water filter, is one necessary?

[wolfsbane]

hey everyone, Im a newb so I was wondering if a filter was necessary or if you would be ok with just a pre filter and a UV stick to kill bacteria? I love the looks of the new msr hyperflow.... its so hard to not let coolness be a factor haha

[Lone Wolf]

i've never used a filter or treatment. just drink freely

[Tin Man]

Drink freely if you know what is uphill and you are sure there are no roads, shelters, privies, houses, farms, beaver ponds, nuclear waste dumps, etc.

[Lyle]

I usually use Aqua Mira - light, no taste. Occasionally, just drink, no treatment.

Filters are nice, but HEAVY. Also must protect from cross-contamination.

UV is interesting, but need batteries, and not effective in murky water.

Other option is not treating at all, but I don't think people should be trying to convince others of that.

It is all just personal choice and comfort level.

[OutdoorsMan]

I agree with everything that Lyle posted above.

[Tin Man]

All of the responses so far should automatically appear every time the question is asked.

[minnesotasmith]

hey everyone, Im a newb so I was wondering if a filter was necessary...

Aqua Mira (field source of Chlorine Dioxide, better-tasting and more effective than Sodium Hypochlorite/Bleach) works fine. Easily 60% as many recent thruhikers use it as use filters. IMO it's especially more advantageous than filters in winter (no clog/fragility issues) or for ULers.

I'd prefilter your water, though. A bandanna will do. I used coffee filters.

UV sticks? For industrial facilities, where there's one-way flow through under controlled conditions, and QA/QC tests, sure. I don't trust them in a hiking situation.

[Lyle]

Now Tin Man, we have to give the Potable Aqua and Polar Pure folks a chance to chime in, not to mention the boilers out there. Also, what about the bottle thread discussion?

A lot of posts missing here so far...

[rafe]

There's very little proof of the efficacy of filters or water treatment. But I carry one anyway. Luck, skill and internal constitution are part of the equation.

[Mags]

From http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.ph...d=19&Itemid=33

On a topic related to hydration, is the topic of water treatment. Most of the time, it is almost impossible to carry enough water for an entire trip. Luckily, except in desert hiking, water is obtainable fairly frequently. But, you may have to treat your water. There can be nasties in the backcountry that can ruin a trip in the long term if bad water is drunk.

Some people will drink out of every cow-pattie infested, smelly water puddle without even using a drop of iodine. Others will filter, treat chemically and boil water three times before drinking from the clearest Sierra spring 12000 feet above anything. Most people are somewhere in between. This document will not go into the various arguments about water (or lack of) treatment, but sufficient to say most people do use some form of water treatment.

Four common ways to treat water are:

1) Boiling Boiling water to a rolling boil will kill nasties in the water. But, it takes very long, makes the water tastes flat, and uses lots of fuel. Most use boiling as a last resort only

2) Chemically Using iodine is the old standby for water treatment up until recently. Typically known as “Portable Aqua” these tabs will treat one liter of water each. They take longer to treat water than a filter/purifier but are lighter and less complex than the filters. Iodine does have an aftertaste that some people do not like. You can also use iodine crystals (i.e. Polar Pure) and a newer chemical treatment known as Aqua Mira. Aqua Mira takes less time to treat water than iodine and is a two stage chemical process.

3) Filters/Purifiers Filters and purifiers are for most people the standard tool in the backpacker’s water treatment arsenal. Though they are heavier, bulkier and can break down/clog, they will treat water quickly and without a chemical after taste. If using a filter, be sure to keep the intake (dirty water) and output (clean water) hoses separate.

4) Steripen The equipment of choice for geeks! This pen-like device uses UV radiation to sterilize water. Besides being a bit expensive (~$80 online), it also depends upon batteries. Its main attraction is that it is quicker than other methods of treating water.

Finally, be sure to wash your hands after “doing #2” and before eating. A simple bottle of Purrell (alcohol based hand sanitizer) can do wonders to prevent GI illnesses (tummy ache and the runs to non-medical types like me!). No point in treating water if you are sticking a dirty hand in your food..or worse yet, you may stick YOUR dirty hand in someone else's GORP. Yeeech!

Filters, Steripens and, to a lesser extent, chemical treatment can be shared among multiple people.

[Tin Man]

Now Tin Man, we have to give the Potable Aqua and Polar Pure folks a chance to chime in, not to mention the boilers out there. Also, what about the bottle thread discussion?

A lot of posts missing here so far...

Yup. And wash your hands after you visit the privy or the like. Or just visit Mags website.

[Homer&Marje]

i have been using an msr filter for 13 years i carry that and aqua mira or iodine! Drink freely until you get giardia, then if you make it to a town before you collapse from dehydration from constant diahrea pick up your nearest filter system! (Drink freely if you want, where you want, but don't tell others too, that's irresponsible. Happy Trails

[Lone Wolf]

(Drink freely if you want, where you want, but don't tell others too, that's irresponsible. Happy Trails

if i told you to jump off the brooklyn bridge would you do it?

[Pedaling Fool]

I Don't use them.

[Kilo1]

I can't understand the need for a purifier, just use common sense and don't drink still water, I'm sure you will be all right. I carry chlorine tablets but they are for emergency only, such as being immobilized and having to drink still water. In the army on a survival course one instructor made us purify marsh water and drink it. It didn't taste good but if you need it to survive, you'll do just fine.

[Mags]

The problem with these "one size fits all answers" is that everyone is different.

I rarely treat my water. But, I also have a cast-iron stomach and can gauge the water pretty well (knock on wood. Hoping my experience bears this fact out) and I am not particularly picky about my water.

But that's me.

Others may not want random twigs, rocks and dirt in the water.

Some hikers want quick treatment, others want simple, still others want to be safe.

There's a lot of experience on this board. But, with all this experience, there are many ways to do something. And they are all correct.

People who treat water aren't "weenies". People, like Wolf and myself, who don't treat water probably have enough experience to know they can drink (just about) whatever they want w/o treating.

So look at the various methods (or lack of) and choose what works well for you, the situation and other factors that may come into play.

[airinpie]

i use a filter. but i'm not a fan of crippling diarrhea.

[tlbj6142]

I can't understand the need for a purifier, just use common sense and don't drink still water,

From what I understand "still water" is actually cleaner than moving water as the Sun's UV light kills the nasty stuff in top several inches.

But for whatever reason, moving water does "appear" to be cleaner.

[CherrypieScout]

coffee filters get the swimmwer out, then treat with some type of chemical tablet or drops

[Bear Cables]

I have moved from a MSR Sweetwater filter pump to Aquamire tablets. Water is good to go in 30 min. if its spring or flowing water. I would wait the full 4 hours if standing water. Anyway I am really interested in the steripen. Quick, no chemical taste. I could ditch my self filter bottle that I use while waiting the 30 min..But I do always purify.