View Full Version : Water treatment
Tom Murphy
07-31-2011, 17:16
I have a wood stove and was thinking of using boiling as my water treatment. I understand that this is a little time consuming and that in wet conditions it could be tricky.has anyone used this method? If so, how successful?
couscous
07-31-2011, 18:04
Not a common option, so you may not get a response from someone who does this regularly. Having a quicker option during the day (such as Aquamira) and using boiling in the evening might be a good compromise.
Just buy some Aquamira drops to use when boiling isn't convenient. They are small, light and at $5 its a no-brainer.
I definitely never want to bother with that. However on my recent month-long hike I met one thru-hiker who boiled his water. He would boil a whole carton full every night and mix teas and such. Not the method I would choose but it seemed to work for him.
One of the major problems, besides the time and effort needed, is that boiled water does not taste very good. When boiling, you drive a lot of the dissolved oxygen out of the water, and it tastes very flat. Try it at home, boil some. let it cool, then give it a taste. Perfectly good to drink, but not very refreshing.
ekeverette
07-31-2011, 18:22
never knew that lyle...... makes sense.
JaxHiker
07-31-2011, 18:39
I opt for Aqua Mira on the trail and a gravity filter for camp.
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ChinMusic
07-31-2011, 18:53
Not a common option, so you may not get a response from someone who does this regularly. Having a quicker option during the day (such as Aquamira) and using boiling in the evening might be a good compromise.
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Boiling will be a royal PITA during the day (IMO it would be a royal PITA at camp too), or it will require you to carry a ridiculous amount of water from camp every day. Many trail vet do not treat at all, but that would not be a choice I personally would make.
I opt for Aqua Mira on the trail and a gravity filter for camp.
This is a good option as well, albeit heavier.
Sarcasm the elf
07-31-2011, 21:58
Agree with the above posts, trying to boil water to sanitize it will quickly drive you crazy. I usually carry Aqua Mira or a Katadyn Hiker Pro, depending on conditions I expect to find. Honestly I don't use any treatment on about half the water sources I come across on the A.T., not saying I recommend it necessarily, but it hasn't killed me yet.
JaxHiker
08-01-2011, 09:34
This is a good option as well, albeit heavier.
Not much heavier, though. I haven't weighed the bladder itself but the Sawyer 3-way filter is only 3 oz. It's still a much lighter solution than carrying my Hiker Pro.. However, I'll also say that on my most recent (week long) hike I only actually used the gravity filter once. I thought I'd use it more but found myself just treating with AM. It was my first time w/o the Hiker. I might leave the gravity at home next time and just stick with AM.
Most AT thru hikers use Aqua Mira.
Yes, you will go clinically insane if you try boiling all your water on a long distance hike and likely earn the trailname "straight jacket".
shelterbuilder
08-01-2011, 20:52
One of the major problems, besides the time and effort needed, is that boiled water does not taste very good. When boiling, you drive a lot of the dissolved oxygen out of the water, and it tastes very flat. Try it at home, boil some. let it cool, then give it a taste. Perfectly good to drink, but not very refreshing.
Some of the oxygen can be replaced by pouring the water back and forth between 2 clean containers, but this adds to the time spent. Also, once the water is boiled, it has to cool down before you can do much with it - and this adds extra time to the process as well.
Of course, if you have your mind set on this....
MommaDuck
08-08-2011, 19:33
I use Aqua Mira but I've often wondered...do any of you treat piped spring water from sources on the trail?
Toolshed
08-08-2011, 20:38
Totally against boiling unless the water is really questionable. The absolute last thing I want to do at the end of a day (or during a lunch break) is boil water. Yes as others have said - Time consuming - Even tiring after the first few days.
You'll need extra containers as well to store it all in for the next day (Unless you were planning to just refill an emtpy jug at the next water source, but then why boil at night?) We melt snow in adirondacks in the winter for water when the streams are frozen a few feet deep and it is very, very time consuming....
ChinMusic
08-08-2011, 20:43
I use Aqua Mira but I've often wondered...do any of you treat piped spring water from sources on the trail?
I do, but it is probably 99.999% unnecessary. I use Steripen so treatment is easy, so might as well for that 0.001% chance.
JaxHiker
08-08-2011, 20:59
I use Aqua Mira but I've often wondered...do any of you treat piped spring water from sources on the trail?
Just started using AM this year and I didn't treat piped water only dipped. I'm still around.
SouthMark
08-08-2011, 21:18
The only water that I have ever teated is pond water a couple of times in Maine. 35 years and haven't been sick yet.
Lone Wolf
08-08-2011, 21:23
I use Aqua Mira but I've often wondered...do any of you treat piped spring water from sources on the trail?i've never treated any water from any source