steripen opti vs. katadyn pro
I already have a katadyn pro, but im thinking about getting the steripen opti. Which do you think is better?
Got em both and they both work good. Which one you use is just a matter of where and when. Right now somebody has the steripen for 61 bucks. Thats a pretty good buy. I forget who it is maybe somebody else can jump in and give you the info.
"Hiking is as close to God as you can get without going to Church." - BobbyJo Sargent aka milkman Sometimes it's nice to take a long walk in THE FOG.
One thing to take into consideration, if you're a section hiker, the Opti would be my choice hands down. If you're going to do a thru-hike, the scarcity of CR123 batteries and they only give you half the treatments as the Classic's AA Lithium batteries would scare me. If you want to go the Opti route, I would plan several resupply drops and figure out the number of CR123 batteries you need in each drop.
I wouldn't carry a pump filter and a Steripen. A backup plan for the Steripen as prime is good, but consider Agua Mira as that backup. Sure there are seeps when I would prefer to have a pump, but I have never really minded digging out the puddle a bit, letting it settle, and using a cup to get all the water I need.
Another option as a backup or alternate water treatment would be a gravity feed system. I just hate pumps! Tubes, clogging, cleaning, and cold hands from dealing with all that is all I can remember from when I used one.
Hopefully these thoughts will help in your consideration of your choices.
Steripen for me- I dehydrate very quickly and like the instant availability. I did the southern 1,000 on the At last fall, I didn't have any problem finding batteries--although I always carry and extra 2.
Honestly, AT wise - Aqua Mira. No chance of failure...
I've always used a Hiker Pro and really enjoy it. To me, water is the single most important thing I consume therefore I want it the best quality I can get it on the trail.
The problem I have with pumps: 1) pumping - PITA, 2) clogging/cleaning, 3) danger of freezing causing undiscernible crack in filter, resulting in sickness, 4) changes taste of water. I like the taste of mountain stream water just the way it is, minus the cooties!
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