UV vs. FILTER vs. CHEMICAL

[gcobb1990]

I did my research so read up!

UV PEN: Steripen Adventurer:

Filters: 16 ounces in 48 seconds (good)- 2
Weight: 110 g/ 4 ounces(good)- 2
Volume of H2O/ battery: 58 liters (worst) -1
KILLS: EVERYTHING (best) - 3
Taste: does not affect taste of dirty or clean water (worst) -1
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: ~$180 (worst) -1
Pack Space required: good -2
Use with: small bottles with wide mouths (not bags) (worst)-1
Simplicity: good - 2
Maintenance: Little (good) - 2
Pre-filter? murky water (good) - 2

PUMP FILTER: MSR Hyperflow

Filters: 3 liter/ minute (best)- 3
Weight: 209 g/ 7.4 ounces (worst)- 1
Volume of H2O/ filter: 1000 liters (best) - 3
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)-2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (best) - 3
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $100.00 (best) - 3
Pack Space required: Worst - 1
Use with: wide mouth bottles or bags (or improvise) (good) -2
Simplicity: worst - 1
Maintenence: More (worst) - 1
Pre-filter? Not required (best)- 3

CHEMICAL: AQUAMIRA

Filters: Infinite Q of H2O in 30 minutes (worst) -1
Weight: ~85 grams/ 3 ounes (best) -3
Volume of H2O/ container of drops: 120 liters (good) -2
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)- 2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (good) - 2
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $125.00 (good) - 2
Pack Space required: best - 3
Use with: Any water container (best) - 3
Simplicity: Best - 3
Maintenence: none (best) - 3
Pre-filter? murky water (good)- 2

Conclusion: If you are going to Mexico, take the steripen. If you are a weight-freak, take aquamira. If you are afraid of getting sunburn, don't take the steripen (just kidding...). If you are cheap, take the filter. If you can't or don't want to resupply, take the filter.

If you are none of those things, by my rating system

RESULTS: UV: 19
Filter: 23
Chemical: 26

Looks like Aquamira is the way to go...

[Lilred]

You didn't include gravity filter using platy's....

I did my research so read up!

UV PEN: Steripen Adventurer:

Filters: 16 ounces in 48 seconds (good)- 2
Weight: 110 g/ 4 ounces(good)- 2
Volume of H2O/ battery: 58 liters (worst) -1
KILLS: EVERYTHING (best) - 3
Taste: does not affect taste of dirty or clean water (worst) -1
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: ~$180 (worst) -1
Pack Space required: good -2
Use with: small bottles with wide mouths (not bags) (worst)-1
Simplicity: good - 2
Maintenance: Little (good) - 2
Pre-filter? murky water (good) - 2

PUMP FILTER: MSR Hyperflow

Filters: 3 liter/ minute (best)- 3
Weight: 209 g/ 7.4 ounces (worst)- 1
Volume of H2O/ filter: 1000 liters (best) - 3
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)-2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (best) - 3
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $100.00 (best) - 3
Pack Space required: Worst - 1
Use with: wide mouth bottles or bags (or improvise) (good) -2
Simplicity: worst - 1
Maintenence: More (worst) - 1
Pre-filter? Not required (best)- 3

CHEMICAL: AQUAMIRA

Filters: Infinite Q of H2O in 30 minutes (worst) -1
Weight: ~85 grams/ 3 ounes (best) -3
Volume of H2O/ container of drops: 120 liters (good) -2
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)- 2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (good) - 2
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $125.00 (good) - 2
Pack Space required: best - 3
Use with: Any water container (best) - 3
Simplicity: Best - 3
Maintenence: none (best) - 3
Pre-filter? murky water (good)- 2

Conclusion: If you are going to Mexico, take the steripen. If you are a weight-freak, take aquamira. If you are afraid of getting sunburn, don't take the steripen (just kidding...). If you are cheap, take the filter. If you can't or don't want to resupply, take the filter.

If you are none of those things, by my rating system

RESULTS: UV: 19
Filter: 23
Chemical: 26

Looks like Aquamira is the way to go...

[Ol Mole]

Thanks for the analysis. There are a couple of other things to consider in my opinion. The pen and filter can "grab" water that is hard to get at. I am torn between the filter and the chemical. I carry coffee filters to use with the chemical as a pre filter.

[Egads]

I've been telling anyone who will listen for several years, Aquamira is the way to go

[BrianLe]

Everyone will weight various factors in different ways to make their own decision of course. Some additional factors that could be considered include how long to wait to drink if you arrive at a water source "dry" (chemicals lose on that test), field weight vs. dry weight of filters (once used you don't get it bone dry again when in use), chemicals can make a "dirty water" container "clean" again and inhibit growth of whatever it is that grows in water bottles ... i.e., there are some other lessor but still significant (if not always so easy to measure) factors.

