Water Filtration

[The Old Boot]

The lightest most cost effective, and most effective against viruses and bacteria (according to a biochemist friend) is the MSR sweetwater drops, the filter is not nesecary these drops kill everything, and a 10 dollar bottle will last over a 1000 trail miles. I put this in water that had cow **** in it and never got sick.

According to every web site info I've read, the sweetwater drops are to be used in conjunction with the sweetwater filter NOT as a standalone product.

I've had lots of time this winter to read everything I can get my hands on in regards to safe drinking water products....I'm choosing the Steripen and carrying a few Micropur tablets for emergency use.

[Penguin]

i used to be a polar pure fan, until my hiking partner dropped our bottle of it, and it broke. We also had aqua mira which works good but the two part system isn't nesecary and it runs out kind of quick. No probes with the Aqua Mira though. The sweetwater drops still I believe are the best out there.

[dragoro]

Mine was banging away in my bag all through Georgia last year and never broke.

[Penguin]

The sweetwater filter and the drops are a redundancy. It is nice not to get water with a bunch of floaties in it, and with some effort a lot of sources can produce better water then you would think upon first glance. The filter just makes it more pleasant to drink. The drops kill absolutey everything, so there are no worries, again I posed this question to my friend who a Biochemist and she said the filter was unnecessary. Who knows though, I imagine the water sources on the AT are clearer then the ganky sources on the PCT and the awful stock tanks on the AZT.

[crazystick]

The lightest most cost effective, and most effective against viruses and bacteria (according to a biochemist friend) is the MSR sweetwater drops, the filter is not nesecary these drops kill everything, and a 10 dollar bottle will last over a 1000 trail miles. I put this in water that had cow **** in it and never got sick.

That is what I use!, not aquamira. you just have to understand that the instructions on the bottle assume you put the water through the sweetwater filter FIRST so it says let sit for a few minutes (this is becuase the filter already filtered out the bacteria and protozoa, and only viruses are left, which are killed faster)
So if you use the MSR sweetwater drops, the time it takes to kill is the same as aquamira, you just get a larger bottle of the formula for less $$ per ounce.

[crazystick]

to add something to this discussion, the ingredients in the sweetwater drops are the same as in aquamira essentially. They both use Chlorine Dioxide to do the job.

Filters do not treat viruses, they are too small
Drops do not treat chemicals, only carbon is able to trap chem.

So MSR Sweetwater filter w/ drops basically gets the chemicals, the viruses and everything in between, so its not TOTALLY redundent.

I still opt to just use sweetwater drops, been using it for a couple years now without problem. if you feel safe using aquamira, sweetwater drops are basically the same, im sure the difference is small.

[goody5534]

Will the Katadyn Vario be a viable and productive unit for all treatment on the AT

[Bare Bear]

Bleach, two drops per 32 oz. wait 20 minutes (shake, like hanging off a pack) cheap, effective and available everywhere,

[crazystick]

Will the Katadyn Vario be a viable and productive unit for all treatment on the AT

Yea that unit will do just fine for all water treatment needs

[MooseHead]

I like polar pure

[Freedom Walker]

Will the Katadyn Vario be a viable and productive unit for all treatment on the AT

I have this fifter. It has always worked well, but at 19 oz it is a little heavy. The good thing is it is paid for.