WATER PURIFIER

[Anonymous]

Does a water purifier which:

-filters water removing bacteria, protozoas and particulate
-kills viruses
-is not chemical
-is lightweight
-is not bulky
-it's easy to use
-doesn't take ages to treat water
-fills up a pot of water quickly
-doesn't cost a fortune

ALL IN ONE exists? If yes, what is it? If not, what's the closest option, please?

Cheers.

[Ian]

A PURIFIER IMPLIES REMOVING, KILLING, OR STERILIZING VIRUS (TO ME ANYWAYS). THERE ARE SOME FILTERS THAT DO THIS, SAWYER .02 IS ONE OF THEM (http://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-point-zerotwo-bucket-purifier-assembly-kit/). I USE THE STERIPEN TO PURIFY WATER AND IT'S BEEN RELIABLE FOR ME WHEN TRAVELING THE WORLD INCLUDING LATIN AMERICA AND ASIA. FOR ME PERSONALLY, I'D FILTER THE WATER THROUGH A SAWYER .1 (BACTERIA AND PROTOZOA / NOT FOR VIRUS) AND THEN HIT THE WATER WITH A PURIFIER LIKE THE STERIPEN OR CHEMICAL LIKE CHLORINE DIOXIDE.

EDIT TO ADD: WHEN I SAY "A PURIFIER IMPLIES REMOVING, KILLING, OR STERILIZING VIRUS (TO ME ANYWAYS)" IT'S IMPLIED THAT BACTERIA AND PROTOZOA ARE REMOVED/STERILIZED/MURDERIZED AS WELL.

[J Mag]

Ian turned me off at first but he is definitely growing on me.

I'll have to get that checked out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure I am able to see the right products through your post. Would you mind pasting me the links to the Sawyer water purifier and water filter you are mentioning please?

Cheers.

[Ian]

WELL J-MAG I'VE BEEN WORKING ON MY GLUTES SO WHO CAN BLAME YOU?

[Ian]

Sure thing.

For starters, here's the Sawyer Squeeze. It'll filter out protozoa and bacteria but not virus. Since you'll be exposed to hepatitis and other viral nasty’s, especially near the cities, you'll want to treat the water with a Steripen or chemical afterwards.
http://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-squeeze-filter-system-sp131/

Here's a link to Sawyer's Point Zero Two which will filter out Bacteria, Protozoa, and virus. No experience with the system so I won't offer an opinion other than to say I've been fine without it in my international travels.

http://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-point-zerotwo-bucket-purifier-assembly-kit/

I use the Steripen Adventurer. It sterilizes protozoa, bacteria and virus. What that means is that while they are not dead, they are incapable of reproducing so ingesting them won't make you sick. I've used this overseas without problem but for your purposes, I'd stick with one that uses AA batteries (or is rechargeable) vs one that uses CR123 batteries.

http://www.steripen.com/compare/

Edit: If you think you'll go the Steripen route, let me know as not all of their lamps are created equal and some of them are designed to have a shorter life span.

[Jeremy and Angela]

Your stove meets most of those requirements. The only downside is having to wait for the water to cool after you boil it. You may want to use a simple filter (bandanna? coffee filter? etc.) to clear out particulates.

If you don't like drinking warm or flat water, the Steripen is a sufficiently close equivalent. (Again, you may want to pair it with a bandanna/coffee filter.)

Do be aware they have been known to fail in the field. You'll know if it happens, but that means you'll want a backup. I prefer chlorine dioxide tablets for that, but at the end of the day you can always just boil the water.

[Anonymous]

But that means A LOT of fuel and I already have got a fuel availability problem…

[Jeremy and Angela]

Yes, it does. My own preference is the Steripen, especially since you can even use it in a restaurant if you don't trust the water and they're all out of beer. Just carry a backup.

[Anonymous]

The steripen still needs a filter though and its pre-filter is useless with pots and/or with hydration systems.

[Anonymous]

Hang on a sec. With this water purifier: http://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-point-zerotwo-bucket-purifier-assembly-kit, I need a bucket! Where do I find a bucket in the middle of the forest/beach/mountains??

[Ian]

You wouldn't use a bucket. You'd use a dromedary bag of some sort and use this as part of a inline gravity fed filtration system.

[Ian]

"The steripen still needs a filter though and its pre-filter is useless with pots and/or with hydration systems."

You've got a couple choices. Live dangerously and learn to make compromises or stay home.

[Anonymous]

Sounds complicated…

[Ian]

Sounds complicated…

Well so are you but we don't hold that against you :)

It's not and fairly commonplace with the exception that it's normally done with a squeeze filter instead of the .02 one.

[Jeremy and Angela]

Practically speaking, it's going to be hard to find a lightweight filter that handles virii. It's quicker and easier to use a very simple filter to get the larger particles, then let UV or chemicals do out the rest.

A very handy setup one of the other BPLers here used was a Gatorade bottle with multiple lids:
1. One normal lid.
2. One lid with most of the top cut away and a metal mesh coffee filter glued over the opening.
3. One lid with a hole cut just the right size to fit a Steripen Freedom model.

This makes it easy to filter out large particulates (screw on the filter lid and dunk in a stream), treat the water with the Steripen, and either pour into a cookpot/hydration bladder or just put on the lid and walk.

[Anonymous]

"It's not and fairly commonplace with the exception that it's normally done with a squeeze filter instead of the .02 one."

What does this mean?

[Jeremy and Angela]

You have a bag of "dirty" water above, a bag for the "clean water" below, and the filter connecting them. You can squeeze the top bag (thus the name "Squeeze") or just let gravity do its work.

[Ian]

"What does this mean?"

The system I'm describing is a "gravity fed filtration system" and you'll find many people here at BPL use them with great success. The exception is that they are using the squeeze (or similar) filter which only removes bacteria and protozoa.

You'd need to learn how to a) prefilter the water to try and keep your filter from becoming clogged, and b) learn how to backflush the filter when it does indeed become clogged. Neither of these things are complicated in the slightest.

[Anonymous]

"You'd need to learn how to a) prefilter the water to try and keep your filter from becoming clogged, and b) learn how to backflush the filter when it does indeed become clogged. Neither of these things are complicated in the slightest."

Do I need to learn that with the gravity filter?
How about this one: http://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-2-liter-water-filtration-system-2/
?

[Ian]

That system will work for protozoa and bacteria but not virus. Replace the filter with the .02 and you'd theoretically be in business for virus; can't say for sure as I've only used the squeeze filter not the .02.

[Anonymous]

It does on REI: http://www.rei.com/product/778046/sawyer-complete-water-purifier-system-4-liter#specsTab

Are you saying to buy this: Sawyer Point ZeroTWO™ Bucket Purifier Assembly Kit and this Sawyer 2 Liter Water Filtration System and put them together?

[Ian]

Here's Sawyer's FAQ page:

http://sawyer.com/international/faqs/

Here's their contact page:

http://sawyer.com/contact/

I'd shoot them an email, and tell them exactly what it is you are trying to do (important that they know you want to filter out virus) and the conditions you'll be operating in. I've found that they are quick to respond.

I've used the Sawyer Squeeze and the Sawyer Mini but I haven't used the .02 so I don't want to give you bad information.

[Mike W]

Good chart

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/buying_water_portable.html

[Author]

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