water treatment

> The cap is such a PITA to take off

Hi Barbara. Do a search for some of Roger Caffin's recent comments on the Steripen. He has attached a screwmount of some sort to his cap so it can be taken off easily by hand.

Hi Barbara

Yeah, I agree!. I replaced that recessed thumbscrew with another one (MYOG) with a raised top.

In response to the last discussion about this I have submitted an MYOG article on how to replace the thumbscrew, with several alternatives. You can MYOG, or you can just buy a thumbscrew.

Cheers

Hi Roger – great idea – I'm definitely trying that one out – if I was frustrated and swearing in the kitchen, it's gonna be way worse on the trail….
Barbara

You can MYOG, or you can just buy a thumbscrew.

Great idea, Roger! What size thread do you need on the thumbscrew? Thanks.

Hi Barbara,

You've gotten a lot of good response, but I'd like to back up and review your initial statement a bit. Why couldn't you solely use Aqua Mira (or some other ClO2 source)?

JMT water quality is quite good compared to a lot of places you might hike, and designing your water treatment regime around cryptosporidium might well be considered "overkill." (I'm reading between the lines here and presuming you're concerned about a four-hour treatment time, which is specific to crypto.)

Many, many PCT thruhikers rely solely on ClO2 with good success, and I'd argue that hiking the backbone of the high Sierra might be the least challenging portion of the entire trail WRT drinking water quality.

All that said, UV is a great alternative, given you follow the very sound advice about carrying top-quality batteries and use a simple prefilter to minimize debris. Some ClO2 tablets, or Aqua Mira as backup and you're 99.9% bulletproof.

My $0.02: pick a system and trail-test it before your JMT trip to become comfortable with it. You'll be fine!

Cheers,

Rick

Barbara,

The Platypus Clean Stream and the MSR Gravity Filter are the same thing….I believe that they are the same company.

I may be wrong on this, but I believe that they use the same hollow tube filtering technology as the Sawyer Filter.

If you go that route, one way of decreasing the weight of the system would be to use your hydration system as the catch bag for the clean water. (Assuming that you use a hydration system).

I would be also curious to get feed back from others who have used the Clean Stream System.

Though, I find it heavier than the gravity filter system that I am using now.

-Tony

> All – has anyone tried out the Platy Clean Stream gravity filter that goes down to 0.2 microns? Using it with a lighter weight bag and my own water container for the clean water would cut the weight (advertised as 12.7oz, tho the filter itself is advertised as 4 ozs).

Here you go, My Platy CleanStream gravity system

As has been noted, you still need some chemical treatment if you are worried about viruses.

I am leaning towards the Frontier Pro for my gravity filter, because it is lighter and contains activated carbon, but the CleanStream has a better flow rate and longer life.

Depending on your intended usage, your area and the length of your hike, a case could be made for either filter.

I've decided to go with my already purchased Steripen Adventurer plus backup Micropur tabs or AM drops AND my daughter will bring the AGG Frontier Pro. We'll have the tab/drops to use with it if we have to. And we can always ditch one or t'other at one of resupply places (mail it home, that is).
That's the plan for now at least…
and thank you ALL once again.
Barbara

Hi Dondo

> What size thread do you need on the thumbscrew?
But if I tell you that you won't need to read the article … :-)

It's M3. Google thumbscrews – several good sources. For that matter, try a large hardware store too. Plenty of ways of hacking an M3x20 screw…

Cheers

But if I tell you that you won't need to read the article … :-)

No chance of that, Roger. I always read your stuff. You never know what kind of surprises you'll have in store. :-)

"I'm reading between the lines here and presuming you're concerned about a four-hour treatment time, which is specific to crypto."

I thought that the long time was for cysts in general,not just crypto. I also understand that giardia, if present, is apt to be in cyst form in cold water — and therefore the long time would apply to that as well.

BTW: I understand that crypto cysts are down to 1 micron. Does anyone have *reliable* information on how small giardia cysts can be (I have seen several pretty differing "facts")?

— MV