Iodine

[chris]

I'm in the last stages of gathering gear for my PCT hike this summer and now have the task of getting some iodine together. I'm going to treat water frequently in the 700 mile stretch of the desert and perhaps in northern CA and Oregon. I need to score some iodine before going. Walmart usually has Potable Aqua for $2.50 a bottle, but there isn't a Walmart where I live. I don't really want to pay the $5 per bottle (and buy 10 bottles) at the local outfitter or Kmart. I haven't used Polar Pure before, which is certainly more cost effective. From how it works, it seems like just as much of a pain as filtering or using Chlorine Dioxide.

Does anyone know of a cheap source of potable aqua online?

[tlbj6142]

Waiting 5 minutes is a pain? Are you trying to sprint the entire trail? Sit down eat some gorp, smell the flowers, rest. Your water will be "ready" before you know it.

Besides, you still have to wait 15-30 minutes for the water to get treated.

[chris]

I'll be treating up to 2 gallons of water at a time.

[Grimace]

I found Polar Pure to be really easy and a lot tastier to use than Potable Agua. I never had to treat 2 gallons at a time though. We would treat 4 liters at a time which is one gallon right? It would take 1 bottle of Polar Pure solution to do that much. We never looked at the temperature thingy. Two capfulls per liter, wait 20-30 minutes, done.

Soooo. why not carry two bottles of Polar Pure? Treat both gallons with one bottle of Polar Pure Solution each. Refill both bottles and hike on. 1 hour later you're ready to go again.

That actually sounds easier than fishing out those little tablets. What do you think? My bottle of Polar Pure lasted the whole AT and is till ticking.

[tlbj6142]

While a bit more costly than Polar Pure with Aqua Mira you can do as many gallons as the mix cup allows. You can even use your own mix cup if the little ones provided are not big enough. As long as you treat the entire batch with a single application of treatment.

I've read that they sell Aqua Mira (or a competitor) in larger containers than what you typically see for treating large amounts of water on boats, campers, etc., but I have not seen it anywhere.

You could also just use bleach for the large batches. 2 drops per quart. Works quite well. And you'll have a hard time telling the difference between city water and spring water with 2 drops per quart.

[chris]

After doing some searching, I can't seem to find chlorine dioxide anywhere other than in Canada. REI, EMS, Northern Mountain, and Backcountrygear do not carry Aqua Mira, it seems, any more. Mountain Equipment Co-op (Canada) does have Pristine (same stuff, different name). I'm leaning towards the polar pure. I wasn't sure how much a bottle would treat. 4 Liters is enough and a bottle of polar pure is a lot cheaper than a whole lot of potable aqua tablets.

[tlbj6142]

It is tough to find Aqua Mira online. As it is not "approved" by California's EPA folks yet. So, rather than deal with that issue. Vendors just don't sell it.

I think it was Pristene's site where I read about them having larger bottles.

[LBJ]

Chris,
go to your druggist and ask him for some iodine crystals. Tell him to put them in a small bottle. For a couple of bucks, you have enough iodine to treat probably a thousand gallons of water.

[AmazinGrace]

That's a great suggestion about getting iodine crystals from a pharmacist--that's exactly what PolarPure is.

I love PolarPure but can't use it any more, which leads to this warning--if you have thyroid disease, or if other people in your family have thyroid disease, you probably shouldn't use iodine to purify your water because it may make the disease worse. Or, as in my case, it will make a latent case of thyroid disease kick in with a vengeance. Check with your doctor if you have any questions about this. Most people won't have any problem, but if you're one of the few who do (like me) it can be a big drag. And if you switch to filters, check very carefully to be sure you're not using one of the many models that incorporate iodine to kill viruses.

If you don't have thyroid disease, though, enjoy the light weight and ease of this kind of water purification!

Amazin' Grace

[Mala]

Chris,

Iodine crystals are used by meth addicts to make crystal meth,
The DEA may have something to say about buying a quanity of the stuff. Just a word to the wise.

[stranger]

Campmor carries Aqua Mira...it might not be in the catalog but the store sells it. You can mail order it directly from the store, just call 1-800 CAMPMOR and ask to speak to someone in the store about doing a store only mailorder.

[LBJ]

Mala,
I think that is an "urban myth", that crack people use iodine crystals to make their product. If they did, there would be no Polar Pure on the shelves anywhere! I got some iodine crystals and a small brown bottle from the druggist a while back and he didn't say anything about this.

[Mala]

I didn't say crack, I said crystal meth,a big difference. I went to the local outfitters (Mahoney's of Johnson City) there was a sign on the wall that said, "We no longer sell Polar Pure." They told me.

I was just stating that if you buy a large amount that the DEA will have your name. Just a word to the wise.