Hi, in past I have used aquatabs as my method of water purification. I was wondering what everyone uses, if aquatabs and the like are popular, or filtration straws. Thanks!
Hi, in past I have used aquatabs as my method of water purification. I was wondering what everyone uses, if aquatabs and the like are popular, or filtration straws. Thanks!
Sawyer Squeeze filter, is the most commonly used method that I have seen on the AT.
Have you ever used aqua mira drops? If so, how did they compare to the tabs?
Asking because I bought the tabs by mistake and am wondering if I should stick with them or pick up the drops.
I carry these as a back-up to my pump purifier...
https://www.amazon.com/Taharmayim-Is...ioxide+tablets
I use Aquamira and have for a very long time. Aquatabs do not work against cryptosporidium which may or not be an issue on the AT. Aquamira comes in drops and pill forms. Aquamira drops are much more cost effective than tabs including Aquatabs. A bottle package runs $13-15 and will last you a month on the trail. They weigh about 3.2 oz but will reduce as you use them.
Murky water you'll want to pre filter with a bandanna and you have to wait about 20-30 minutes to drink. I think they are the lowest weight option besides the pill form. I'll carry few Aquamira tabs in case the bottles run dry on the trail.
Here is a comparison I found. Not sure how accurate it is.
Sawyer squeeze is 3 oz . Can drink water with no waiting. So for me it's lighter then chemicals. Must keep filter from freezing.
Only problem with a Sawyer Squeeze is that neither it, nor most other backpacking filters, remove viruses. So, if you are concerned about norovirus or hepatitis (not common problems in back-country water in North America), you would want to add a drop of bleach or other chemical to your filtered water kill the viruses. But, since viruses are quite quick and easy to disable chemically, you don't need as much chemical or as much time if you are treating water that has already had the protozoa and bacteria removed by a filter.
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
Just about anything works on the AT because there is little need to treat the water as it is coming right out the side of a mountain. I think I treated my water about twice using bleach. Aquamira is probably the most common chemical treatment on the trail.
I have met some that double treat water filter then chemicals. I'm in the less is more camp;0)
thom
Sawyer mini squeez hands down. Instant Ive used 1 for 4 years now and hundreds of gallons. You wont regret thw $20 purchase. Pick up the 2 pack of 64oz squeez bags makes it a perfect kit to hang gravity feed or squeez.
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Do many people carry Aquamira or other chemical treatment as backup for the sawyer squeeze?
On longer hikes I bring two forms of water purification: a Sawyer Squeeze and Aqua Mira drops. Most would say this is overkill. I tend to use the Sawyer during the day as I pause at water sources or so I can grab a liter of dirty water and drink out of it via the filter without stopping. I like the filter because, uh, it is a filter and gets dirt and stuff out of the water.
But I noticed that when I make camp I like to go get a lot of water ... to get through dinner, breakfast, and to take for the following morning. At that time of day I am never in the mood to sit at a stream squeezing a filter for 15 minutes. The drops are great in that situation.
I'll use both if the water seems really sketchy, but that doesn't happen often.
If you are uncertain for a thru hike I'd say bring both and within a week or so you'll know what works for you.
The problem with chemicals is you have to wait for them to work and the colder the water, the longer the wait. Up to 45 minutes to be safe. Many people don't time the treatment and drink it way too soon for it to be effective, so they shouldn't have bothered in the first place.
I use a filter because if I feel I need to purify the water (which is pretty rare, but depends on the source) I don't want to wait. Plus, since I drink pure, mountain stream at home, I don't want to be drinking chemically treated water out on the trail and ruin the taste.
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I use Aqua Mira this time of year because I don't want to run the risk of my filter freezing. If I'm melting snow for water, I just boil it. (Similarly, water that I boil for meals or hot drinks doesn't have to be treated.)
In the summer, I use a Sawyer Mini. I still carry Aqua Mira and like to use it at least every couple of days to make sure the surfaces on my water containers are clean.
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
I have used Aquamira and Steripen on quick day hikes. I also used Katadyn Hiker Pro.
''Tennessee Viking'
Mountains to Sea Trail Hiker & Maintainer
Former TEHCC (AT) Maintainer