steripen

Well, I keep finding mixed reviews on the Steripen. I would like to have something like this in the woods. Anyone no how well these things actually work, I don't want to waste my money on something that doesn't do what it's suppose to.

All equipment fails sometime. Whether it has batteries or not.

If you want to know how it works for you, check with the REI rental counter or friends who backpack who might lend one to you, and see if you can borrow one for a hike. Take along some chemicals as a backup if you're going on a long dayhike or overnighter.

I've only seen one of them in action; I like how compact they are and the prefilter that screws on a widemouth container. I didn't like that it requires a widemouth container, because it would limit capacity and mean multiple "pennings" to refill my 2L bladder.

If you like the Steripen buy it from a source like REI who have a liberal return policy.

I own a Classic which I use when traveling. Hotel water, that sort of thing. For backcountry use I prefer Micropur MP1. MP1 works as well as my Steripen; or anything else for that matter. But MP1 tablets are, *for me* a much better option.

So, do water treatment methods like the Steripen work? Unfortunately, as has been discussed exhaustively .... we can't prove anything either way. I will say that if your Steripen is working properly, it should do exactly what the manufacturer says it will do. Assuming you follow instructions, etc.

HTH.

Peace,

Richard.

Here's my totally unscientific, anecdotal comment:

I've had/used a classic for 2+ years. Never had a functional problem. Never got sick from the water I treated with it. Used it for 4 days and had plenty of battery juice left. I always take extreme care to store it in my pack and to avoid dropping it. I'm noticing a bit or corrosion on one of the electrodes, probably because I didn't dry it completely after use. It's not the lightest/simplest option but it has its niche.

I like mine. Does it work? Well the thing lights up and I haven't got sick so I presume that it is indeed killing bugs. Is it worth the money? That's a matter of taste really.

Some people really like to filter water. I'm not one. I had a bad experience in the Sierras back in the 90s. The filter got harder and harder to pump and by the end of the week I was boiling instead. I also tend to shy away from chemicals because I don't like the taste. That's why I prefer the steripen.

I have heard of people who got theirs and it didn't work right out of the box. Make sure you can return it if that's the case. But I haven't heard of people who had one that worked initially and then stopped working in the field. That hasn't happened to me either so I think if it works the first time it will probably work as long as the batteries are good. But YMMV

Heber

UV is a proven method. The important question is what kind of water treatment are YOU looking for?

To me, the five general things are:

1. clarify water by removing sediments, particulates, etc.
2. improve water taste
3. treat viruses
4. treat bacteria
5. treat protozoa (giardia, crypto, etc.)

The steripen will perform #3-5. It comes with a prefilter that can filter out stuff big enough that you can see -- but won't turn brown river water or green algae water into clear water. It will also do nothing about #2.

Doing #3-5 is good enough for some people (particularly those who hike the western mountains). Question is whether that fits your needs?

Just to be clear, UV light does not kill bugs per se. Instead it scrambles their DNA so they can't reproduce. So you're still drinking live bacteria but they won't be partying in your digestive tract.

A lot of the times an item such as Steripen gets a negative review is simply because of "user" error.

One common mistake is when people use alkaline batteries instead of lithium or nimh batteries. Alkaline are not recommended and will quickly die after only a few uses. Lithium is the battery of choice for all Steripens.

It amazes me how many people simply don't read directions.

Also, I believe only the Steripen Classic comes with a prefilter that fits most wide-mouth bottles. The other models don't include a pre-filter.

Never had a problem with mine. I carry Micropur tabs as a backup.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'll try this thing out. I don't have to worry too much about green and brown water where I'm at. Maybe later in the summer when I get the chance to travel outside of my "home range" I'll need something else. Thanks again. Happy walking.