When You Can't Carry Enough Water

This thread is for sharing information on products that filtrate "wild water" for use on the trail.

I use an MSR Microfilter that weights about 8 ounces and is the size of a flashlight. Many types of drinking bottles can screw onto it. You drop the intake hose into the water source and start pumping the handle, filtering about 1 liter per minute. The replaceable filter inside is good for 500 gal of water. Costs about $100 these days. It's 100% effective in filtering giardia, metals, nitrates, you name it. One of these would be great for getting communal water for cooking, etc.

Does anyone have experience with the little emergency straws? You can get them for about $10 and they typically filter up to 30 gal. Possibly a more economical choice for individual hikers, especially the boys.

Water filter, necessary sign of the day and age. I've never looked into a straw because I can psychologically drink what I harvest without boil or filter. I carry the personal one below

For personal, hiking, etc... good Ranger project



for family / outpost level

Nice. I wonder if people are too uptight about drinking natural water.

same as real estate, location, location, location.
If I were in the higher altitude mountains where the majority of the people were below me. I'd likely drink natural. I however live in Iowa, surrounded by farmers, and fertilizers, pesticides, and everything else. So sad statement is that the it's better to be safe than sorry.
I do understand your point, that's why I don't feel like dropping 200.00 on a filter. the 10 britta option, okay I'll do that.

Not to mention setting and example for the Rangers. Sometimes that yoke has splinters.

Yet, most people have no issue with buying bottled water (usually municipal tap) which contains Flouride. 

What are your thoughts on distilled vs tap vs bottled spring water?

I prefer distilled, but I mindlessly buy case after case of Nestle water bottles because of the convenience of just grabbing another one when I need it. Leave it somewhere? No sweat, just grab another.... We live in a disposable society. Sometimes I do keep a jug of distilled in the truck to refill the little bottles.

I have 3 groups water filters and my son has the straw version.

My favorite is the Platapus Gravity Works. Best hands down for one person or 15. No pumping, to clean it all you do is back flush it. cost is about 109.00 and it filters and fliters and filters water. 4 liter and the bag can be used as a blatter and it's lighter than my pump filter.

http://www.rei.com/b/platypus/c/water-bottles-and-treatment?q=gravityworks&s_kwcid=q2BhVDQI|pcrid|3014194694|pkw|Platypus%20Gravityworks|pmt|be|bing|main

Mark Jones

I figure distilled water is as pure H2O as you can get. Some will claim it will detox for a few weeks which maybe true but after that decalcify your bones. I don't believe that is true. Others claim you won't get the vitamins and minerals but I've a chart detailing that you would need 1000's of glasses of water per day to equal your dietary needs. Most vitamin, minerals, etc is derived from food not water. I don't like how we're forced medicated flouride in our water, toothepaste, and aluminum in our deodorants.

RRCmdrBennett wrote: we're forced medicated flouride in our water

Personally, I'm on well water. But the residents of the city I'm next to have consistently voted against putting fluoride into the municipal water supply.  

Good, forced medicating of citizens is a violation our rights.

I use Tom's flouride-free toothpaste. And I was under the impression that it was only antiperspirants that have aluminum in contrast to straight deodorant sticks...

Phillip Gross wrote: antiperspirants that have aluminum

That doesn't make green sense. How can you recycle it?

joecool wrote:

Phillip Gross wrote: antiperspirants that have aluminum

That doesn't make green sense. How can you recycle it?

Scrape the dead skin from your pits and then cash it in. That's where all the aluminum that didn't absorb into your blood stream is...  

I use Toms also. I guess antiperspirants do have alluminum but others don't. I know arm n hammer is natural. 

So much FDA and usda garbage really makes us sick.

Mark Jones wrote: My favorite is the Platapus Gravity Works.

I just looked it up. Resembles a double bag IV drip. All you have to do is pour into the upper bag and let gravity do the work. Very lightweight. Perfect for the campsite. I like it a lot.

One of the Dad's that go with us is buying one after seeing it in action. It's simple. A dirty bag goes to the creek...don't have to fret over a boy putting your filtration device through the dirt and bugs and loosing it. He brings the dirty bag of water back to base camp and hangs it on a tree and snaps in the hose and it's set. It's a closed system so no contaminates can get in. Well thought out.

It would make a great addition to a bug out bag.

Mark Jones

Mark Jones just said bug out bag...I'm scared now haha!

Sounds like a great thing. I might get one too.

GRIN! I knew it. I knowed it. I owned it. YUP set a trap for you and you bit right into it. YUP bug out bag. Water is something we take for granted. Yet with out it we die in a few days. If we drink bad water we die a painfull death. So while I am trusting God for my survival..I am PARINOID/SMART ENOUGH to have this tool...besides I use it sometimes several times a month. It's a grand product that I believe in. SO BUG OUT ON MAN! GRIN! Love you guys. Even the slightly off balance guys like me. GRIN! Not pointing fingers and you may or may not be on this list...HAR! Just go buy the filter you will be glad you did.

Mark Jones

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Mark Jones just said bug out bag...I'm scared now haha!

Like dad always says, when you point at someone else you've got three fingers pointing back at yourself.

Phillip Gross wrote:Like dad always says, when you point at someone else you've got three fingers pointing back at yourself.

The only time its right to have 3 fingers pointing back at yourself is when your finger is on the trigger...

Mark, just had to give you a good ribbing. Think of a bugout bag like a pregnant woman's hospital bag. You like to have it packed before the amniotic fluid hits the fan. You don't know when you'll need it but it helps to be prepped to go. While we stay prayed up I do believe the Lord appreciates a hardworking servant.

Agreed! As far as the pregnant wife goes. Just load her up and take her to the hospital. It's all good.

Mark Jones

Or just call the midwife. We had two of ours at home. That was pretty neat.