Potable Aqua Purification Iodine Tablets Review

The 5 most common ways backpackers/campers purify water are
1. Boil it.Obviously slow and cumbersome.If doing strenuous backpacking/canoeing each person will need to boil a big pot of water every night.
2. Natural sunlight - letting water sit in the sun for 6 hours works (need cloudless day, correct kind of clear plastic container). The World Health Organization published a study on this, but Amazon won't let me link to it.
3. Water pump - I have used MSR HyperFlow Microfilter, though there are cheaper options if you can accept it being slightly larger.In my opinion this is the best method.
4. Household chlorine bleach - the EPA and WHO give instructions on doing this. The EPA says this may not kill Cryptosporidium. I've never tried.
5. Iodine tablets -

Positives:
-Tablets are small/light for backpackers
-Only takes 30 minutes to have water ready
-No work required

Negatives:
-EPA says it is not 100% affective against Giardia and Cryptosporidium, especially if the water is cold while being treated.
-The taste is slightly bad ('metallic' is my best description).

I think a good attitude towards these tablets is "emergency use" (which is labeled on the side of the bottle, not visible in the Amazon image). No good backpacker doesn't have these, but I suggest a water pump as the planned primary method. Note: there are also iodine "neutralizer" tablets that are supposed to remove the bad taste (you drop them in after the 30 minutes is up and wait another 30 minutes).In my opinion they barely change the taste and are not worth it.

I'm only giving 4 stars since the EPA says it is not 100% effective against Giardia and Cryptosporidium.I'd give 5 stars if the product was named something such as "EMERGENCY AQUA" vs. "POTABLE AQUA".

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Product Description:
Used worldwide by campers, hikers, militaries, emergency organizations, and anyone else who needs to drink water of questionable quality, these Portable Aqua iodine tablets will disinfect contaminated drinking water in a pinch. The tablets--which are intended for short-term or limited emergency use only--make most water bacteriologically suitable for drinking, proving effective against Giardia lamblia when used as directed. Each Potable Aqua tablet contains 20 mg of Tetraglycine Hydroperiodide (TGHP), which liberates 8 mg of titratable iodine when released into water. Within 30 minutes, the iodine will have penetrated the cell walls of the microorganisms, rendering them inactive and making the water safe to drink. Potable Aqua tablets also neutralize the iodine aftertaste and color, helping your drinking water taste better.
About Potable Aqua
Potable Aqua iodine water disinfection tablets were developed by Harvard University in conjunction with the U.S. Army in the 1940s, and have been used by the military for emergency drinking water disinfection for more than 50 years. Pharmacal currently supplies the U.S. Military with Potable Aqua for its emergency drinking water needs. Potable Aqua is also widely used by campers, backpackers, and various other militaries around the world. With the addition of the Potable Aqua Traveler and Chlorine Dioxide Water Purification Tablets, Potable Aqua continues to meet the ever-changing needs of today's outdoor enthusiast.


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Katadyn Drip (Ceradyn) Water Filter (Spring 2010) Review

I have used the Ceradyn Water Filter in Ghana, West Africa for the past seven years. It has performed very well, filtering up to 3 gallons a day. I clean it periodically with a moderately abrasive pad. Green algae grows on the filter after the top-fill container drains into the lower one. It cleans up well and I have added a little chlorine at times to cut down the problem.
People who are considering such long time use of a water filter should not purchase the Gravidyn Water Filter because the effective life span of the central charcoal core is only six months. When I call Katadyn about its effectiveness past six months, they warned me that the charcoal core could develop mold after that time and is impossible to clean effectively. So I am purchasing a new Ceradyn filter for our up-coming work in Liberia.

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Product Description:
No pumping required with the Drip (Ceradyn) Water Filter by Katadyn. Free-standing gravity filter with 3 ceramic filters and a 10 liter water container for large quantities of water. Filters without effort. With 3 ceramic filters for maximum capacity. SPECIFICATIONS of the Drip (Ceradyn) Water Filter by Katadyn Technology: 0.2 micron ceramic depth filter Output: 1 gal/hr / 4 L/h Cartridge Capacity: Up to 39,000 l (depending on water quality) Weight: 3300 g / 116.4 oz Dimensions: 25 x 45 cm / 11 x 18 in Capacity: 40"000 gal / 150"000 L BPA-free: Katadyn uses only plastics that are FDA approved and BPA-free.

