steripen compatible container

"So put one less ounce of water in it."

Well, an ounce less water is an ounce less water. The purpose of those things is to hold water. But I'm just saying it seems a little overbuilt.

I'm actually not a huge fan of the large mouth for drinking purposes since I pour a lot on my shirtfront with those. But of course I can decant into a Platypus.

Konrad: I see, I didn't really think about it being a gatorade bottle specifically, I was thinking to my use of the nalgene bottle.

I think my version would use that plastic mayo jar which without the long head which would eliminate that concern, the steripen would sit in correctly. I do like the idea of the hole with a seal as it makes the whole process easier, and you can flip it if that makes you feel better, though I don't think with the mayo jar it's necessary.

I would go with an oval grommet, which plenty of manufacturers make, it's just a matter of getting the right size for the adventurer opti's oval shape.

Really guys, are you SO cheap you can't afford a decent bike bottle? Camelbak even sells a lightly insulated bike bottle. The mouths are easily wide enough to accomodate a SteriPen. And a bike bottle, though a few grams heavier, will FAR outlast a Gatorade bottle.

Besides that Gatorade crap is sweetened with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. It's the most fattening stuff on the planet.

"In a perfect world, the Scotch should be enjoyed with a few cubes of 15,000 year old glacial ice…."

a cool thought, but all the water on the earth is that old (or whenever water was created)… there is no "new" or "old" water :D

"Really guys, are you SO cheap you can't afford a decent bike bottle? "

Eric,

Why so imflamatory? People like what they like.

Todd

"And a bike bottle, though a few grams heavier," Eric. Did you forget where you are?

No one said anything about drinking the Gatorade. You can always just dump it down the drain if you find its ingredients so offensive :D At less than $2.00 its not a huge loss.

And while one Camelbak bottle may outlast one Gatorade bottle, I doubt it will outlast 6 Gatorade bottles (which you could get for the same price as one Camelbak bottle). I can easily get one year of use out of a Gatorade bottle. In the 6 years it would take for the cost of the Gatorade bottles to catch up I'm confident science will find that the new BPA-free bottles have some other adverse effect on the human body.

Adam
(just playing devils advocate, nothing personal meant)

I'm jumping in late… so apologies in advance if I am asking something that's already been discussed…

Conrad:

You didn't mention in your original post what type of Steripen you're using? Classic or one of the compact models?

I am pretty sure you'll be fine using the Steripen with wide-mouth bottles like Nalgene Cantene or Platy Big Zips, etc. — as those allow you to stir and fully agitate the water.

For those who suggest narrower mouth bottles like Aquafina — has anyone verified effectiveness with the manufacturer — esp. with the compact models? It's not only whether or not you can fit the light tube through the opening. Treatment requires sufficient stirring to whirl up the baddies close enough to the light tube! Baddies sinking toward the bottom of a long, narrow bottle that's barely stirred will likely survive the zapping — particularly with compact models.

If you have fittings that enable you to treat the water with the bottle upside down — that should be fine — but otherwise, you should check with Steripen — if you haven't already.

Ben. You are assuming that the water has floaties in it. Not the case in many places up here where the water looks like it came straight from the tap. Better sometimes. I wonder what the safety margin is with a Steripen. 50% maybe? Would love to be able to treat a 2 liter Dromlite with one dose from the pen. Even if it was a liter and a half of water. Who could test that with lab equipment for us?

No, not floaties — but baddies (bacteria, protozoa, etc.) that we can't see — stuff that tend toward the bottom of the bottle — and potentially out of zapping range when using a compact model Steripen with a comparatively narrow mouth bottle that makes stirring difficult. I suppose one can whirl the bottle itself instead of stirring the Steripen in order to agitate the water — but I just wonder if users have checked this with Steripen.

Short UV tube + long, narrow bottle – rigorous water agitation = potentially suboptimal (ineffective) performance??

i just use a regular nalgene bottle. this bottle is also a nice hot water bottle for cold nights (or if i'm concerned it may freeze overnight). it makes everything simple, and thus is worth its weight. i carry a gatoraid bottle and 1.8L platy big zip for extra water storage

A few of my friends have been using Steripens with regular water bottles (e.g. Dasani) by flipping them and shaking. The older models fit the narrow bottles perfectly, unlike the oblong-shaped (why?) Opti, so you can seal the opening, invert the bottle, and shake it gently while the lamp's active.

The evidence I have is hardly scientific, but so far this has worked fine and left them healthy.

Do you have to do it in a bottle?

Then I pour into my water bottle. Dead easy.

Cheers

Benjamin, my Steripen Journey came with an insert from the manufacturer recommending use with a standard narrow-mouth water bottle using the invert and swirl method – complete with an illustration.

It will also fit a Platy mouth, but the neck of the Platy is so long that the lamp barely reaches past it. I'm content to use an Aquafina or Dasani bottle since that's what I drink out of anyway.

Hi Will:

Thanks for clarifying. Yeah, I use Platys and the folks at Steripen was clear about not using the compact models with Platy's.

As stated in my earlier post, so long as one is able to invert the bottle so that water can be agitated and the baddies will tend to sink toward the UV tube — then that should be fine. Good to know you can do that with Aquafina!! I have the Adventurer model and now I am wondering if there is an insert for that??

Ben. Can you point me to some information that supports the theory that the baddies settle to the bottom? I would think that living organisms would be throughout, swimming around.

No cap adapter available from Steripen for the Adventurer model.

Settling to the bottom is probably the wrong way to put it — lest someone pictures pristine water in the top half of the bottle and all the baddies landing at or near the bottom.

Swimming around all throughout (with maybe the heavier stuff like protozoa swirling more around the bottom half) is a more accurate picture.

Be that as it may, my point (as posted earlier) is that a short UV tube + longer narrower bottle – ability to really stir or agitate water = suboptimal / ineffective performance.

Thanks for the info,. regarding Adventurer model. Shucks.

Thanks, and you're welcome.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound inflammatory when chiding guys for complaining that Gatorade bottle necks were too small for a SteriPen.

But… a bike bottle seems a handy solution B/C it has that wide mouth. And, unlike a Gatorade bottle, you don't have to take the top off to drink from it – the main idea of a bike bottle. :)