you are choosing to make filtering more difficult and time consuming than it needs to be for your reasons - that does not mean filtering is time consuming or difficult for everybody compared to not filtering(as your previous post implied)
HYOH but don't set up hurdles then say see its more work...
Always and forever for me. I do a lot of short trips in places like the Cumberland Plateau, where I'm getting water from creeks and rivers down in gorges. The water is typically beautiful, clear and inviting, and invariably drains from the surrounding areas with lots of agriculture, poo from things that moo, and things of that nature. It's become so ingrained that it never crosses my mind not to filter first, no matter where I am.
I have both, and my Micro is about as fast. Close enough there's no practical difference if you're squeezing. I've never used it as a gravity filter, so can't speak to that. If it does slow down, I'll just buy another. I don't care about the weight, but am all about minimizing bulk, and like the Micro's smaller size.
I have used the Sawyer Squeeze,Mini,and Micro.I liked the size of the Micro and the acceptable flow rate.I don't like to squeeze and usually gravity feed as I feel like squeezing stresses the bag and I can usually do some other chore while gravity does it's thing.
Now that I own the Versa Flow Hydro Blue I will likely not go back to any other brand.It's great as a gravity or a squeeze filter and the overall profile is compact and not too bulky.The flow rate is more than adequate too.It weighs a couple ounces,has color coded ends with caps so that the filter will not leak if stored in the pack or pocket.Cost is around $20 on Amazon.
Only time I've had an issue with slowed flow in the field was...
1. Didn't test the filter after winter storage... apparently got clogged with mineral deposits and had almost zero flow.
2. In a three week trip on the JMT, I was back flushing every other day, but noticed decreased flow as time went along. I came to the unscientific conclusion that the combination of hard water and very dry conditions was causing a slow mineral deposit build up.
In both cases I was using the Mini.
I like that . . . HYOH "BUT".
I'm sorry. I still disagree with your statement above.
You cannot reasonably suggest that filtering is not more work. It is. You are carrying another item that weighs a bit, takes up space, and has more resistance to flow. Yeah, thank goodness the extra work is small (especially compared to those old pump filters) but what is small to one person is inconvenient or annoying or aesthetically displeasing to someone else (not buts about it).
So, no matter how you look at it, and no matter who is doing it, adding filtering to your practice IS setting up hurdles and making more work. To you, the hurdles and work are small and insignificant. To me the hurdles are small and slightly annoying. To someone else they may be unacceptable and insurmountable. Frankly I don't care either way. BUT, I do care when someone suggests that what is no problem for them must therefore be no problem for everyone else.
But most of all. Get out there. Treat your water as you will. And, have fun!
I'm not lost. I'm exploring.
We are now at 68 responses and no one has mentioned the SteriPin. I know it’s not “filtering”, but it is “purifying”. I’m well over 3,000 miles with my SteriPin and have no issues, health wise. It’s quick, easy, safe, and did I mention quick. The AT just doesn’t have much dirty water, and if so, use the bandanna, then purify. In a world of the Sawyer Squeeze, I’m always amazed that people think I’ve got some weird scientific way to handle my water.
"How can something this hard be so much fun".
I follow a Nepal Trekking forum and have found Steripens are popular amount this group. Its advantages align well the needs of trekking in the Himalayan Mtns. Water is not cloudy but there is a risk of virus infection and at high elevation, everything freezes at night.
In my former professional capacity, I ran pharmaceutical cleanrooms including the monitoring and control of water, air, personnel, and surfaces. Essentially, anything that can contaminate "product".
If one considers their gut as the "product", what is most often missing in most of these threads is an under appreciation of the risk posed by common surfaces like logbooks, privy surfaces, your hands, other hikers hands, all surfaces or a shelter. Why? **** is dirty. Many human ****ters are asymptomatic carriers of nasties.
Risk is a combination of the probably of something happening and the severity or consequence of that something. If the probability of that something happening (say another car crashing into you) is low but the outcome or severity of it is horrible, you take preventive or corrective measures (seat belts, air bags, etc.). What is not well reported in any of the studies was the number of samples taken during studies of water quality. They make it sound like one sample was taken. We don't know. Nonetheless, the frequency of contaminated backwater sources hits my threshold to treat.
I would be even more concerned, much more concerned with keeping my hands clean than the low probability of contaminated water coming out of a high mountain rock. Nonetheless, aqaumira is pretty fast and light.
My son did a science experiment in second grade. Basically, he came up with a hypothesis about which school surfaces would have the most organisms or the dirtiest. He was so wrong. The though it would be the toilet seat. There was no growth on any of the seats, they were clean. Door knobs, stair hand rails, grew so much crap that they were TNTC or too numerous to count. I already knew he would be wrong but it was a fun science project for the science fair. I knew this from so many years of collecting such data. Your largest risk of illness is from your fellow hiker although personally, I am not accepting the risk of untreated water either.
Read a similar study about typical office settings... Bathroom toilets and sinks were pretty clean.. Because they tended to no be porous and when cleaned , cleaned with fairly strong chemicals.
The office desks though ? Pretty bad... and the worse were keyboards... They basically never get cleaned with anything...
FYI while I have under abnormal conditions drank untreated water, I filter and treat with chlorine dioxide.
and the worse were keyboards... They basically never get cleaned with anything...
working in the tv bidiness with prima donna on air "talent" who has to use layers of make up to
cover their ugly mugs up------the keyboards in our newsroom would get caked with various forms
of makeup...
add in the fact that most of them also ate at their desk----food particles and make up all over
the keyboards...
I have gotten Giardia twice (confirmed). There was once it was suspected. When I was young I pushed through it with medication. This last time on the Colorado Trail was tough. I never used to filter, on either coast, but I now filter. Filter's or chemicals are so light now, and it's not worth sending a hike sideways to not carry a few ounces.
Sawyer squeeze three season winter aqua Maria. After freezing a couple Sawyers (I know keep them in baggie in your pocket) , I'm just not responsible enough , I just switch to chlorine dioxide in winter.
If a cup of water is 8 ounces and if you drink it in four sips,then my 2 oz. Versa Flow filter weighs the same as a sip of water.Let that sink in...........................
JNI64: The brand is actually a Steripen. Model is the Ultra. I used earlier versions with batteries, but switched to the Ultra ( charged) and no longer carry batteries. Surprisingly the charge holds for multiple days ( I feel comfortable up to 5 days or so) & multiple uses ( 25)). I’ve never run out of juice, but don’t have experience beyond about 5 days. I know it works well in cold temps, but can’t confirm sub zero weather. To make it work, you just need a water bottle with a top opening big enough to. accommodate. Gatorade is perfect, Smart Water won’t work, which is hardly a big deal. Of course, if your a Nalgene user, that’s always going to work. I’ll be honest, I’ve often cleaned & “transferred” water between bottles as needed. Again, not a big deal.
"How can something this hard be so much fun".
Ok thanks GolfHiker,
I just looked it up the SteriPin ultra is:
4.9 oz
Takes 48 sec to clean 1 liter
50 liter on 1 charge
Kills 99.9% of bacteria
I like it ,I like the simplicity of it dip water bottle, dip SteriPin less than 1 minute good water and of course wipe the rim off.
I've installed uv lights in peoples homes it's the only thing that kills fecal matters in the water. Bleach works as well.
I could not have said it better! Honestly, I’m not sure why more LDHer’s don’t use the Steripen.
"How can something this hard be so much fun".