Pre-mixed Aqua Mira Substitute Announced

[Clark Fork]

The folks at Backpacking Light are announcing a new product. Not many specific details but it is describing the product as a pre-mixed chlorine dioxide with a 15-min or so wait time. Could be just the ticket....




http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...5gz1bfzrQUnKHg


Regards,

Clark Fork in Western Montana "Where seldom is heard a discouraging word."

[Footslogger]

Just got the e-mail myself this morning. Saw Ryan Jordan this past year at the CDT Trail Fest and he "hinted" about it. Been an AquaMira user now for 4 - 5 years but this sounds like a better product. No mixing of Part A/B and the same wait time.

Gonna order me up a bottle on the 9th when it goes on sale.

'Slogger

...and the skys are not cloudy all day here in Wyoming either !!

[MacGyver2005]

Why not use regular bleach? 2 drops per quart, shake, and go. No waiting, cheap, reliable, readily accessible.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

[Two Speed]

Why not use regular bleach? 2 drops per quart, shake, and go. No waiting, cheap, reliable, readily accessible.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

Don't think the "no waiting" option is a real good idea. To the best of my knowledge all chemical treatments require time to work; more time required for cold water.

[gravityman]

Why not use regular bleach? 2 drops per quart, shake, and go. No waiting, cheap, reliable, readily accessible.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

That and it doesn't kill giardia, which is what most people are trying to kill...

ops...

Gravity

[SGT Rock]

Why not use regular bleach? 2 drops per quart, shake, and go. No waiting, cheap, reliable, readily accessible.

Regards,
-MacGyver
GA-->ME

Well actually, according to the training manuals and even FEMA (no not the horse rancher manager) you will need more:

Add 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water, stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight bleach odor. If it doesn’t, then repeat the dosage and let stand another 15 minutes. If it still does not smell of chlorine, discard it and find another source of water.

So for a quart you would need to add 4 drops, wait 30 minutes and sniff, then you may need to add more. If you never make you water smelly enough after that, you aren't supposed to drink it. So if you water doesn't stink, don't drink it LOL

[Seeker]

post deleted. i read someone's comments backwards. sorry

[MacGyver2005]

That and it doesn't kill giardia, which is what most people are trying to kill...

ops...

Gravity

I'm pretty sure it does kill giardia. Rock, thanks for the update. Josh, the hostel owner in Dahlonega, was in the Army. He was the one that told me about bleach being commonly used in water buffalos. He said 1½ drops per quart would do it, so that is what I went with, and also that there was no need to wait. Regards, -MacGyer GA-->ME

[stag3]

Micropure water purification tablets work great. I've used them with some really bad looking water. To keep it simple, I just use a coffee filter to take out the big stuff, and then add 1 tablet per liter. According to REI, these tablets release chlorine dioxide, the same chemical used in municipal systems, and kills all bacteria and viruses. Bacteria is like 5 minutes and virus is 4 hours.

Best part is no aftertaste. Plus, no mixing a and b.

Stag3

[hikerjohnd]

I'm not a BPLight subscriber - any other details on the new product availible for us thrifty folks?

[Clark Fork]

I'm not a BPLight subscriber - any other details on the new product availible for us thrifty folks?

BackpackingLight.com to Launch New Chlorine Dioxide Based Water Treatment Product to US Market

A pre-mixed, stable, ready-to-use chlorine dioxide alternative promises ease of use, outstanding efficacy, and proven legitimacy for nearly a decade in military and expedition environments.


Proven chemistry.
Chlorine dioxide is the active ingredient in Aqua Mira, Pristine, and thousands of public and private water treatment facilities in the US and Europe.
Pre-mixed formulation: no wait time to activate solution.
Unlike existing formulations, the new formulation comes pre-mixed and stabilized, with an opened-bottle shelf life suitable for most expedition length events. Refrigeration extends the open bottle shelf life to about eight months.
The pre-mixed product solves the ease-of-use dilemma that is the primary criticism of other chlorine dioxide kits. Simply uncap the bottle, pour a metered dose into the cap, and empty into your water bottle. Wait times for disinfection are similar to other products, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes.
Formulated for multiple uses.
This formulation is a multi-use product with excellent applications for field first aid treatment and hygiene. Cuts and scrapes can be disinfected directly with KlearWater to minimize the chance for infection. It can be used in its concentrated or lightly diluted form for handwashing/disinfection, mouth rinsing/brushing, and fungal control on the feet and in areas prone to chafing.
Exclusive launch distribution to BackpackingLight.com Premium Members.
The new formulation will be available only to BackpackingLight.com Premium Members during its launch period. It is unknown at this time when BackpackingLight.com will make this product publicly available. "We expect the demand for this product to be outpace supply within our subscriber base," says BackpackingLight.com Publisher Ryan Jordan, "and it's very important to be able to put this product initially in the hands of our Premium Membership first, since they are very passionate about trying new products, and giving us their feedback in a short period of time. Then, we can take that feedback back to the manufacturer and adjust packaging, formulations, and usage guidelines before the product hits the mass market. We'll release our supply to the public after demand from Premium Members has been filled first."
Prepurchase Information.
BackpackingLight.com Premium Members may pre-purchase the new formulation beginning November 9, 2005. The first product is expected to ship around November 20, and will be available in 30 mL metering bottles and 50 mL refill bottles. Both kits will be packaged with assorted dropper bottles to facilitate ease of dispensing and reduce volume and kit weight required to take on short hikes. A pre-purchase announcement will be sent to all active BackpackingLight.com Premium Members on November 9, 2005.

