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rachelinouray
Jul 19, 2007, 9:58 PM
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As I prepare for my next trip, I am considering a new product... exchanging my usual iodine solution for the new SteriPen water purifier that uses UV light to disinfect water.
In my informal poll so far, I find that climbers treat the new product/system with skepticism. At the same time, the skepticism is usually vocalized as something like 'I just don't trust it.'
It's pretty light (3oz) and there's a solar panel available... so it's not a question of size or longevity... I think the question comes down to whether it really works.
Any thoughts?
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brewer19
Jul 19, 2007, 10:12 PM
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i would put it to a plate test first, but that's just my biology/brewing background talking, and probably isn't practical for most. but I can tell you that UV light is pretty effective against microbial life.
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dingus
Jul 19, 2007, 10:25 PM
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I've used em. Brutus and Em brought one into the Palisades with them last year. We had pill backups, but used the steripen exclusively for 4 days.
Here's my imprssion
Cons first:
Don't you dare drop it!
Battery operated, just one more gizmo to fail, backup batteries a must
No faster than pumping, imo,
Won't filter sediment/bugs
Pros:
Easy!
Seems to work.
No bad taste
No pumping
No clogging
More compact than a filter. Lighter than most too I think.
I started out skeptical too. But after using one (and seeing the prices come down too) I think they have a place on the rack so to speak.
A month in the backcountry I'd want a real filter. But for light and fast with small packs for those who can't abide iodine water and drink it unfiltered instead? It may be a solution. 3 day dashes into the Sierra...
or even, tuck it in your day pack of climbing pack in case you run out of water and have to drink something suspect. Not talking about hauling it up a route or anything. A long day hike, instead of toting a gallon of water refillng along the way, etc.
But don't drop it!
DMT
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rachelinouray
Jul 19, 2007, 10:33 PM
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thanks for the feedback. I'll be in Asia for about 4 months, living out of my backpack... so I'll probably have iodine as my backup, regardless of whether I buy this guy or not.
If I do go this route, I'll spring for the solar charger. I barely know what CR-123 batteries are, so I doubt I'll find them in Central Asia.
No dropping, huh? I'm not a total clutz, but that's good beta.
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sspssp
Jul 19, 2007, 11:35 PM
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dingus wrote: Cons first: Don't you dare drop it! Battery operated, just one more gizmo to fail, backup batteries a must No faster than pumping, imo, Won't filter sediment/bugs Pros: Easy! Seems to work. No bad taste No pumping No clogging
Compared to a filter it is much, much lighter. I find it faster than a filter. Pull the cap off and it is good to go. No hooking up a tube. No scrubbing down the filter. No pumping nuisance. Even if you can pump as fast as the steripen works (and can you really?), I can hold the pen and bottle and still do something else (like eat a sandwhich).
I never thought of it as that fragile (but maybe I should).
Does it work? Who knows. For alpine country where the water is most likely pretty good even without treatment, I think it is great peace of mind. Would I trust it traveling through Africa. Hhmm, no.
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todd_climberinla
Jul 19, 2007, 11:49 PM
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I just bought one and used it for a multi-day backpacking trip in the Sierras. I loved it: Just scoop up some water in a container, sterilize, and drink.
It costs about $130 at REI. It's extremely light and sterilizes a liter of water in about a minute. Works best with a nalgene bottle (or other wide-mouthed bottle).
It definitely looks fragile, so you definitely don't want to drop the light on a rock or something. I keep it in my pack, as it weighs next to nothing.
Of course, I can't tell you if really works, but none of us got sick :)
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drfelatio
Jul 20, 2007, 12:49 AM
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That thing's pretty neat. You can get a pre-filter for it as well which is nice to remove particulates. As for the reliability of the UV, I know that UV light is used to sterilize surfaces in biotech labs (I work in one, btw, and we use UV to keep our biological safety cabinet germ-free). So I'd assume that, so long as the lamp provides UV as stated and so long as it provides it in a high enough intensity for a long enough of a time, then, yeah, it should effectively kill any microbes in the water.
Definitely looks fragile though. At $130 I'd hate to break that thing!
(This post was edited by drfelatio on Jul 20, 2007, 12:49 AM)
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dingus
Jul 20, 2007, 12:58 AM
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Steripen is a brand name. I saw a virtually identical model in an airline catalog of all places, for like 70 bucks or something. Research may prove fruitful...
Took us longer than a minute to do a full nalgene, closer to 2 minutes per. And as the battery goes it takes longer.
Faster pumping depends on the pump. Sweetwater? No way, those things are slow. Something like a Pur, fairly close.
But the point about laying there and lazily waving the steripen around the water as you stare up at solme north face... is well taken. MUCH EASIER!
DMT
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carabiner96
Jul 20, 2007, 2:14 AM
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I tested for steripen, and my job was to TRY and break the bulb. Short of purposely stomping on it on a concrete floor, I couldn't do it.
They're hardy, reliable, safe, user friendly, light weight, and if you go for the adventure pen, you can get the optional solar charging battery case.
The classic steripen is only $100, and outpays filters fast. Cost of filter + one replacement cartridge= way more than 100 bucks.
I like em. A lot.
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roy_hinkley_jr
Jul 20, 2007, 5:28 PM
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I prefer the UV Aquastar since you have to carry a Nalgene anyhow and it doubles as a nice lantern. Cheaper too. http://www.uvaquastar.com/
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Roam
Jul 20, 2007, 6:40 PM
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Based on what I hear from my backpacker buddies they work really well. AT thru-hikers claimed they broke too easy, but those guys tend to abuse their stuff way more than normal users. For regular weekend warrior use, I believe they are durable and trustworthy.
It'll be my next gear purchase and replace my Hiker filter (PUR).
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dlintz
Jul 20, 2007, 7:52 PM
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Roam wrote: Based on what I hear from my backpacker buddies they work really well. AT thru-hikers claimed they broke too easy, but those guys tend to abuse their stuff way more than normal users. For regular weekend warrior use, I believe they are durable and trustworthy. It'll be my next gear purchase and replace my Hiker filter (PUR).
I just got mine today to replace my 12 year old Pur Hiker. I bought the Adventurer model versus the Classic for it's size and battery use.
I was skeptical at first also but everyone I've talked to really likes them. It's gonna see it's first use next week in Lost Creek. 
d.
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