[at-l] S--ty Streams? and the Steri-pen

[vhoyt@mediaone.net (Victor Hoyt)]

> dead deer just upstream...after they had drunk their fill!  I keep trying
to go chemical because of the
> weight savings but i have spent too much time under water I guess....just
can't get my mind around
> the fact that all the 'stuff' in the water is still in there...even if
it's dead.  A nice cool, iodine tasting
> bottle of fish pee...yum!

Reminds me of what WC Fields said about water...

But, I digress. What I really wanted to mention was a follow-up I did on
someone else's post from a while back. I called the manufacturers of the
Steri-pen, had a long talk with one of the owner's (I think) and came away
very impressed.

The thing is designed, and was tested for use in glass, but they have done
short term testing in Nalgene, and find that though it may take twice as
long (up to two minutes per pint) it is just as effective. They have done
some rather rigorous field testing, and found it holds up quite well. I
believe he told me a former AT thru-hiker was one of the testers. Battery
life is best when using Lithium cells, and they claim over a hundred uses
per set. And the whole thing weighs around seven ounces with four AA
bateries.

There are at least three drawbacks. First the price, which is steep but only
$40 more than a Katadyn. Second, it only works in clear water (they claim
field testers have carried coffee filters, and used them successfully.)
Third, the quartz "business end" is fragile but it comes with a cap, and
they had to do drop tests to gain UL appoval. The guy I talked to claimed a
chest level drop with no ill effects.

I don't know. I'm feeling a little ambivalent. The technology is proven. The
size, and weight are compelling. The price will in time come down. I
absolutely despise carrying and using a water filter. I don't much like
iodine tablets, but I use them when I think there is a need.

There's also that retro-techno-geek-o thing going on. I'm not sure I could
stand the stares as I whip out my whiz-bang UV sterilizer. After all I just
took a pic of that cute little red squirrel with my digital camera, and I
just finished listening to a Shubert symphony on my portable MP-3 CD player.
Life is tough.

Check it out at http://www.hydro-photon.com .

Vic