Water Sterilization with a crusader set.

[almac]

so you're on a hike.
you need to get drinking water, but cannot stop any length of time in order to boil water. what do you do?

contaminate your plastic crusader bottle by filling it with creek water to boil it later when you stop,

or what? its' not like you can carry water around easily in a metal crusader cup while on the move.

what are your options?
chemical sterilization?
carry extra kit like a water filter or another bottle for water collection?

have you ever been concerned about contaminating your crusader water bottle, and how would you sterilize it afterwards?

 

[copper_head]

If your using chemical sterilization it will sterilize the bottle as well as the water. Just remember to flush the cap and threads.

 

[Johno76]

Cant go wrong with a sawyer mini filter, small and will filter 100,000 gallons in its life and simple to use.

http://sawyereurope.com/sp128

Use it on the trail or at camp, works for me

 

[SJStuart]

If light-weight is your thing, I agree on the Sawyer Filter. I've got a Sawyer Mini coming tomorrow for one of my kits... and it comes with a small platypus-like bag. The idea is you fill the bag with the contaminated water, then attach the filter and basically squeeze the water out of the bag, through the filter, into your container.

Filters down to 0.1 microns, which is enough to filter most of the harmful stuff you'd find in any viable water source (obviously you should always try to find the "best" source of water you can... rain-filled puddles being one of the best, especially puddles on grass).

If weight and bulk aren't an issue, and if you're going somewhere with truly appalling water sources (think the Amazon or even the Everglade swamps) then I'd go with the LifeSaver bottle... simply because it filters everything right down to radioactive Iodine 131.

Of course, if you're collecting falling rain water, and assuming you're using a reasonably clean collection surface (such as a heavily rain-washed nylon tarp) it is fairly safe to collect falling rain directly in your water container, and drink it with no filtration, boiling or chemical treatment.

Now, I would typically suggest carrying at least a couple of Chlorine tablets in your kit... just in case a water source is so suspect you're genuinely concerned that filtration isn't sufficient (and you're unable to locate a better source). Your nose, ultimately, will help you make that determination. If it smells stagnant, I would always treat chemically (post-filtration) if for nothing else than to help reduce the smell.

 

[sandbender]

Carry two 58 bottles, use one for 'dirty water' and one for treated water. Or better still a bottle and a big water bag.

 

[shaggystu]

Carry two 58 bottles, use one for 'dirty water' and one for treated water. Or better still a bottle and a big water bag.

Exactly that. A plastic pop bottle is great for the job, weighs very little, takes up hardly any space, and you don't mind throwing it away at the end of a trip.
Dry bags work well too, especially if there's one already in your kit as a multi-purpose item (I keep my food in a stuff sack, and that stuff sack in a dry bag. That way I can empty the dry bag of its contents to use it for other jobs such as carrying water but still keep the contents neat. When I'm in camp I can use the same dry bag as a washbowl, or stuff it with clothes to make a comfy seat, or use it as a foraging basket etc.)

HTH

Stuart.

 

[SJStuart]

My personal favorite is the Camelbak Bladder. I just modified mine with the HydroLink Filter Adapter, so I can reverse-fill the bladder using whatever filtration system I want... without having to remove the bladder from whatever bag I have it in.

You could also set up a filter (such as the Sawyer Mini) inline on the hose, so you can fill the bladder with contaminated water, and simply drink through the bite valve clean filtered water.

Also, I don't carry plastic canteens... I carry a single-wall 18/8 gauge Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen. This gives me the option of collecting dirty water, carrying it dirty until such a time as I can boil it in the canteen itself.

 

[MikeLA]

no problem just put in a puritab and don't worry about it.

 

[tsitenha]

I now carry a stainless steel water bottle (Klean Kanteen) type that could be boiled or have tablets inserted in it, use to carry an aluminum GI canteen to the same effect.

 

[Johnnyboy1971]

Two bottles again but two different ones to save mixing them up. I also have a couple of Milton tablets in my kit for sterilizing things.

 

[ozzy1977]

2 bottles a milbank bag and steritabs, also got a premac pump