I used chemical treatment on thruhikes of the AT and the PCT, quite a while ago when filters where larger, heavier, slower in use. Many used just chemical treatment at the time. You can get the Potable Aqua without the extra tablets that neutralize taste, odor and color. Iodine treatment without the extra tablets is what I used 99% of the time. The water will stay brownish and have a weird taste but after a couple of weeks on the trail you get used to the taste and it's tap water that will taste kind of weird. Wouldn't do the same today with the ease of use of modern filters, but the chemical treatment worked fine. The weight cant be beat and no problem with filters freezing. Chemical treatment takes even more time when it's cold though. What I did was trying to have a little water left when arriving at a water source, drink that and then treat as much as needed for the hike to the next source. The 30 minutes wait time was never a real problem. One option that might not be available anymore but was popular with thruhikers was Polar Pure. Iodine based, but instead of tablets there were iodine crytstal in a small bottle. You added water to the bottle and after a while solution in the bottle was ready to treat water. It was supposed treat 2000 liters from that small bottle, in practice more than enough for an entire thruhike. There's a video about the here: ruclips.net/video/nknzgjqjvv0/видео.html There are some claims that iodine can have an effect on health so using only that forever is not what I'd recommend, but for backup it's extremely convenient.
if you take water from a stream or a lake, realy should use a cloth (bandana or similar with fine weaving) to prefilter your water. that will already take out most sediment and will improve the lifetime of any filter you use
I have the typical water filter and I am thinking of buying the Aquatabs. There is reported Noro in the section I plan on hiking. Should I do both, or just the Aquatabs?
I hike and camp on Vancouver Island. I just drink straight from the streams. No filtering. Never had a problem. My daughter thinks I am crazy. Never been. Sick. Your mileage may vary.
I used chemical treatment on thruhikes of the AT and the PCT, quite a while ago when filters where larger, heavier, slower in use. Many used just chemical treatment at the time. You can get the Potable Aqua without the extra tablets that neutralize taste, odor and color. Iodine treatment without the extra tablets is what I used 99% of the time. The water will stay brownish and have a weird taste but after a couple of weeks on the trail you get used to the taste and it's tap water that will taste kind of weird.
Wouldn't do the same today with the ease of use of modern filters, but the chemical treatment worked fine. The weight cant be beat and no problem with filters freezing. Chemical treatment takes even more time when it's cold though. What I did was trying to have a little water left when arriving at a water source, drink that and then treat as much as needed for the hike to the next source. The 30 minutes wait time was never a real problem.
One option that might not be available anymore but was popular with thruhikers was Polar Pure. Iodine based, but instead of tablets there were iodine crytstal in a small bottle. You added water to the bottle and after a while solution in the bottle was ready to treat water. It was supposed treat 2000 liters from that small bottle, in practice more than enough for an entire thruhike.
There's a video about the here: ruclips.net/video/nknzgjqjvv0/видео.html
There are some claims that iodine can have an effect on health so using only that forever is not what I'd recommend, but for backup it's extremely convenient.
if you take water from a stream or a lake, realy should use a cloth (bandana or similar with fine weaving) to prefilter your water. that will already take out most sediment and will improve the lifetime of any filter you use
Great tip! 😀
Lemon juice drops dechlorinate chlorine rapidly. A couple of drops of lemon juice is all it takes to do a gallon of water.
😀
I have the typical water filter and I am thinking of buying the Aquatabs. There is reported Noro in the section I plan on hiking. Should I do both, or just the Aquatabs?
You shouldn’t need to double filter if you use the aqua tabs.
I hike and camp on Vancouver Island. I just drink straight from the streams. No filtering. Never had a problem. My daughter thinks I am crazy. Never been. Sick. Your mileage may vary.
Wow! 😲 Vancouver Island looks absolutely beautiful.