Drinking Stream Water

[squidvicious]

As "just a day hiker," I never thought I'd need to worry about filtering (vs. just carrying in what I need). But this year I've found myself frequently going through more water than expected, and having to make decisions about what to do/where to go based on how much water I have left.

I picked up an MRS Trailshot and I've been really happy with it
https://www.rei.com/product/114975/msr- ... ter-filter

You can filter water from the shallowest sources, and you can just pull the bite valve off your hydration pack, stick the tube in the filter spout, and pump to fill the bladder without having to pull the bladder out of your pack. Or just drink directly from the spout. It's perfect for what I need it for.

[drm]

Here's a separate issue. While I choose when to filter water I'm going to drink, I never filter water I'm going to boil to cook food with. I've seen for years the claims that water must be boiled for 5 minutes but I've seen many reports that this is ridiculous. All the pathogens we are concerned about are killed by temps below boiling temp - at any altitude we will get to in the contiguous US, so once you reach a rolling boil (and it must be a full roll), they are dead. I sometimes let it go for a few extra seconds if there are floaters, but that is it.

As to whether filtering is a hassle, some friends who filter 100% of all water they use are always seen lugging their bottles to the creek and spending a good amount of time filtering when we reach camp. They are often gone 15-30 minutes, though they are preparing water for a full day. It is not a trivial amount of time and I don't use a hydration system in my pack. Sometimes I'm doing that too, depending on the water source. But for dayhikes, I almost always take enough water from home.

The last semi-relevant rant is for tap water. I think on average it is as clean or cleaner than bottled water, let alone wild water, since bottled rarely is tested. Unless you live in an old house with lead pipes, but that's a different issue. Municipal water is tested regularly and those results are always available if you want them.

[retired jerry]

same here, water I boil I don't bother filtering

I don't filter water at the stream, I carry untreated water and then just treat one pint at a time when I need it. Then, filtering is not a big deal. If I filtered 3 or 4 liters at the stream, it would be more of a pain.

Yeah, all you have to do is bring the water to a boil.

Or bring it to 190 F (it starts hissing and small bubbles form) and then let it sit several minutes. You may as well just let it boil, but sometimes this can be handy to have "in your tool belt", like if you run out of fuel.

[forester]

This is more or less what I use for camping. It takes about 2 minutes to set up and have water flowing. Takes another 1 minute to fill up the bladder at the river by the campsite. I did this twice over a 40 minute period and filtered 1.5 gallons. 5 minutes of total set up and 40 minutes of fishing. Would I rather spend my time pumping water, boiling water, or fishing water?

While hiking, I tend to fill up when I am already stopped. Even with pulling the bladder out of my pack, filling, and putting it back in, it may take 2 minutes, total.

In most cases up the North Umpqua, fast moving water is easily available. This prevents unnecessary clogging as well as near-instant filling. Even then, it only takes about 5 minutes to backflow a few cups of water through the filter at home. I have been using filters (Sawyer One, Sawyer Mini, HydrobBlu) for a few years now and have never had a filter clog or have any problem with them, even while seeing debris floating in the bladder during desperate times. I have boiled and pumped in the past and that meant extra supplies, extra work, extra time. This is the easiest, fastest, and safest way I have found to acquire potable water. Everyone else's mileage may vary.

[sparklehorse]

<snip> As to whether filtering is a hassle, some friends who filter 100% of all water they use are always seen lugging their bottles to the creek and spending a good amount of time filtering when we reach camp. They are often gone 15-30 minutes, though they are preparing water for a full day. It is not a trivial amount of time and I don't use a hydration system in my pack. <snip>

I agree, 30 minutes filtering at the creek is not only a chore, but is also a waste of precious wilderness time. I'm a big fan of using something like that 3-liter Seeker flask in camp. Grab a bunch of water quickly, bring it back to camp, attach the BeFree filter & squeeze out only what you need for drinking, as you need it. Any you are boiling can go straight in the pot - no filter needed. That 3 liter flask only weighs 3 ozs and packs down smaller than the size of your fist.

.

[jalepeno]

There is no right answer to the question of "filter or not" because of the element of chance.
If you like your odds, don't filter.
The incubation period for giardiasis is at least a week, so most times you won't get it until you are back in civilization.

I have contacted giardiasis.
My dog has had giardiasis- twice.
If you have ever had it, you would not think it's a just minor inconvenience.
I always filter my drinking water in the backcountry, because I don't ever want to get it again.

On my last backpacking trip in Colorado, I dropped my MSR Miniworks on the last night.
It stopped working, and I couldn't fix it, despite the fact that it is field repairable.
I've had it for at least ten years and have taken it apart many times.

After the filter broke, I boiled water for 10 minutes (We were at 9K elevation) and drank it when it cooled.
My brother, who was hiking with me, refused to drink the boiled water.
He said boiling does not work and he did not drink anything except his small bicycle water bottle for a day and a half.

Since I came home, I have searched and not found any information that says boiling does not work.

[drm]

After the filter broke, I boiled water for 10 minutes (We were at 9K elevation) and drank it when it cooled.
My brother, who was hiking with me, refused to drink the boiled water.
He said boiling does not work and he did not drink anything except his small bicycle water bottle for a day and a half.

The boiling temp for water at 9000 feet is 194 degrees, still hot enough to kill anything. No need to let it boil for minutes. You would have to be in the Himalaya to worry about boiling temp.

Since I came home, I have searched and not found any information that says boiling does not work.

And you won't because it is the most reliable method if you've got the time and fuel. I know people who filter anyway, but they say they have a "yuck factor" for any floaters, even if fully dead, not that they didn't think it worked.

I see it a lot, but it still amazes me that people will risk dehydration - a sure killer - for the risk of possibly getting a curable infection.

Forester - that looks like a good setup for car camping.

[Webfoot]

There are several pressurized hydration bladders on the market now. Previously I've not seen the point, but maybe that would be perfect to overcome the added flow resistance of an in-line filter? Has anyone tried this?

[kepPNW]

I picked up an MRS Trailshot and I've been really happy with it
https://www.rei.com/product/114975/msr- ... ter-filter

You can filter water from the shallowest sources, and you can just pull the bite valve off your hydration pack, stick the tube in the filter spout, and pump to fill the bladder without having to pull the bladder out of your pack. Or just drink directly from the spout. It's perfect for what I need it for.

That's a pretty neat solution, really. I can't tell, but it ought to "cram onto" (technical term) most hoses? Platypus, here. Thanks!

[squidvicious]

I can't tell, but it ought to "cram onto" (technical term) most hoses? Platypus, here. Thanks!

Not 100% sure, but jamming the hose in the spout like that isn't the official method they give in the manual. You can look here, step 4: https://d1l67pfsx3wblg.cloudfront.net/p ... s%20EN.pdf

That wasn't happening for me, but then I saw someone else's advice to just go straight to the hose, which I was a bit surprised to find worked great. I'd think one or the other way should work out.


edit: I take it back, apparently I got it from their official video. I don't really get the printed instructions