Alternative filtration.

[Melonfish]

Okay i've just spent a fantastic weekend in the peak district however despite being eaten alive by midges the only thing that really spoiled it for me was the water.
we stopped at two locations to refill whilst we were out, we used puritabs for the water, and both were fine, however the chlorine makes me really really Ill. (my walking partner was absolutely fine btw no acid symptoms)

my stomach turned to acid, lots of reflux etc and sat night i kept waking up wanting to hurl cause of the acid. wasn't till i got some antacid in me on sunday (actually got near a shop) that i felt better. otherwise no symptoms so generally i'm looking for something else.

i've read through some of the excellent topics on here about filtration and there seems to be alot of advice to sift through (sorry)
i know what i generally want but no idea where to get it from?
i don't want to be using iodene what with it being poisonous, and chlorine is way off. so mechanical filtration is whats needed. i run a camelbak 3l pouch and i just want some advice on whats best and where to buy it from?
i'm guessing either the camelbak inline filter (anyone recomend?) or one of the pump type ones? something that doesn't leave a taste basically and is easy to maintain.
places to buy from would be excellent to as atm i'm drawing lots of blanks on the google searches.
thanks!
pete

 

[Shewie]

I like the Millbank bag Pete but they're not the fastest method, great if you're sat about and you've got an hour to kill, and then of course you'd need to boil it just to be sure.

I tried on of the inline filters on a course when we drank from a sheep trough high up on the fells, seemed to work okay but the price puts me off.

 

[British Red]

Pete,

Most inline filters add some form of isodine resin as very very few filters are fine enough to remove a virus.

Your choices are an expensive filter bottle that does (£150 - £250), or using a chemical to kill viruses (basically chlorine or iodine in one form or another), or chance your arm (not reccomended) or doing a coarse filter in a milbank bag or ceramic filter followed by a good boil. The boil will be just as effective as the chemicals. I keep a "dirty" water bottle to gather, transfer to a fillter, boil it and transfer to drinking bottle.

I hope that helps

Red

 

[Melonfish]

poop, i was afraid of that. i did consider a millbank bag but realised i would have to revert to boiling or chlorine tabs anyhow. boiling is ok if i was stopping or on a break but i wouldn't fancy it whilst on the move.
perhaps iodine? i can put up with taste its the stomach acid i can't stand, a bit cause of the sickness but mostly because gaviscon tastes rank...

 

[EdS]

try either absorbic acid (vit c) or citric acid - they will neutralise the chlorine thus removing the irriating nature of it.

Basically you'll get a chlorine salt etc.

 

[ASH]

try the travel tap , absolute filtration no chemicals and cheap for filtration. Speak to bob or rose at backpacking light.co.uk. I have its predecessor & it works well for me

 

[ASH]

travel tap £34.99

 

[Melonfish]

hmm, you know that seems a viable option, empty bottle weighs 150g so thats easily stuffed in a pouch etc, and i can use that to fill my camelbak!
not bad at all, defo worth a go!
i'll give the vitC thing a go this week too, going to deliberately drink some chlorinated water to reproduce the effects (yes i'm crazy) basically so i can make sure it was the chlorine although i reckon it was.

 

[sasquatch]

I've never tried this myself so I shouldn't mention it but I've heard eating a piece of charcoal from a fire is good if you don't have indigestion tablets and can't sleep due to heartburn/reflux. Obviously not a hot one! Has anyone else heard of this? Mmm, charcoal...

 

[calibanzwei]

Carbon in the charcoal soothing the acid maybe? Charcoals used to filter many a nasty thing.....

http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/charcoal.html

http://www.buyactivatedcharcoal.com/acid_indigestion

Found them...

 

[Melonfish]

aye charcoal is good at absorbing poisons and acids, if you accidentily eat something poisonous charcoal in water is good to help absorb i believe.
have to get me some of those charcoal dog biscuits as snack foods? heh

 

[sasquatch]

I should point out I have no shares in activated charcoal! I wonder how different it is to normal charcoal from a fire. As for filtration I too use a millbank bag and give it a good boil, but I'm not often in a rush. If I need water on the move I sort it with the millbank beforehand and store in a clean bottle...

 

[Calculon]

I was thinking of getting a Steripen, has anyone got / used one?

Are they any good?


Calc

 

[Melonfish]

i'd be unsure about one of those? i'd just feel i was throwing a 70's disco for the bacteria?

anyhoo i've been having a good look at these here drink safe products, of which the travel tap is one.
http://www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk/products.php
they even do inline filters...perfic!
definitely going to try this one 1600 litres each one does and when it reaches end of life it blocks itself off.
i can refil my camelbak 533 times with these things. now thats some kit!

 

[Mr Adoby]

When I have to use iffy water, I use an Explorer Canteen. About the same as the Travel Tap, but green with a lanyard. Works great. But you get strong fingers om a long trip.

http://www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk/products.php

But I had problems with it last winter. The filter froze during the night, and clogged. But it didn't seem to be harmed. So I had to boil some water to thaw it. When cold, keep in the sleepingbag och under shirt...

But usually, I can drink directly from most lakes or rivers here in Sweden. The Explorer Canteen is great elsewhere though...

A.

 

[Mastino]

I was thinking of getting a Steripen, has anyone got / used one?

Are they any good?


Calc

I use a steripen and it's great. Obviously you have to filter the water (millbank) if it is turbid. One minute and it's done. The UV destroys the DNA/RNA of the little buggers, so they can't reproduce