Survival Straw......Is it the "Real McCoy"?

[directdrive]

Hello, All.......

As part of my kit, I've been investigating various water purification systems hoping to find something smaller and lighter than my current unit, a Sweet Water Guardian.
I came across an ad for a "Survival Straw" at www.campingsurvival.com
The manufacturer claims the unit will purify up 5,000 GALLONS of water, removing all heavy metals, cysts, bacterias, viruses, and every other dang thing for 99.9% purification! This sounded way too good to be true.
I went to the manufacturers website www.alloysafe.com clicked on "water purification" and then clicked on "survival straw" . Seems they use some high-tech filtration system that actually does what it claims to do. If this is the case, why aren't these units more widely known? Why, if these work so well, haven't they been purchased by the governments and distributed to those places in the world where so many people (mainly children) die each year from drinking contaminated water?
If any of you have had experience with these filter/purifiers, please let me know what your experience has been.

Thanks, and Good Luck,

Bruce

 

[andyn]

I was talking to Bambodoggy about these on Saturday (who has one of these) the only thing they dont do is filter the water so they are best used in conjunction with a piece of cloth to put over the inlet.

Other than that they are supposidly very very very good.

As for why haven't governments purchased them for 3rd world countries? Thats a whole different debate/argument. Which can easily be started by asking the question.."why does 3rd world debt still exist?" But i think that would be best saved for another forum.

 

[Goose]

There is a bit of info on the site about how they don't work, but not much about how they do?
Googled the FDA standard that it is supposed to meet and the only thing it links to is sites selling the survival straw, most of which quote 100 gallon capacity rather than the 5000.
Has any body found any independent research?
If it doesn't filter, and it doesn't add chemicals, how does it kill bugs and remove metals etc?

It says it is bacteriostatic,
Definition of Bacteriostatic

Bacteriostatic: Capable of inhibiting the growth or reproduction of bacteria. Different from bactericidal (capable of killing bacteria outright).

It seems to be sold on a lot of sites selling gasmasks and other NBC kit too, if you need stuff like that and it doesnt work you won't be able to get your money back so what do standards matter.
Maybe I am being too wary, and I don't always beleive it does what it says on the tin, but the fact it is a "unique" system makes me think why?

 

[gregorach]

Now, I'm sure I did see some independent testing of various water purifiers when I was doing the research before I bought my PreMac. Unfortunately, I can't remeber where it was or what the title might have been now...

However, the gist of it was that the "Survival Straw" does not work. At all. However, that's just my questionable memory unless I can find a reference...

 

[gregorach]

OK, I guess that was based on this. However, I've just found a proper study by the Department of Food and Environmental Hygiene at the University of Helsinki which seems to say differently. The table of purifiers tested is on pp33 (and includes the Survival Straw), as the results for that part of the study are on pp41:

In general, the devices tested were able to remove the bacterial contaminants E. coli, Klebsiella
pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and sulphite-reducing clostridia from raw water, but failed in
removal of bacteriophages used as models for viruses and in removal of microcystins. Water
treatment based purely on physical filtration was not able to remove viral contaminants or
cyanobacterial microcystins from heavily polluted raw water. Removal of C. parvum oocysts
showed results similar to those shown in removal of bacteria, but some devices failed in
purification and passed some oocysts into the purified water.

I can't find anything more specific than that...

 

[gregorach]

Spoke too soon... There's also this:

This report is a preliminary report of microbiological studies on Survival Straws (Pocket Purifier). The trial was undertaken as part of the overall study on water purification systems. The Survival Straw is used by placing the bottom end in water and drawing water through the tube as with an ordinary drinking straw. The straw as housed in a protective casing is 21 cm long and 1.6 cm in diameter. There are three main sections in a straw. The first is a primary inlet filter to remove suspended particle matter. The second is a halogenated polystyrene divinyl-benzene quarternary ammonium anion resin containing 38% iodine. This section is alleged to kill microorganisms. The third is a purifying medium of carbon to remove impurities and make the water palatable. Preliminary results raise some doubts as to the bactericidal efficiency of Survival Straws. The possible inactivation of the bactericidal resin in the straw by the Simulated Contaminated Water employed, would need to be investigated before further studies could proceed.

 

[Goose]

On the manufacturers site it says

It does not contain carbon or silver. Carbon filters can create a health hazard because the carbon may foster bacteria growth and colony formation. And because it is made of 100% alloy media it filters 100 times longer than carbon filters

yet on the link you give( I assume they have dismantled one)it says,

The third is a purifying medium of carbon to remove impurities and make the water palatable.

Also it doesn't mention that it contains iodine anywhere else, I wonder if the they are reveiwing a different product on http://www.csa.com/partners/viewrec...="survival+straw"&uid=787416400&setcookie=yes
and survival straw is a description rather than a brand?

 

[gregorach]

I suppose it's possible... Given the apparent uncertainty, I don't think I'd want to trust my health to one. I'll stick with my independently-tested, NATO-approved PreMac thanks.

 

[Goose]

I suppose it's possible... Given the apparent uncertainty, I don't think I'd want to trust my health to one. I'll stick with my independently-tested, NATO-approved PreMac thanks.

