Water? Life Saver water bottle

[royinidaho]

Great thread!

Sidecar, you old poop, once an Eagle Scout always an Eagle Scout.

 

[Mike 338]

Just ordered one of these.


Sawyer® Products - Water Filtration, Insect Repellent, Sunscreens and More

I'll definitely look into the Micropur tablets as a backup.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Mike......

I see Wally World has them in store. Next time the wife goes shopping, I'll be tagging along.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Great thread!

Sidecar, you old poop, once an Eagle Scout always an Eagle Scout.

Yep.

Far as blowing poo through a screen dor, I could have done that last winter in NM on the Mulie Hunt. A steady diet of Mexican cusine (our lodge cook was Mexican) did me in, literally.

Was a no TP adventure. Bend over and blow......

That stuff is a killer for this east of the old muddy boy..... twas a cultural shock and then some.

I sure like that Sawyer system. Gonna check one out. That would work real well with the hydration bladder in my Ebrelstock

 

[SidecarFlip]

I stand corrected on ethelene glycol... but I still would not drink it.

As for boiling, when backpacking I don't treat cooking water, I judt bring it to a rolling boil and put in my food to cook. Boiling it kills ALL the nasty microscopic beasties, be it viruses or hard shelled cryptosporidium or giardia.

But for regular drinking water I carry a Steripen Adventurer UV light treatment and backup Katadyn chlorine dioxide tablets. Both methods are EPA approved for water purification and thus both will kill all pathogens.

Water filters do NOT purify water they just filter out most of the pathogens and no viruses.

Don't worry, If you consume sponge bread (aka: Wonder or any store bought variety) you already consumed propoylene glycol. Every commercial bakery uses the stuff, but then commercial red food dye (like FD&C Red) is derived from precipitated iron oxide thats a by product of steel making (I know you needed that bit of information........)

 

[SidecarFlip]

Someday, I'll tell everyone the story about my undies hanging in a tree in the wilderness for 2 years and me going back and getting them... Scouting was a blast.

Cleaning by nature......

 

[gcbailey]

I stand corrected on ethelene glycol... but I still would not drink it.

As for boiling, when backpacking I don't treat cooking water, I judt bring it to a rolling boil and put in my food to cook. Boiling it kills ALL the nasty microscopic beasties, be it viruses or hard shelled cryptosporidium or giardia.

But for regular drinking water I carry a Steripen Adventurer UV light treatment and backup Katadyn chlorine dioxide tablets. Both methods are EPA approved for water purification and thus both will kill all pathogens.

Water filters do NOT purify water they just filter out most of the pathogens and no viruses.

Thanks for the information. When the retailer told me that I was taken by surprise. You're explanation makes a lot of sense to me and seems reasonable. Thanks!

 

[Mike 338]

This last hunting trip, I used an old PUR filter. It took forever (about 1 hour) to fill my 2- 1/2 gal collapsible container that I use around camp. I ordered the Sawyer 1 gallon (dirty water) container + filter. They claim it has a very high flow rate and is gravity fed so you can fill up the container, hang it and it does the pumping while my cold hands stay in my pocket. I ordered it from REI because they have a good return policy if I don't like it or it fails down the road. It came in last week and I opened the box and they sent me a collapsible shovel instead of a filter so I'm still waiting for the filter.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Thats wonderful. Obviously, the quality of employee at REI is low and/or can't read a shipping order.....

Wall Mart has the smaller 2 liter systems supposedly in stock, in stores but it may be a seasonal item (merchandisers somehow think that in the winter, no one camps out, it's a warm weather only thing.....)

I'm curious as to how well they work so when you do get it (shovel replacement....) would you please post it???

Thanks in advance btw....

 

[Mike 338]

Thats wonderful. Obviously, the quality of employee at REI is low and/or can't read a shipping order.....

Wall Mart has the smaller 2 liter systems supposedly in stock, in stores but it may be a seasonal item (merchandisers somehow think that in the winter, no one camps out, it's a warm weather only thing.....)

I'm curious as to how well they work so when you do get it (shovel replacement....) would you please post it???

