[cajun47]

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/CAMP156-41780-550.html

i was thinking of getting that for hunting and camping. should i trust this to drink nasty south louisiana bayou water?

or if you know better ones that you trust post it.

[mgdavis]

It should work, as long as you are in fresh water. Try to find moving water that is sediment-free. There is a finite life span for these filters. Dirty water will clog them faster. Prefiltering water can help with filter longevity. I don't know quite how nasty a bayou is, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

MSR Waterworks filter (http://www.msrcorp.com/filters/waterworks_ex.asp)
The filter above is the one I use. It is more suitable for camping . I like the MSR filters because you can clean the ceramic filter element in the field if it clogs. Katadyne also makes good filters.

The bottle filter you linked to will filter 32.5 gal. The MSR Waterworks will filter "up to 2,000 liters" according to the manufacturer.

[Sistema1927]

The XStream is suitable for limited use, and the suggestion to pre-filter is a good one. Even some cheesecloth or a bandana can be used for the pre-filtering. Also, it is best to use the cleanest water you can find and better to use running water.

All of the mechanical filters work to some degree, some filter smaller than others, and some, like the XStream, utilize iodine to kill virii that are smaller than the filter.

There are non-mechanical water purification units that use UV light to kill the nasties, but I have yet to try them out even though I have one on order. You will also want to pre-filter water for these since they depend upon the clarity of the water to work.

[langenc]

I thought some of them used silver salts to kioll the last couple of bugs. Maybe that is the 'straw' type.

[skeeter1]

As long as you can stand the taste of it (a bit metallic, but never bothered me) Potable Aqua tablets are another alternative.

http://www.potableaqua.com/

One tablet in a one litre drinking water bottle, disolve it, wait 20 minutes, and you have safe drinking water. Used them for years backpacking. Available from just about every outfitter. Cheap and doesn't have anything to clog or wear out.

[MCgunner]

I've never tried one. I use the treatment tablets sold as "Potable Aqua" (same link above) and have used 'em for 20 years or so. They work. At least, I ain't gotten sick from the water and I doubt Texas water is any better than Louisiana water. :D

I have a canteen and carrier for the gun belt. The canteen pouch has a little pouch on it to hold a bottle of the tablets. I have a clean linen rag at the bottom under the canteen for filtering the trash out. Mud is another matter. I try to find clear water to use and usually don't have a big problem. The problem with the tablets is you have to wait 30 minutes (or is it 20, whatever) for it to work and sometimes I'm thirsty! :D They have one of those filter bottles I've been thinking about getting at Academy for 13 bucks, just not sure how well they work, either. One thing I've thought about, I could buy one and use a coffee filter material just to take out the mud and crud and treat it as always with the tablets for the germs. That would save me having to filter out the water with the cloth, which is somewhat of a pain.

[lawson]

Those potable aqua tablets work pretty good, and I usually bring a couple coffee filters to strain the gunk out. Fitting it over the canteen mouth with a rubber band before dunking it in a stream or pond works well.

[dracphelan]

Here is the manufacturer's site:
http://www.katadyn.us/brands-products/katadyn/katadyn-filters-and-purifiers/ultralight-series/katadyn-exstream-xr.html

From what I saw, it looked effective. As others have said, pre-filter the water.

[MCgunner]

Those potable aqua tablets work pretty good, and I usually bring a couple coffee filters to strain the gunk out. Fitting it over the canteen mouth with a rubber band before dunking it in a stream or pond works well.

Pretty good idea I'm apparently too stupid to figure out on my own...:banghead: ROFL!

Going to the kitchen for coffee filters to put in the canteen pouch...:banghead:

[lesjones]

Another Potable Aqua user from way back.

Nothing wrong with a filter. I just prefer the tablets for cost, weight, packspace, and simplicity.

[Steve H]

water???????????? stay away from drinking water. Do you know what fish do in water?

[Car Knocker]

Not to mention other animals.

[Sistema1927]

Not to mention other animals.

Yes, always a good idea to obtain your water upstream from the herd of cows that is standing in the middle of the stream.

[MCgunner]

water???????????? stay away from drinking water. Do you know what fish do in water?

Boney fishes don't have renal glands, don't pee, and their poop sinks. :D Or is that, stinks, whatever. But, yeah, why drink water if you have beer? Don't make sense to me, either. :D If God had ment us to drink water, why would he have given us beer????

Hey, ALL the water around here has cows up stream. This is the land of cows, ya know.

[plexreticle]

Boiling water the is the best bet.

Treating with Chlorine or iodine and a membrane filter is the second choice.

And to answer your question, those filters are safe. I like the MSR ones.

[Steve H]

But, yeah, why drink water if you have beer? Don't make sense to me, either. If God had ment us to drink water, why would he have given us beer????


I agree................this should be in our rule book. God does want us to drink water but ONLY after it has been used in the beer making process.

[Car Knocker]

God does want us to drink water but ONLY after it has been used in the beer making process.
In the case of Bud Lite, might just as well drink downstream from the herd of cows.

[MCgunner]

In the case of Bud Lite, might just as well drink downstream from the herd of cows.

I sure can't argue with that! I call it Clydesdale Pi$$.:D

[lawson]

As much as I love beer, here in the desert if you have too much of it without enough water, bad things can happen.

And Bud Light is still better than Lonestar :barf:

[Steve H]

And Bud Light is still better than Lonestar

You're lucky you don't get your beer from Utah................that's one of the very few reasons I'll drive to Kalifornia

[MCgunner]

And Bud Light is still better than Lonestar

Star ain't bad, but Shiner Bock's in my fridge.

