MSR Miox. Both use chlorine dioxide to kill the nasties, which is the same stuff many municipal water treatment plants use -- and thus there shouldn't be any issues with kids.
deeddawg
04-10-2004, 18:01
When we were revamping the Annapolis Rock campground in Maryland, the county health department required that we post signs at the spring advising users to filter or boil all water. It's a fast-flowing stream coming out of a mountainside. Beautiful, clear, cold water.
I suspect those signs are more of a liability issue than an actual warning. Say someone gets sick and claims it was because of the water there and decides to sue the county or somesuch. With a sign there suggesting folks take precautions, then the "victim's" lawyer is going to have a much tougher time making a case than if there was no sign. So the county has the sign put there even if there is no reason whatsoever to believe the source isn't completely safe.
Howie's post is great. Just a couple of more posts.
Chemicals are generally lighter than filters. That's why many people carry them instead of a filter. (However, because of the time for chemicals to work, you should carry more water. False weight savings?)
Using a filter for one or two people isn't too bad. Using a filter for a group gets to be a pain in the a$$, even using a Pur Hiker that pumps relatively quick.
All posts about thyroid conditions concern long term exposure. Does a thru-hike constitute long term exposure? Some say yes, some say no. Best if you consult a health professional, and not rely on posts, mine included.