water

[Foresight]

Sawyer squeeze. I carry it every day once the weather warms up (Surveyor), in the colder months one bladder of water will last me all day. I like the filter because it keeps the floaties and funga dunga outta my bladder. I'm a big fan of no floaties and funga dunga in my bladder. My help has learned the hard way how much bottled water costs in gas stations, lol. I tell them about the filter and if they don't get one and run outta water.....ka-ching!

[Sarcasm the elf]

Unfortunately, Polar Pure is now illegal to sell. So I use Aqua Mira in winter and filter in summer. (You have to throw out a filter element if it freezes, so I don't carry a filter in winter. The new Sawyer Mini might change my mind, since it's small enough to ride in an inside pocket.)

I did just that for the Harriman trip. I used the syringe that was included with the sawyer mini to suck the excess water out of the clean side of the filter and to my surprise the filter didn't appear to leak any water once I did this. Then I just put it in the breast pocket of my jacket during the day and threw it inside my sleeping bag with me when I went to sleep.

I still need to take it on a few more trips before I'm totally sold on going back to a filter (I previously used aqua mira) but so far I am impressed by the sawyer mini.

[Falcon]

I have used the Sawyer filter for the past 4 years during my section hikes. After each trip I back wash the filter with the syringe that was included with the filter. I've had no issues and I love it. Now the new mini Sawyer filter appears to be smaller but just as effective. I have always and will continue to filter all my water.

[kennyxedge]

I've seen people do it all. Personally I carry a Katadyn Hiker Pro, and have zero issue with pumping my water when I need it.

[LAF]

My two cents:

...
Now I use the MSR Miox. A bit pricey, but I bought it on sale and used my dividend from REI which removed the sting of ~$100. When I bought it I was teetering on the UV gizmo, but at the time they only had a AA-powered one, and the battery life was marginal. I think--not sure--they've changed out the DC power with some other battery well. I'm not a gearhead and don't keep up with the newest and best, so I could be wrong.

...
You've picked a flammable subject on WB, so be prepared for plenty of 'discussion' on this matter. Just for fun, ask about guns or dogs or hiking poles.

WRT the MSR MIOX: Just so people don't go looking for them, or they may want to look and find a really good deal - MSR discontinued them a couple years ago, not even sure any info is still on their website

[Hikes in Rain]

Amazon has a few sellers that still have some available. At a hefty $299 and up! *Choke, gasp, wheeze* I love my MIOX, and it looks like I'd better take real good care of it!

[bfayer]

Amazon has a few sellers that still have some available. At a hefty $299 and up! *Choke, gasp, wheeze* I love my MIOX, and it looks like I'd better take real good care of it!

Please don't take this wrong, if you love your MIOX great.

I know the MIOX has a following, but I have never understood why. It's a machine that needs batteries and table salt to make bleach with a very small amount of hydrogen peroxide, both of which are very inexpensive and very available in just about store that sells salt. Then you still have all the drawbacks of other chemical water treatments. You might as well just use bleach and the MIOX test strips.

I can see the logic for seriously extended trips where resupply is just not an option, but for the AT, there are other less complicated options.

[Hikes in Rain]

I think a lot of it is the "cool factor", frankly, when the mix foams, sizzles and bubbles as the current hits it. That just never gets old! Then folks get a whiff of the chlorine and heads start turning to see what's happening.

During it's brief heyday, the marketing manager of MIOX had this to say in answer to someone who shared your (quite legitimate) concerns:

"The main component of the mixed-oxidant solution is indeed a very dilute chlorine (Cl2 + HOCl + OCl-) that is completely harmless to the user. However, it appears that other chloroxygen compounds with more potent disinfection efficacy than chlorine are also being created, as evidenced by the ability of the MIOX Purifier to inactivate resistant protozoan cysts like Giardia and Crytosporidium. For example, Giardia is wiped out by mixed oxidants within 30 minutes. (As discussed above, wait 4 hours for 99.9% removal of the less common Cryptosporidium oocyst.)

"In contrast, note that chlorine, including chlorine tablets or a small bottle of chlorine bleach, requires a 4-hour wait time for Giardia (versus the MSR MIOX Purifier's 30-minute wait), and chlorine will not inactivate Cryptosporidium at all. The reason for using the MSR MIOX Purifier instead of a small bottle of chlorine bleach is that the purifier accomplishes much more thorough inactivation of microorganisms much more rapidly."

Not sure how much of that's hype. Either way, you have a wait to drink. Elsewhere, that I didn't copy, they mention that ozone is also created in small amounts, and noted the powerful oxidizing properties. What (s)he didn't mention is it's volatility any ozone would react and be neutralized before I could pour the mix into my bottle. That's why it needs to be made on site for water treatment plants.

In my case, it was a gift; no way would I ever have spent this much when there are cheaper and equally effective methods. But since I do have one, and it fits my needs for my section hiking, why not? With it, occasionally, I'm the cool kid on the block!