SteriPEN Adventurer
Quick and light option for treating drinking water on extended wilderness hikes and while travelling.
Pros
- It's fast. It treats 1L of water in under two minutes, while chemical treatments and mechanical filters can take hours.
- It's simple to use. The UV lamp lights up visibly while treating the water so you can be sure that it’s working, and green and red lights remove any doubt.
- It’s small, lightweight and tough.
- I don't have to worry about build up of chemicals like iodine and chlorine in my system on longer trips.
- It doesn't leave any residual taste and I trust it to blast everything from bacteria to protozoa, viruses and giardia.
- Relatively cheap for a filter that can sterilise viruses when compared to mechanical filters
Cons
- It’s worth remembering that this is a battery-operated gizmo that can fail you in your time of need. I always take spare batteries and a back up treatment method. Solar and USB rechargeable batteries are also cool.
- If you're treating turbid water you need to carry a Steripen or other pre-filter, as the UV light doesn't filter particulate matter.
Final result: Great for travelling, hiking, climbing – this is my water treatment method of choice. Especially useful when traveling to third world countries where the bottled water can’t be completely trusted. It’s so easy just to pop this in and away you go.
Nina
Nina enjoys extended walks in wilderness areas. She doesn't fear the turbid waters of life, but sees them as potential to refresh her being.