what do you use?

[jkvshooter]

Just wanted to hear what some of you guys are using to purify water on the go. I have used tablets 1 time and the water tasted horrible. Any suggestions would be a help!

Stay well,
JKVSHOOTER

[EvBouret]

On short backpacking trips I'll carry the extra weight of a Sweetwater. For day hunts and lightweight backpacking trips I take the Iodine pills. I dont really mind the taste, usually I'm thirsty from hiking so it goes down easy. You could always get powdered drinks to hide the taste.

[el_vaquero]

I carry a sweetwater filter. I also carry a few tabs in my survival/emergency kit just in case.

[Sigma]

I use a "First Need" filter from General Ecology. There is a difference betewen a "filter" and "water purifier".

To make an informed choice, check out this info from REI before you buy: http://www.rei.com/learn/Camping/rei/learn...watertreatf.jsp (http://www.rei.com/learn/Camping/rei/learn/camp/clwatertreatf.jsp)

[easymoney]

Filter first and the pills as a back up. The pills taste bitter, but it is better that the alternative... I use the filter all the time and it removes 99.9% of all unwanted bugs and the water tastes pure.

[Backcountry]

When going ultralight it's pills only. One downside is that they need some time to activate (I think 30 minutes or more), and in the middle of the day while carrying a heavy pack in the hot sun, it's tough to always have enough water on hand to be able to never get thirsty. As others have noted, you can use Emergen-C or Crystal Light to cut the taste.

TIP: NEVER GET THIRSTY WHEN BACKPACK HUNTING... if you are thirsty, you aren't drinking enough water, and you are degrading the quality of your hunt. Thirst signals that your body is already on it's way to being dehydrated, and a headache and fatigue and muscle cramps are not far behind.

As for filters, I've tried many and currently own two (MSR & Katadyn)... The Sweetwater is a quality pump that has a very high output and is relatively lightweight. THE MSR is an outstanding pump (tops!) in terms of cleanability and degree of filtration, BUT it doesn't have a very high output and it's also a tad on the heavy side. My current pump that I feel balances output with filtration capability is the Katadyn Hiker Pro, and it's also exceptionally lightweight. The downside of the Katadyn is that the filter elements aren't user cleanable, so make sure you use a prefilter and try to filter low-turbidity water. The Sweetwater is a nice compromise between the MSR and the Katadyn in terms of weight, output, and a user-cleanable filter element.

All the above filters are within $20-25 in price, so don't let price be an issue while deciding which to get. They all have their subtle strengths and subtle differences/weaknesses, so get the one that's best for what you want it to do. If I was going to Africa I'd use the MSR... for High Sierra ultralight trips it would be iodine or the Katadyn.

[BDB]

I use the Katadyn Pro Hiker or tablets. The taste doesn't bother me but I hate the water bladder on my camelback looking like crap from the iodine stains. Has anyone ever tried this little purifier?

Link (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47792759&parent_category_rn=4500462&vcat=REI_SEARCH)

[Arrowslinger]

I'm a iodine guy, but i also use the neutralizer tablets....takes away the iodine taste/flavor -light to carry, easy to use, & they work!

[EvBouret]

Ive read about that purifier BDB, sounds pretty interesting....

[Speckmisser]

So, what you guys are saying is that I really oughtta stop drinking out of the hog wallows? Sure, it's green and smells funny, but it doesn't seem to do much damage.

[BDB]

Ya gotta think like a pig to hunt them close in Speck, keep drinking that waller water, you&#39;ll be fine http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-hidin-curtain.gif

[walkingman]

Anybody used the MIOX? I just got one, but have not used it yet. So if you have bad news I&#39;m SOL. :)

[Kit Fox]

I found this important not on the REI page:

Chemical Treatment

Exposing water to halogens such as iodine or chlorine is believed to kill bacteria and viruses, but not all protozoan cysts. Hard-shelled cryptosporidia, as mentioned previously, show strong resistance to iodine and chlorine. You should not expect halogens alone to be 100 percent effective against this cryptosporidia.
Note: Some manufacturers and water experts recommend combining chemical treatment with filtration for maximum effectiveness.

[Sigma]

Yup, Iodine doesn&#39;t kill everything. And getting sick at 11,000 ft is no fun.

First Need&#39;s Filter won Outside Magazine&#39;s "Gear of the Year" award in 2002: http://generalecology.com/firstneeddelux.htm

It&#39;s a bit heavier, but I put up with it for peace of mind.

[rusman66]

Yep take it from a waterguy, filtration + disinfection = http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-faces-toast-beers.gif