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Old 08-30-2016, 10:32 AM   #409
undercoverbrother
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Sylvan Lake
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stampsx2 View Post
Anybody have any advice on drinking river water. The crux of my hikes is always how much water i have to bring. A liter of water gets heavy after the fifth Kilometer. Overnight backpacking is out just because of the amount of water i'd have to haul. Ya you drink it along the way but i'm one of those take more, just in case hikers.

Advice? Life straw?
Quote:
Originally Posted by kunkstyle View Post
Since I have no desire to ever have beaver fever, or another gastro-disorder in the backcountry, I carry one of these for overnighters (I can't imagine hauling water for food/drinking for an overnighter) or super long hikes where I know there's a water source:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5035-5...-Filter-System

Quick and easier than pumping.

If you're incredibly anal, such as I am, I carry one of these too:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5024-1...Water-Purifier

Overkill? Probably. But it's come in handy during travel, as well as water-boil advisories. And it makes freaking delicious water.

Likely the worst thing you'd have to deal with drinking out of a river (in Canada) is sediment plugging you up for a few days, so a coffee filter or something for particulate would be good, but I'm not one to take chances.

If you're not worried about viruses, the MSR miniworks is good, but I hate pumping for an hour when I get to camp, but wouldn't be horrible for day trips. If you want a filter to do what the UV pen does, the MSR guardian is awesome but pricey.

Lifestraw is a cool idea in a pinch, but you're not filling up a water bottle with it, and most hikes I go on don't have a water source every time I want a sip of water.
I have done it tonnes, but only in the winter. To be honest it is one of the reasons I love winter back country camping.

I have found that this type of filter works well if you pull from a moving stream/river:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5007-1...ro-Microfilter

1 minute to fill 1L.
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