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Katadyn Combi Water Microfilter Review

i have had my katadyn combi since 1995 it gives you not only safe drinking water but good tasting with the carbon filter and it's cheaper then the katadyn pocket filter made of plastic but it's really tough. i found if you use a coffee filter on the hose the ceramic filter lasts longer

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Product Description:
The Katadyn Combi Microfilter combines a silver impregnated ceramic element and a refillable, activated carbon cartridge. It is effective against bacteria and protozoa and also reduces chemicals and bad taste. With the optional "PLUS" package, the Combi can be connected to a water faucet for multifunctional use in campers, cottages or boats.
Key Features:

2-stage filter (active carbon, ceramic) not only removes disease-causing agents, but also chemicals and improves the taste of the drinking water
Simple change to 1-stage operation (only ceramic without activated carbon stage) reduces use of active carbon granules and ensures maximum use of capacity
Long lasting and extremely reliable
Tap add-on kit "Plus" offers simple connection to a tap in a kitchen, caravan, camper or boat--the only water filter for both indoor and outdoor use
Cleanable ceramic filter element--also filters very cloudy water
Measuring gauge supplied--indicates when the filter element should be changed

Ceramic filters have a micro porous structure with impregnated silver which delays the growth of bacteria. The pore-size of Katadyn ceramic filters is 0.2 micron (0.0002 mm). Bacteria range in size from 0.2 to 5 micron and, like protozoa (1 to 15 micron), are efficiently filtered out. Ceramic filters can be mechanically regenerated and the filter capacity is measurable.
Activated carbon is used for its ability to reduce harmful organic and inorganic substances in the water. It removes unpleasant tastes, odors, chlorine, pesticides (lindane, DDT) and trihalomethanes (THMs). These substances adhere to the large surface area of the activated carbon. Activated carbon granulate cannot be regenerated.
Specifications:

Technology: 0.2 micron ceramic depth filter and activated carbon
Output: ca. 1 liters/minute
Cartridge Capacity: up to 50,000 l (depending on water quality)
Carbon Capacity: up to 400 l (2 fillings)
Weight: ca. 580 g
Size: 27 x 6 cm (10.6 x 2.4 inches)
Includes: Prefilter, bottle adaptor and carry bag

Why Treat Water?
A crystal-clear stream or lake usually contains microorganisms that can make you sick. Water contaminants like protozoa, bacteria and viruses, can cause serious illness. Optimize your travel preparation and use a portable drinking water system from Katadyn.
About Katadyn
Katadyn of Switzerland has been producing high quality portable water systems since 1928. Their history has been one of innovation and durability. Katadyn products are used by militaries, health organizations and outdoor adventurers world-wide. No other water system provides higher quality or longer lasting performance. Katadyn is the global leader in portable water treatment. With subsidiaries in the United States, Germany, France, and Singapore; Katadyn develops, produces and distributes high quality products which are used whenever safe drinking water isn't available--for travel, camping and humanitarian operations.


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Polar Pure Water Disinfectant With Iodine Crystals Review

Our group used Polar Pure in the Boundary Waters and Quetico on a week-long canoe trip.At first, everyone was squeamish about using iodine and so we spent a lot of time pumping water with a conventional filter.But the filter leaked and so some of us decided maybe we'd try to survive the awful taste of iodine in the water.Color me surprised - the water tasted fine.It was convenient - just dip your water bottle over the side of the canoe to fill, add a capful of Polar Pure solution, shake, and wait 20 minutes.It tasted great.Could I taste the difference between Polar Pure and filtered water?Sure, on a side-by-side taste test I could tell a slight difference.But it was so much more compact and convenient than the water filter that I switched to Polar Pure for the rest of the week.Now I'm going to get bottles for the rest of the family so that we can take it on our hikes and trips in the Cascades and Olympics.A small bottle in a backpack and we'll never run out of water on those hot grinding switchback trails.

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Product Description:
Whether you're traveling in unfamiliar countries, camping in the great outdoors, or just want to be prepared in case of emergency, the Polar Pure water disinfectant is a space-efficient, reliable choice. Polar Pure uses a unique bottle design to deploy pure crystallized iodine into contaminated water. This iodine destroys waterborne pathogens, including the Giardia cysts and microorganisms (viruses) that normally pass through filters. All you have to do is simply add water to your Polar Pure bottle--which features a particle trap to prevent the loss of iodine crystals--and you will create a saturated solution to disinfect your water. The water cap then acts as the measuring cup, dispersing the required amount of Polar Pure to disinfect each quart/liter bottle of water.
Polar Pure offers several advantages over other water-disinfectant methods. It's far more portable than carrying household chlorine bleach, which is often available only in a dilute solution when traveling in many parts of the world. It's more convenient than bringing along enough fuel to boil water every time you want a drink, especially at altitude. And unlike most water filters, Polar Pure doesn't get clogged over time. In fact, a single bottle of Polar Pure treats up to 2,000 quarts of water. Other advantages: Polar Pure doesn't deteriorate in extreme temperatures, it has an indefinite shelf life, and it's small and light enough for backpacking or traveling.


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