When my son and I decided to go to Isle Royale I assumed we would use my Steripen to treat water. My son then read the water treatment recommendations on the NPS page. With both tape worms and viruses, the options are more complicated.
I have read all the relevant material on BPL and many other sources. There are many ideas for using pre filters to catch the tape worms and finishing with a Steripen. Squeeze filters would need to be combined with a Steripen or chemicals to be effective with viruses. All the options involve multiple steps and seem very inconvenient.
Reviewing pump style devices the MSR Guardian Water Purifier stood out. As a purifier one device covers all the water contaminants. It is fast and directly attaches to our collection of water containers that have wide mouth Nalgene threads. The process of using the Guardian seemed simple. On the negative side the Guardian is large, heavy, and very expensive.
I found the MSR Guardian Water Purifier for $50 off the normal price and decided to give it a try. When we took the new purifier out of the box and tried it at our kitchen sink, we found that the piston end nut was broken. I am in the process of returning the filter for replacement, but the seller does not expect to have more stock in time for our trip. If we want an MSR Guardian Water Purifier for this trip we will have to pay full price.
Before I place an order for another Guardian I am reviewing the options and backup plans for each option. What is the most practical water treatment process for Isle Royale? What backup plans should be in place for failure of critical parts of the treatment process?
Also boiling water is not a very practical backup plan for Isle Royale. Fire is only allowed in limited locations, and we do not plan to carry sufficient fuel to boil all our water.
Thanks
