Aquagear Survivor: Water filter and purification device

CAUTION!

The blurb on this device is written under UK law, NOT under USA law. USA (EPA) law restricts the use of the term 'purifier'. Obviously (to me), UK law does NOT.

The blurb says:
> Removes cysts, metals, Pcb's, Voc's, unpleasant
> taste,cryptosporidium, E-Coli and giardia immediately-
NO mention is made of the filtration threshhold. Will it filter all bacteria, and to what degree? I have serious reservations.

No mention is made of viruses, and on the info available I do not believe that it can or will stop ANY viruses.

Any filter that small with a capacity of 1,600 L is not going to stop enough the bugs imho.

Caveat Emptor

Cheers

Roger look here http://www.aquagearsurvivor.co.uk/technology.html

Seychelle's specs indicate a filter pore size of 2.0 — which is good for filtering out sediments, protozoa, and some of the larger bacteria, like E. Coli. It will not filter out the smallest bacteria — or any viruses.

I've used a Seychelle filter before. Viruses are not problematic in the backcountry. The filter does an excellent job turning murky river water into crystal clear, excellent tasting water. Where viruses aren't an issue, I would recommend the Seychelle — which can be used both as an in-line filter or gravity-fed filter.

A sintered carbon element, perhaps?

I question an aspect of the design. If you fill from the bottom, don't you immerse the drinking spout in raw water when you dip it into the source? Do they supply a decontamination tshirt to wipe it on?

At roughly US$60 I don't see it having any sales impact in the States. Plenty of alternatives at a fraction of that.

Rick:

This is actually a US product being promoted in the UK — and UK prices are almost always significantly higher. Also, you would unscrew the cap first before dunking the bottle to collect water.

Here is the same bottle directly from the US manufacturer:

http://www.seychelle.com/ProductDetail.asp?ProductID=36104&RepID=10001&CategoryID=374&BasketID=

Note in the description it talks about a compartment in the cap to hold chlorine tablets for virus and bacteria protection.

Hi Ken

> Roger look here http://www.aquagearsurvivor.co.uk/technology.html

Ah yes, thank you. To quote:

---

Purification: The killing or neutralizing of microbiological organisms and pathogens (Travel Bug Nasties), such as Cryptosporidium and giardia and includes small disease carrying viral causatives in water supplies.

Normally achieved in portable delivery systems by the addition of iodine tincture or chlorine. This can be in a dissolved form, (iodine), or added as powder, (crushed part of (chlorine tablet), to dissolve when shaken or utilises an in-built purification system.

---

So, the bottle takes out the gravel, protozoa, enormous bacteria (but not the small dangerous ones) and nasty chemicals – which are 'of course' everywhere in mountain streams. To get the 'purification' the front page claims you just need to add horrible-tasting chlorine tablets (or prehistoric tincture of iodine!) to (hopefully) get rid of the serious hazards of small bacteria and viruses.

Yeah, great.

My sarcasm is driven by the way the product is advertised on the front page as being a purifier, while the fine print on another page makes it clear that it is NOT a purifier at all. To my way of thinking this is fraudulent advertising.

My vote goes to Sea to Summit — on two counts:

1. "WATERPROOF" sacks that really aren't (but you won't know unless you read the fine print)

2. Thermolite Reactor (what a name) sleeping bag liners that will boost bag warmth by 15F (a feat that ounce for ounce, even 800fp down can never hope to match)

Truth be told, I was also thinking about that maker of a line of ultralight tents — but since he hasn't been talked about for a while now, I thought it would be best not to unearth that whole issue again. :)

Apparently this product has been test by UK Government labs with the following results:

System additionally tested specifically for immediate removal of Anthrax, Cryptosporidium ( Live cysts used ) E-Coli and E-Faecalis. Additionally Polio- type 1 (Virals) F+RNA phage . Anthrax – Bacillus Globegii. Viral disease causatives 99.9999% immediate removal.

Than what would you recommend?

Especially I'm interested in water treatments for White Mountains area.

> han what would you recommend?
I don't know the White mountains, so i don't know what sort of hazards are there.

Currently I use a Steripen Adventurer (UV), but only when concerned.
I am also field testing an MSR Hydroflow filter.