[at-l] water purification

[askowronek at mindspring.com (Amy Skowronek)]

On Oct 28, 2004, at 11:13 AM, Rcalkins@worldbank.org wrote:
>
>
>       So, next on-topic question -- in line with getting my pack 
> weight down: I
> can save significant weight and space if I give up my Pur filter and 
> related
> paraphernalia, but need to know what type of purification pills/drops 
> work best,
> and how to use them, advantages/disadvantages, and all those "lessons 
> of
> experience" that come from actual use (like, can I use them directly 
> into my
> camelback hydration bladder?  how long do I have to wait before 
> drinking?  what
> about "after taste"? )
>

I like aqua mira best.  No aftertaste.  It's more complicated than 
iodine in
that you have to mix a specific number of drops from two bottles, let 
them
sit for a bit (five minutes?) and then you have to wait to drink after 
you put
it in the water (fifteen or twenty?  I forget.)

With iodine you put the tab in the water and you're on your way, but you
have to wait a similar amount of time to drink.  I add vitamin C tabs 
after
that time to take care of the taste, but there's still a little bit of 
aftertaste.
I love watching the C work though.  It's like magic.  Swirl a little 
and the
water turns all clear.

I use Platypus, not Camelback, so I can't comment on your hydration 
bladder.
I put the pills or drops straight into the Platypus.

>       Also, I bought one of those plastic bottles with a filter in it 
> (don't
> have the brand name handy here at the office) that allows you to scoop 
> up water
> from a stream and drink it directly.  Any experience with those?  If I 
> combine
> that with purification tablets, then I can hydrate immediately while 
> the larger
> container is "cookin" with the pills/drops and keep on hiking.
>

I bought one of those but have never actually used it.  It's just too 
darn heavy.

-amy