That or boiling!

 

[bambodoggy]

As Andy says I've had and used one for a fair few years now. Iirc it actually says on the side of it that it doesn't filter the water, I usually use it with cloth held over the end to stop larger debris going through it.

I have no idea about the science behind it and so won't make any mad claims, all I will say it that I and several of my mates have used them all over the world and have drunk with them from fast streams to fairly stagnant puddles. We are all still here and I do not recall any of us getting ill.

I hope that's of some interest to you

As for the third world thing....as Andy implies; if western governements wanted to end poverty then they could. In Europe we have butter mountains you could almost ski on and wine lakes you could float your boat on but still others in the world starve...the world certainly is an odd place sometimes

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[philm4]

Think this is a popular misconception, we are overproducing food in the west, but it is not stored in warehouses it is stored in our fridges, restaurants and supermarkets and binned when it is not sold or not eaten. In the highest levels of overproduction my understanding is that "food mountains" have never exceeded 6 months worth of food and in fact are more in the region of a couple of months. Compare this to Mr Hussain who prior to the 1st gulf war was alleged to have stockpiled 10yrs supply of grain. In the world of climate change it would only take very minor shifts to damage our food supply line. 1 yr of failed harvest and we would be out of food and starving in under 3 months in the west.

 

[Goose]

Bam, does it have anything on the packaging or leaflets saying how it does work? If it does work it sounds like an outstanding piece of kit, but if as it states it has a unique method why hasn't it been taken up by other manufacturers?
I am just very wary of manufacturers or sellers own claims and even they don't give me any confidence in the product.

 

[bambodoggy]

PhilM4, maybe you're right mate...I'm certainly no expert on food supply and am only going by what I read in the press (and we all know how misleading that can be ) anyway...that's off topic a bit so best leave that discussion for another forum (Oh, also...I didn't ever actually think the mountains and lakes refered to were actual mountains or lakes but just examples of quantity....a real butter mountain does sound fun though! lol )

Goose, I chucked the packaging many moons ago so I can't be too sure what was on it. I'll nip down to my bergan now and dig out the straw and get back to you shortly mate

Cheers,

Bam.

EDIT: Update, just grabbed the straw and it's no help... All it says is "Survival Straw, made in the USA" and then a Marketing Address in Atlanta, Georgia. Sorry.

 

[philm4]

Sorry Bambodoggy, I was raised on a farm and am a bit defensive when it comes to farming issues, spent my childhood reading rubbish in the papers put about by various governemnts for their own political ends.

Having used water filters and knowing the amount of pumping required to get at the water, if you can just suck water through these straws they must be skipping on some part of the process as I'm sure all these companies would just rip off a good idea if it was out there. I have an inbuilt belief that all that effort with a pump must be doing something, psycologically it would just feel too easy to just suck up the water.

 

[bambodoggy]

I am with Gregorach

This doesn't suprise me at all when you consider that he's endorcing your product (you're their Director of Business Development according to your profile, is that the same as a Sales Director?), it also doesn't mean either of you are right.

You've made 10 posts here and each one is about water filters and in each one you have shamelessly pushed your Pre-mac products...that's not what this site is about mate.
I have no idea whether you're filter systems are the best in the world and to be honest I don't care but I do object to you advertising here and badmouthing other products. All you've done is made me think you're too pushy and aren't telling me the whole truth, I'm not an expert in water filters and now I don't know who or what to believe...thanks!

If you can, from your water works experience, give us honest help and answers to questions then that's great but I don't think buying a pre-mac is the answer to every question.

I don't work for Survival Straws but I and friends of mine have used them worldwide and had no problems with them, they may not be as good as pre-macs but they are good enough for me and I am fairly sure there's plenty of other products on the market that are just as good.

 

[Stuart]

Well spotted Bam and thank you for using the 'report post' button to notify the moderating staff

Purity does appear to be an employee of the Pre-mac company, we checked the IP address's from which the posts eminate and they come from 'premac-adsl.demon.co.uk'

all of purity's posts advertising pre-mac water purifiers have been deleted and his account has been banned under section 6 of 'BCUK COMMUNITY AREA - RULES & GUIDELINES'

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[bambodoggy]

Hi Stuart,

Many thanks for your prompt action, the odd post here and there wouldn't bother me but this guy was taking the micky!

Cheers,

Bam.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Think this is a popular misconception, we are overproducing food in the west, but it is not stored in warehouses it is stored in our fridges...

Not in my bleedin' fridge it ain't!!!

 

[philm4]

Hi Spacemonkey,

Well done on your efficiency, if we all minimise over consumption there would be significant polution reductions. My point was probably badly made but I was referring to all fridges including those of the supermarkets, restaurants etc. also was maybe a bit opinionated. Hope the general message made sense.

 

[Spacemonkey]

Yeah, it sure did! My fridge is usually empty, except for some cava 'just in case' and cider. Milk lives in there in various stages, along with various lumps of pasta. I dunno about some of you, but I buy a lot, then eat it all til I'm practicaly forced to go to the shop again. I hate shopping so avoid it like the plague. The good news is that everything gets eaten...