Also, the "kills" category isn't quite as binary (yes/no) as implied here; Aqua Mira treats everything, just not all things with the same effectiveness as boiling or steripen in clear water.

[Kerosene]

I ended up going with Aqua Mira, despite inconvenient water sources during my Fall hikes. I also use a coffee filter to pre-filter before I add the drops, although this can take quite a bit of time.

It is extremely difficult to keep a filter setup completely sanitary.

[Cannibal]

I carry coffee filters to use with the chemical as a pre filter.

Try the foot of a pair of pantyhose. Much lighter, reuseable, and fairly fine filtering.
Good stuff there gcobb1990! I carry a SteriPen or a HyperFlow depending on the hike. Nice to know the stats.

[flemdawg1]

I did my research so read up!

UV PEN: Steripen Adventurer:

Filters: 16 ounces in 48 seconds (good)- 2
Weight: 110 g/ 4 ounces(good)- 2
Volume of H2O/ battery: 58 liters (worst) -1
KILLS: EVERYTHING (best) - 3
Taste: does not affect taste of dirty or clean water (worst) -1
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: ~$180 (worst) -1
Pack Space required: good -2
Use with: small bottles with wide mouths (not bags) (worst)-1
Simplicity: good - 2
Maintenance: Little (good) - 2
Pre-filter? murky water (good) - 2

PUMP FILTER: MSR Hyperflow

Filters: 3 liter/ minute (best)- 3
Weight: 209 g/ 7.4 ounces (worst)- 1
Volume of H2O/ filter: 1000 liters (best) - 3
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)-2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (best) - 3
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $100.00 (best) - 3
Pack Space required: Worst - 1
Use with: wide mouth bottles or bags (or improvise) (good) -2
Simplicity: worst - 1
Maintenence: More (worst) - 1
Pre-filter? Not required (best)- 3

CHEMICAL: AQUAMIRA

Filters: Infinite Q of H2O in 30 minutes (worst) -1
Weight: ~85 grams/ 3 ounes (best) -3
Volume of H2O/ container of drops: 120 liters (good) -2
KILLS: Bacteria and protozoa (everything on the AT) (good)- 2
Taste: enhances taste of dirty water and does not harm taste of clean water (good) - 2
Retail cost/ 1000 Liters: $125.00 (good) - 2
Pack Space required: best - 3
Use with: Any water container (best) - 3
Simplicity: Best - 3
Maintenence: none (best) - 3
Pre-filter? murky water (good)- 2

Conclusion: If you are going to Mexico, take the steripen. If you are a weight-freak, take aquamira. If you are afraid of getting sunburn, don't take the steripen (just kidding...). If you are cheap, take the filter. If you can't or don't want to resupply, take the filter.

If you are none of those things, by my rating system

RESULTS: UV: 19
Filter: 23
Chemical: 26

Looks like Aquamira is the way to go...

A few corrections.

Cost per 1000 liters: Steripen cost $100 (backcountrygear or altrec) + $40 batteries (comes w/ 1 set + 4 replacement sets @ $10 each) = $140
http://www.backcountrygear.com/catal...oductID=STP105
http://www.rei.com/search?query=CR123

Research has been done that shows the Steripen usable for bladders by doing the treatment cycles the # of times as the liters being treated (2x for 2l, 3x for 3l).
http://www.steripen.com/PDF/A&LBladd...evised9408.pdf

[Fiddleback]

...Also, the "kills" category isn't quite as binary (yes/no) as implied here; Aqua Mira treats everything, just not all things with the same effectiveness as boiling or steripen in clear water.

And to be even more specific, neither filters nor Steripen "kills" the buggies. Filters do what the name implys...filter the bugs, i.e., remove them from the water that passes through. The bugs remain alive in the filter for whatever time they can survive outside the medium from which they were removed. In contrast, the Steripen, through its UV radiation, inactivates buggies -- disrupting their DNA thereby making it impossible for them to reproduce. They remain alive*, i.e., do all their buggy things except reproduce. And, without the capability to reproduce, they cannot attain the population necessary to 'infect' a backpacker. Bottom line though is that filters, Steripen, and chemical treatment are all effective just in different ways and with their own, different limitations.

It appears that the most effective chemical treatment for backpacking applications is chlorine dioxide and I think that's the only chemical treatment now offered by Aquamira. Klear Water is another brand.

Interestingly, there's been quite a movement by municipal water suppliers to both UV and chlorine dioxide treatments. Part of the motivation was outbreaks of giardia from treated municipal water. The old methods, to include the old chorination treatment, wasn't getting the job done. Proponents of bleach take note.

FB

*Maybe not in the strictest sense. Some include the ability to reproduce in the definition of "life".

