Water filter recommendation?

[tobes01]

Folks,

For dietary reasons I need to drink 4-5 litres of water a day (another thread on that to follow), and with a trip to Sweden coming up, I don't think it's practical for me to be trying to boil that as I need it - dehydration can be a real problem.

Can anyone recommend a decent lightweight/compact water filter? Looking at the MSR MiniWorks as a possible; another is that I take a Camelbak with an inline filter. Any suggestions please?

TIA,

Tobes

 

[Ahjno]

With that amount of water (I assume excluding your needs for cooking, washing, etc.), I'd go for an inline filter - otherwise you might find yourself pumping water all day ... Unless of course you can find one with a high volume output per stroke.

Some ideas
http://www.drinksafe-systems.co.uk/products.php
http://www.lifesaversystems.com/index.html (expensive!)

 

[joe.ford]

how about this? (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product353.asp?PageID=40) Got one for my brother who seems to get ill from any water. or this for a bladder (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product433.asp?PageID=40)

 

[Elines]

The links say about these (EDIT - the items in post 3 -EDIT - which are Drinksafe products):

"Instantly removes:
Taste and taint
Chemicals
Herbicides
Pesticides
Purification chemicals
Sediments and heavy metals
Proven to remove waterborne disease causatives, Bacteria , Protozoa including Cryptosporidium , Giardia , E-coli , viral disease causatives and Anthrax immediately"

These seem too good to be true - I thought no portable system was capable of removing these - ?or has the techmology moved on since I last enquired?

 

[Paul_B]

I spoke to Giles at Drink-safe once over a problem I had with my in-line filter from them (turns out it WAS operator error not a fault with the filter). He is very helpful and came across as very knowledgeable to me. Anyway he let slip a little of the chemistry / science behind it before he caught himself. Anyway it isn't just a filter but more complex than that so it could be true, it could be just that good. I now use my in-line filter bought from BPL-UK all the time and I've never got ill so far. I once have faith in it but I don't take water from highly polluted areas such as agricultural areas. Afterall if you can head up the hill to a free running stream away from heavily farmed areas like in the Lakeland fells you are really only using the filter as a back-up / just in case piece of kit. I've drunk from streams directly as a kid without any problems and still do occasionally now. I wouldn't do that in the Dales, Cotswolds or in extensively farmed areas where herbicides, pesticides and farm or other chemicals might be in the water source. IF I ever had to then drink-safe systems is pretty good I reckon.

BTW at something like 71 grammes the in-line one (eliminator IIRC) is pretty good. Alternatively I think they do a water bag with built in filter for larger water volumes and also to rig up as a gravity feed.

 

[tobes01]

Thanks guys. I'm going to give the MSR a try - price point is about right, and I don't like the in-line iodine ones much. Will post a review once I've had a chance to play. In the future it won't replace my millbank bag, that weighs nothing and lasts for ever

 

[Lithril]

Another vote for Drink Safe, I'm currently reviewing some of their kit and it's very, very good on initial impressions, will let you know when I get back from Scotland.

 

[BPR_MiK]

Has anyone ever used one of these...PureEasy Soldier Portable Mini Water Filter Purifier....http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Prueeasy-Outd...gGoods_HikingEquipment_RL&hash=item45fbe0610e

They look cheep enough for me but will they work ??

 

[The Cumbrian]

I've had a Lifesaver bottle for ages now and can't fault it. Bear in mind that the water in many places in Sweden the water is drinkable straight from source without treatment.
Where are you going to?

Cheers, Michael.

 

[tobes01]

Heading to Jamtland, I've drunk straight from the streams there before but want to play it safe.

 

[Teepee]

Aquaguard Eliminator on a Source bladder as they use the same quick release fittings.

I use a paper fuel filter inline too to take out the big floatie stuff that blocks the filter.

 

[Harvestman]

I use an MSR Miniworks, but it isn't the fastest thing, or the lightest. Does the job though and I believe some military units use it too.

 

[Paul_B]

The QR fittings on the eliminator are universal to most if not all the bladder manufacturers' QR fittings. I use a source tube on my camelback and fit the eliminator onto the bladder and use the tube out of it. I have had no problem using this for a year now. You can also buy extra QR fittings online as they all use the same diameter ones. I did read the website address once of some company that sells just the QR fittings but for the life of me can't remember where I read it. Worth knowing they are an industry standard. Use in other sectors too of course.

 

[ged]

For dietary reasons I need to drink 4-5 litres of water a day (another thread on that to follow), and with a trip to Sweden coming up, I don't think it's practical for me to be trying to boil that as I need it...