Yeah, you don't wanna drink a LOT of beer in the heat. You don't wanna drink alcohol in the cold. I mean, all this about when I can drink a beer, I just have one when I WANT it, so long as I ain't drivin' or shootin' or something.:D Next thing you know, they're gonna tell me it causes cancer or something. It does cause temporary impotence, in large volume, but medical science has a cure for that, now, too!:D Well, uh, that's what a friend told me, anyway...:o

[lawson]

Shiner Bock's good stuff. I was raised on Budweiser, and though I like lots of other beers, whenever I'm camping, hunting, or fishing with Dear Old Dad, Bud Light is the standard fare. It aint so bad once you get past the first two ;)
and once the fire dies down you don't care too much.

I'm not saying beer is "bad" for you, though in large quantities it's not the best thing. In the heat you just gotta drink a comparable amount of water.

[Bwana John]

Most water filters do not strain small enough for viruses(most filters only go to 0.2 microns).
In the US its not a big problem, but anyplace you are worried about cholera or typhoid add iodine or chlorine as well as filtering.

[The Deer Hunter]

They make the water taste like...like life.

[LAK]

If there is a chance of any chemical contamination, such as a pool or bayou near habitation, businesses, downstream from a mine operation etc, you would be prudent to use an activated charcoal filter such as the Katadyn of this type, or one with a charcoal and ceramic element.

Prefiltering can be done with coffee drip filters tied around your intake. Various sponge arrangements can be used as well. This will reduce filter cleaning and extend it's life.

-------------------------------------------------

http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

[LeadPumper]

Filters are not the same as purifiers, each have their uses.

Link to U.S. Army Water Treatment study.http://usachppm.apgea.army.mil/WPD/TreatmentTechnologies.aspx

Drink safe,

-LeadPumper

['Card]

I don't care for the inline or built-into-the-bottle filtration systems at all. I don't think the filtration is all that great, and I've always found the taste to be pretty lousy.

I still end up filtering water a lot, though. I go camping with my kayak a few times each year, and you simply don't have the weight capacity in a kayak to carry enough drinking water for a week in the backwoods.

So here's what I do: I take two plastic collapsible three-gallon buckets with me. They're pretty small, fold down to take up almost no space, and they have straps for handles. In the evening when I make camp, I fill both buckets from the river, drop in a few iodine tablets, hang them both from a tree branch, and leave them overnight.

In the morning, the vast majority of the sediment and other gunk in the river water has settled to the bottom, so I use a Katadyn Hiker pump-style filtration system (which has a foam attachment on the end of the intake hose that will make it float on the water's surface) and pump and filter off the top third from each bucket, being careful not to disturb the gunk on the bottom of the bucket in the process.

That gives me two gallons, one of which I'll use for cooking/cleaning and the other I'll drink. That evening I'll hang up two more buckets and do it again. I've found that this method makes my filters last a lot longer because they aren't having to deal with nearly as much sediment, and I end up with cleaner (and better tasting) water in the process.

[ZeSpectre]

25 years of camping and backpacking, here's a collected list of stuff that I KNOW works.

Side note on filters. If your water source has a lot of tannen in it (say from downed trees and leaves) you can get water from a filter that is biologically acceptable, but still tea colored and bitter. Won't make you sick but tastes horrible. Filters do not remove chemical impurities.

1) Boiling (I've even distilled before if I have the time and fuel for it).

2) Katadyn (formerly PUR) Hiker (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47575364&parent_category_rn=4500461) This is "old reliable" for me. Tons of tips online for using this type of filter and extending the cartridge life. This is what I use for myself, or smaller groups (say up to three people).

3) Iodine Tablets (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=603&parent_category_rn=4500460). Can't use now because the wife is allergic.

4) MiOX Pen (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47792759&parent_category_rn=4500462&vcat=REI_SEARCH). Yeah I'm a tech geek but if you want to kill biologicals in larger quantities of water this thing really works. However it is important that you READ, UNDERSTAND, and FOLLOW the directions. This is great for purifying larger quantities of water for big groups. You gather a large amount of water, make the MiOX mix, and let the water sit overnight and you are good to go.

When estimating how much water you will need to filter, remember, the typical rule of thumb is 1 gallon of water (roughly 4 liters) per person per day for drinking/cooking. Additional for washing up.

[ZeSpectre]

Hey 'Card,
another great trick to extend the filter life on that type of filter is to take a coffee filter, wrap it around the "acorn" (the intake float) and secure it in place with a rubber band. It does wonders for keeping the bulk sediment out of your filter and keeping a dozen filters adds no appreciable weight to your equipment.

Ze

['Card]

...another great trick to extend the filter life on that type of filter is to take a coffee filter, wrap it around the "acorn" (the intake float) and secure it in place with a rubber band.
You know, I was looking through my packing list for kayak camping the other night, and I'd gone in there at some point a several months ago and added a few rubber bands and some coffee filters to the 'water' kit. I think you and I might have shared the same tips with each other in a thread in the S&T forum about water-filtration in a SHTF scenario. :cool:

[ZeSpectre]

He he, that's too funny.

[12GA00buck]

That small water bottle filter looks a bit lacking to me; maybe something to take on a dayhike. For filtering large quantities of water for any legnth of time, I've been using a PUR (now katadyn) hiker for years. Its never let be down, and filters much faster (liter per min) than any other filters I've seen used. Its durable, reliable, and I havent gotten sick yet. I dont see any reason to use a coffee filter, the float has an intergal silk screen mesh already. I seem to get about 2 solid years of use out of each filter.

As far as the filters being safe; they will filter out almost all of the bad stuff, there are, however, certain viruses that can get past them. If the water source is questionable, you can add a few drops of chlorine after filtering.

[Lucky]

If you take household bleach, unscented, it works as well as the best water filter.