Whats better for hiking? The tablets you put in your water to clean it, or a water filter?

Just curious, I just moved to colorado and started hiking. So, I’m gettin some stuff together for those “just in case” scenarios, like a first aid kit, pocket knife, rain gear, compass, etc. to keep in my backpack. So, I was thinking of getting those tablets that clean the water, just in case for some reason I’m out longer than I thought i would be, or get lost or whatever. So, is there any reason NOT to use those instead of just getting a water filter, or a reason to get the tablets over the filter?

If you want to be prepared you should carry both, plus a metal vessel of some sort so you can boil water (or make hot beverages, cook small items). The tablets (or drops) don’t take much space in a day pack, and you can find metal cups that fit around the bottom of a water bottle so they have zero footprint in your pack.

The advantages of water filters are that they remove dirt and debris as well as purify the water, so it looks and tastes better. Of course, in a survival situation, taste isn’t crucial, but I drink a lot of water when I’m hiking, refilling as I come across clean sources, and prefer it to taste good whenever possible. Filters are also instant use tools; there is no delay waiting for chemicals or boiling to purify the water. According to the CDC, a water filter must have at least 1.0u efficiency to remove crypto, giardia and protozoa, and virtually all the water filters on the market exceed this recommendation. The First Need XL is generally considered the best unit in terms of purification efficiency.

But water filters can clog or break, so common sense dictates having a backup plan. Water purification tablets or drops are also effective when used as directed, and take up little space in your pack. However, they do not “clean” the water, just kill the cysts and bacteria, and they require time to do their job (20 to 60 minutes, depending on temperature). The chlorine-dioxide tabs/drops do have a bleach smell/taste, but they’re not as bad as the iodine. Carry a bandanna or paper coffee filters to help remove dirt and debris from the water before treating.

The new tech in this area is the portable UV sterilization lamp, as implemented by SteriPen. You fill a water bottle with questionable water and stir it with this battery-operated UV light wand for about a minute, which neutralizes the cysts, bacteria and viruses by scrambling their DNA. This process works best in clear water, so it’s a good idea to carry some paper water filters or use clean bandanna or t-shirt to pre-filter the water. Also, as with any electronic device, there is a chance that the batteries could die or it can get damaged and fail to work when needed. So again, a backup purification method should be carried.

Personally, when I’m hiking I carry the guts from a Sawyer Point Two water filtration bottle modified to fit onto a Camelbak Bite-Sip bottle cap on top of a Nalgene 1L water bottle. I like the Camelbak Bite-Sip cap better than the Sawyer bottle’s sip cap, and the Nalgene bottle fits into my Titanium cup perfectly (the Sawyer was too wide). I use this setup all the time, and the only problem is it will get hard to sip through the filter as it clogs up (this is easily solved by back-flushing the filter at home). I also carry at least 10 Micropur tablets just in case.

Whether you go with tablets, filters or UV sterilization, make sure you take the time to read all the instructions and practice using them at home. Filters require maintenance before/after each outing and periodic filter replacement, otherwise they won’t work when you need them.

Aqua Survival Kit UST (Ultimate Survival Technologies)

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