[Feral Bill]

I would really like to go chemical, but... Please reference the 30 minute treatment time with Aquamira. Materials I've read say 4 hours. That's too long, and would require an extra water bottle, more than eliminating the weight advantage.

[Egads]

I would really like to go chemical, but... Please reference the 30 minute treatment time with Aquamira. Materials I've read say 4 hours. That's too long, and would require an extra water bottle, more than eliminating the weight advantage.

The tabs are 4 hours, the 2 part liquid is 20 minutes. I usually can plan 20 minutes ahead.

[Tinker]

Gee! When I go shopping at Wholefoods, I look for stuff with lots of chemicals in it.........NOT!
Thanks, but I'll carry my First Need and still have a pack lighter than most folks (just ask the "Fools").
Save your weight somewhere else.
Of note: There are some places where it is very difficult to get water which is not contaminated with chemicals (along the Housatonic River in Mass, for instance, where notices are posted not to drink the water). Only a filter helps in these situations.

[Egads]

There are some places where it is very difficult to get water which is not contaminated with chemicals (along the Housatonic River in Mass, for instance, where notices are posted not to drink the water). Only a filter helps in these situations.

You are kidding yourself if you think the ceramic filter actually filters out chemicals. Filters work by screening solids which are too large to pass thru the filter media. Don't drink the water signs mean Don't drink the water.

[Snowleopard]

My understanding is that Aquamira tablets will take out giardia and cryptosporidium with a 4 hour treatment time. The 20 or 30 minute treatment time is adequate for bacteria. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...e_pagination=1
I find it disturbing that I can't find giardia treatment times on Aquamira's website.

There is giardia and cryptosporidium in Mass. and it has been associated with how municipal and home water is treated. In a 3 year period (1993 to 1996??) there were around 4000 confirmed cases of giardia in Mass. spread out over 85% in eastern Mass. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pic...0&blobtype=pdf The references cited in that article imply that VT and NH had similar problems with giardia.

My understanding is that filters and Iodine tablets take care of giardia and cryptosporidium, and that, unless you're willing to wait 4 hours, aquamira does not.

[Snowleopard]

...
Of note: There are some places where it is very difficult to get water which is not contaminated with chemicals (along the Housatonic River in Mass, for instance, where notices are posted not to drink the water). Only a filter helps in these situations.

Egads is right. Most backpacking filters won't remove harmful chemicals and the chemical treatments don't help.

I grew up in CT (along the Naugatuck River) and I'd rather drink raw sewage than water from the Housatonic or Naugatuck Rivers. There was substantial industrial waste dumped into these rivers.

[ChinMusic]

The tabs are 4 hours, the 2 part liquid is 20 minutes. I usually can plan 20 minutes ahead.

I'm a UV guy but chemical would be my #2 choice on the AT. A filter would be my DISTANT third on the AT. A filter would be my #1 where I KNOW my water sources won't be clear enough. That is not the case on the AT.

I love the no-fuss-no-muss with regards to the UV. With UV I don't even have to take off my pack if I choose.

With UV: Man thirsty. Man zap water. Man drink.
With Chem: Man thirsty. Man treat water. Man wait. Man drink.

I've hiked with PLENTY of folks that use filters. NONE of them are as fast as a Steripen. Real life is not: Get out your stuff, hook it up - ready, set, go.

[Feral Bill]

The tabs are 4 hours, the 2 part liquid is 20 minutes. I usually can plan 20 minutes ahead.

The discussion Snowleopard links to suggests not. At least in the case of protists and colder water.

[Mags]

No matter what you do or do not do for water treatment, don't forget the most important thing of all that many backpackers forget:

WASH THOSE HANDS

Before eating and after doing #2.

Also, always pour shared food into other hikers hands.

People placing their dirty paws into your food is an excellent way to spreading "geoirms" (said in Brookylnese).

That is all.

[Tinker]

You are kidding yourself if you think the ceramic filter actually filters out chemicals. Filters work by screening solids which are too large to pass thru the filter media. Don't drink the water signs mean Don't drink the water.

I didn't drink the water. I filtered from approved sources.
I use a First Need purifier.
Anything else is just a filter.

http://www.generalecology.com/catego...r_purifier-new

[Fiddleback]

I've hiked with PLENTY of folks that use filters. NONE of them are as fast as a Steripen. Real life is not: Get out your stuff, hook it up - ready, set, go.

Convenience (and time savings, I guess) is why I use a Bota filter bottle while hoofing down the trail. Fill the bottle, squeeze and drink. I like to plan my trail trips along streams/lakes and I'm fortunate to have lots of choices in my area. The Bota is great for those situations! In camp when my water usage is heavier I'll set up bladders for chorine dioxide treatment...or someday, I'll bring that new Steripen...

FB