You can certainly boil that much and more very quickly, easily and economically with a Kelly or Ghillie kettle. When I'm camping I routinely boil that amount daily with my Ghillie and it takes no more than an armful of small twigs. The only things I have against these kettles is they're a bit bulky, and burning wood and other foraged fuels can be a bit messy. There are situations where neither of those is the slightest problem. Given a source of clear water I would much prefer to rely on my Ghillie than on technological filtering solutions, chemicals, etc.

 

[Paul_B]

One question though, once boiled how long before it is cool enough to drink or to put into a bladder for moving on? Filters like the drink safe eliminator are scoop and go tech unlike ghillie kettles. What if you are away from trees? You have to carry a meths stove and meths to use instead of wood. Then there's the bulk and weight. Eliminator is the weight of the bladder (carried anyway so as good as 0g weight really) and the 71g eliminator. You run out mid walk you find the next stream and fill up and drink straight away.

That is before you have to consider about the efficacy of the boiling to kill all nasties. IIRC some thread on here actually said some harm causing cysts or bugs can actually survive boiling waters for a certain length of time. I don't know how true but I have heard that boiling only guaranteed with a surprisingly long time at boiling temperature. Then it is quite possible to lower boiling temperature due to altitude to below safe temperatures too.

All this is to say that each system has its flaws. The eliminator is supposed to shut down when no longer safe or even before that stage. By shut-down I mean nothing gets through at all. That means it is always going to be safe. Boiling needs the operator to know its limitations and when it is safe.

I'm afraid I prefer the eliminator only because it is light and easy to use. For me simplicity, low weight and bulk are key. I also use lightweight gas stoves which means I am never going to waste gas on boiling loads of water up. Each to their own of course.

 

[tobes01]

Yup, it's the mobility that's the challenge here, otherwise I'd be trusting to my millbank bag and a billy.

 

[Elines]

My understanding is that you don' t actually have to boil water to make it safe. This is based on:

post 106 at

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28811&p=917422#post917422

This also includes the supporting evidence for my understanding as it is provided by a reputable organisation.

This is backed up by the following table - provided to me by someone that I respect highly but I don' thave the original source. It supports the contention that boiling is not necessry, but heat for a specified period is. That is where the WAPI - see post 106 referred to above - comes in.

Pathogen	55ºC	75ºC	100ºC (boiling at sea level)
Bacteria	30 minutes	<1 minute	Instant
Viruses except Hepatitis A & B	30&#8211;50 minutes	<1 minute	Instant
Hepatitis A & B	No affect	<10 minutes	1&#8211;2 minutes
Protozoa	5 minutes	1&#8211;2 minutes	Instant
Parasitic worm eggs & larvae	1&#8211;2 minutes	<1 minute	Instant

I should emphasise that I claim no special knowledge of this issue - I just happen to have collected this information as I have gone along and pass it on for other folk to consider

 

[tobes01]

I thought you'd appreciate a quick update on my experiences with two units.

I bought the MSR water purifier. It's a great compact little piece of kit, the pumping action is reasonably comfortable, screws onto a nalgene cap and needs around 50 strokes to fill a litre bottle. I'm quite happy with the purchase.

However, if I was buying again I'd be getting the First Need, which is what they supplied for the group to use. Whilst it feels more like a 'yachting' item, and the vertical pump action isn't as comfortable for my tastes as the MSR, you can't argue with the 20 strokes required to fill a litre bottle. Furthermore, it's a non-ceramic unit so it's more rugged, and the build quality is excellent. Definitely what I'd buy if I had to get another.

 

[Paul_B]

Water quality also effects boiling efficacy. That table is probably right however high particulate count may result in longer boiling times. The nasties can survive minutes of boiling at 100C within particulates apparently (also what I have picked up on my way and also no expert). Also bear in mind boiling temperature decreases with altitude. Something like a degree C every 305m climbed however it is the pressure drop due to altitude that is affecting this so sudden pressure drops due to weather could also have an effect. I did once read that to be sure at high altitude you boil for something like 6 minutes (that was at the sort of elevations at the passes and high camps in the Himalayas).

Mind if I ask why you ruled out the drink-safe system products Tobes01?

 

[BillyBlade]

how about this? (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product353.asp?PageID=40) Got one for my brother who seems to get ill from any water. or this for a bladder (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product433.asp?PageID=40)

From the land of fake eggs fed to children, and lead paint found in toys.

For something as utterly important as drinking water, I'd go with a known quantity.