Thanks in advance btw....

O.K., It just came to my door. Smaller versions of this filter are suited carrying in your pack and replenishing your water supply as you go. I like to get inside my tent, start dinner, make a coffee or tea, make tomorrows lunch, re-hydrate tomorrows dinner, refill the bladder in my pack and I need water for breakfast and morning coffee so I have a 2-1/2 gallon collapsible water jug that stays in my tent. When I need water, I need a couple gallons at a time to refill the jug. It takes about an hour of pumping with my old filter to fill it up. I purchased the 1 gallon (dirty water container) Sawyer Water Filter because they claim a very high flow rate that does not need any more pressure that what gravity will provide. They make a 2 container version of this (dirty water bag/clean water bag) but my collapsible jug is my clean water container so I saved a few bucks.

Components are very basic, A bag, hose (with in-line clamp to turn off the flow), and the filter. It also comes with a faucet adapter so you have potable water in a domestic emergency. Everything is super light. The bag seems durable enough but it's nowhere near as durable as a Platypus Badder. The filter itself resembles, and is about the same size as an in-line gas filter going to a Holly double pumper. It's made of plastic. It looks and feels like if you stepped on it in cold weather, it would shatter. Included instructions are very adamant that allowing the filter to freeze may damage the filter so it will need to be baby-sat in cold weather. I'm hard on things and although this thing is far from bullet proof, I think if I put in in a Tupperware container, I could keep from destroying it. I suppose I'd have to find a way to carry it next to my body in cold weather while I hunt. Maybe putting it into my sleeping bag for the day and sleeping with it overnight would work O.K. I may have to do a freezing temp test in my back yard this winter. Cleaning the filter can be done with a syringe (not included) or in the two bag system, just hang the clean water bag above the filter and reverse the flow which back flushes and cleans it. They claim that you probably will never need to clean it in the field as long as you clean it when you go home.

It's kinda cold here right now so field testing would require breaking some ice. The kitchen sink seemed a lot easier so I filled the bag up and drained it into a gallon jug. Flow rate was good. It took 4-1/2 minutes to run a gallon through it and all I had to do was watch. That right there might outweigh the other disadvantages.

This filter comes with a million gallon guarantee so I guess as long as I don't break it, it should work. I'm a little worried about how cheap it feels so I'll be carrying something to chemically purify water as well.

I got this at REI because I read a couple reviews where the Sawyer company didn't honor the warranty. REI is good about returns. This particular filter set up was $90.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Makes sense (the return part). I went to wal mart with the wife today (shopping intent) an d was almost to the sporting goods department when of all things, the power went out and they had to clear the store.

Gonna give it a try tomorrow. I believe wal mart is priced the same. Sounds to me like you are going to have to carry the filter in a plastic zip lock bag tucked into your inner jacket pocket (where I carry my pertinent papers when I'm out in the boonies). I don't believe tucking it in your mummy bag will work. You need your body in there to make heat to be reflected.

Too bad you can backfill it with good old propolyene glycol (rv antifreeze) and baggie it and then rinse the antifreeze out prior to use. The you could leave it in your tent or bag, no worries.

 

[Mike 338]

In case they're not in stock, you can order them online from Walmart and shipping is free when sent to the store.

 

[Danehunter]

FILTERS:

Please remember, filters are NOT purifiers. By EPA standards filters give water that has most of the pathogens filtered out but not viruses and sub 1 micron bacteria.

COLD WEATHER & FILTERS:

Filters can freeze and break in cold weather. Even if purged after use some water remains, freezes and clogs the filter.

My only "filter" is a very fine brass screen at the end of a small funnel to keep out debris, bugs and small children.

 

[WildRose]

Not trying to hijack the thread and this may help with your question if others can chime in on this. I was told by a rep at a major outdoors retailer that in North America you DO NOT need a water purifier. All that is required is to boil the water prior to drinking it. I have not tried it for obvious reasons. Does anyone know if this is true?

That all depends on the water supply. If there is any agricultural or municipal run off feeding it you definitely do.