Survival Straw...Part II

[directdrive]

Good Day to All:

After posting yesterday about the "Survival Straw", I found another similar item that doesn't make the claim of 5,000 gallons but does say it can purify/filter a "years worth of drinking water". It is produced in Germany. The manufacturer's web address is www.vestergaard-frandsen.com This item is purported to cost as little as $2.00 U.S. and will be used to help prevent water borne diseases in "3rd world" countries. Look as I may, I cannot find a vendor/retailer for this unit. If it lives up to its claims, it would make a very nice piece of kit. Have any of you seen, heard of or used one of these? Their claims sound significantly more realistic IMHO.

Regards,

Bruce

 

[Goose]

Here is a bit more about this one.
http://www.index2005.dk/Members/dafude/bodyObject

And a note about it on another site,

For those of you considering using LifeStraw™ for outdoor adventures in the continental United States, beware that the common "beaver fever" (Giardia lamblia infection) is caused by an organism with 5 micron spores, which are resistant to iodine.

It filters to 15 microns I think there are a couple of other viruses that might get through, so it depends on what is in the area.

 

[PC2K]

0.2 micron filters will stop bacteria, not virusses.
15 micron is massive compaired to that!

 

[Purity]

It is made in China not Germany and has been much hyped in the world press although I don't think they are available yet in the west.

This one does include a biocide which is better than the nothing but you get no dwell time before it is removed so the viral kill could not be complete even if the filtration was up to the bacteria. If it will pass a years worth of water from the sources they claim it has got to block up or not offer much resistance in the first place. Same problem as the Survival Straw offering 5000 gallons which would probably defeat the average Tea Strainer when dealing with some muddy river in India or the like.