Steri Pen Adventurer Battery availability ans who uses one?

[AllTheWayToMordor]

So I'm planning a thru hike next spring and I've been thinking about water treatment. I have a steri pen adventurer (wonderful for traveling around S. America). I was wondering who uses one the AT. How available are those special batteries in towns along the way (we'd rather not have to rely on mailing things)?

On the Colorado Trail last year our pump broke midway through so we bought a steri pen in one of the towns. It was awesome! and the batteries lasted the week or two we needed them to, but some where on the AT we will need to replace them.

In Colorado almost all of the water was crystal clear, how much of a need is there for a pre-filter on the AT?

any other general musings on water? (but don't turn this into a "Just Use AquaMuira" thread I know the advantages/disadvantages of chemicals)

[Spokes]

Safest bet is stock up and do a bounce box. New England section tends to be sparse for items like that. So what's your back-up plan?

[AllTheWayToMordor]

I always have a bottle of chemicals (has been iodine tablets in the past) for a back up.

[kofritz]

i got a steripen at REI that uses AA batteries. i was not aware of special batteries.

[Snowleopard]

Most of the Radio Shacks in my area carry them in store, but I'd carry spares and chemicals for backup. Some photography stores may carry them. Spokes is right that putting some in a bounce box is a good idea. There are online sources that carry them pretty cheap.

[Miner]

i got a steripen at REI that uses AA batteries. i was not aware of special batteries.
That model is much heavier than the Adventurer model the OP is talking about.

[ChinMusic]

I have not done a thru but I have noticed those batteries being widely available. I will be purchasing them on the fly for my thru next year.