AVAILABILITY INFO: BackpackingLight.com Premium Members may pre-purchase the new formulation beginning November 9, 2005. The first product is expected to ship around November 20, and will be available in 30 mL metering bottles and 50 mL refill bottles. Both kits will be packaged with assorted dropper bottles to facilitate ease of dispensing and reduce volume and kit weight required to take on short hikes. A pre-purchase announcement will be sent to all active BackpackingLight.com Premium Members on November 9, 2005.

That's all Folks.....

Clark Fork in Western Montana

[stag3]

Clark,

Sounds like a bunch of marketing hype. This new stuff is a liquid (bad news) and has a short shelf life (more bad news). Just go to your outfitter and buy some Micropure tablets.

Stag3

[Kerosene]

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that this is marketing hype, as its predecessor formulation has very wide adoption. Of course, it depends on just how much it costs.

I did a Google on Micropure Tablets and found this disclaimer:

Micropure tablets contain a compound called Katadyne silver which is not effective against Amoeba, Giardia or viruses. It does not impart a bad taste and it is claimed to be able to prevent recontamination of water for many weeks.

I suggest that you/we do some more research on this formulation before we write it off to hype (not that it wouldn't be the first time).

[hikerjohnd]

Thanks Clark Fork!

[Two Speed]

I'm pretty sure it does kill giardia. Rock, thanks for the update. Josh, the hostel owner in Dahlonega, was in the Army. He was the one that told me about bleach being commonly used in water buffalos. He said 1½ drops per quart would do it, so that is what I went with, and also that there was no need to wait. Regards, -MacGyer GA-->ME

First, several members of the Fulton County Public Works Department would like to thank you for the laugh. Either Josh is misinformed, was pulling your leg or was misunderstood somehow.

Next, I'd like to suggest that you read this thread. Don't know that everything is exactly correct, but it tracks pretty well with what staff here is telling me.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1963
I believe there's a post on WhiteBlaze containing a detailed study of water quality in the Sierras that's well worth reading, but I haven't been able to find it.

Third, CHEMICAL TREATMENT REQUIRES CONTACT TIME. CONTACT TIME IS DEPENDENT ON THE CHEMICAL, CONCENTRATION OF THE CHEMICAL, TURBIDITIY OF THE WATER, WATER TEMPERATURE AND THE ORGANISM YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL. There are probably other parameters I've forgotten, but those are the outstanding ones.

Last, I've never met you and you are probably a decent guy, but please don't believe everything you hear on the trail without doing a little research.

[HikeLite]

That is old information about a different product. The one we are talking about here is Katadyn Micropur MP1 tablets. They are EPA APPROVED.

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that this is marketing hype, as its predecessor formulation has very wide adoption. Of course, it depends on just how much it costs.

I did a Google on Micropure Tablets and found this disclaimer:

Micropure tablets contain a compound called Katadyne silver which is not effective against Amoeba, Giardia or viruses. It does not impart a bad taste and it is claimed to be able to prevent recontamination of water for many weeks.

I suggest that you/we do some more research on this formulation before we write it off to hype (not that it wouldn't be the first time).

[Kerosene]

Thanks, HikeLite.

[snarbles]

So what is the unmixed shelf life of Aqua Mira. Should I be refrigerating it to preserve it longer?

[stag3]

HikerLite,

From the REI website, Micropure is EPA approved and destroys viruses and bacteria in 15 minutes, Giardia in 30-minutes and Cryptosporidia in 4-hours. These times may be extended for cold or dirty water.

The shelf life is measured in years.

[Footslogger]

So what is the unmixed shelf life of Aqua Mira. Should I be refrigerating it to preserve it longer?

==============================
Each set of Part A/B AquaMira bottles have an expiration date printed on them but off hand I don't know the exact shelf life. Seems to me that the sets I bought for my 2003 thru had expiration dates sometime in 2006.

'Slogger