I recently came back from a seven-month RTW trip. I brought along a Steripen Adventurer and a Nalgene hard plastic bottle because I didn't want to buy bottled water at local stores every single day. The countries I visited were Portugal, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Mongolia and China. Municipal water in these countries ranged from fairly clear to crystal clear -- but not potable.

I filled my water bottle with tap water taken from hotels, hostels... and sometimes disgusting bus station bathrooms. Not once did I get sick the entire trip!

The Steripen is effective, easy to use, energy efficient, and dependable. Stirring the water for 45 or so seconds (20oz bottle) was pretty painless -- and I went through just two sets of batteries.

For purifying water that is fairly clear and OK tasting -- I highly recommend the Steripen. Truly a great device for traveling.

Edited by ben2world on 12/17/2009 19:54:47 MST.

I went through a set of batteries on a 10 day trip (3-4 liters/day).I love mine too but I can't believe that you only used two sets of batteries for 7 months.

> I can't believe that you only used two sets
You may have treated a lot more water than Ben - you were actually walking.
And how many litres you can treat with one set of batteries will depend on two things: the quality of the batteries (very important) and whether you removed them from the Steripen straight after use each time (also very important).

Cheers

My batteries were Duracells(brand new) The math works out pretty close if you only drank 1/2 of a litter /day.I don't take out my batteries every time I use them. This would take away from the simplicity of the gadget. I do take them out when I get home. Temperature may also have played a roll in the long lasting batteries. Also a battery don't last as long when a load is put on it more often.Even if the same amount of amp hours are taken out of them at a longer interval.What do you think of my battery theory. My experience comes from lead acid batteries living off the grid for the last 7 years.Not sure if this is true for the cr123.

After talking to you before your trip, Ben, I bought a Steripen while in Canada last August and I will say the same thing- great piece of gear that made traveling and hiking much easier. It was a bit freaky at first thinking of relying on light to sterilize my water, especially where a lot of wild animals were doing their number all around me, but everything turned out great. I don't need to use a water filter here in Japan, but I will be using it a lot on future journeys overseas.

I'm really intrigued by the SteriPen. I use AquaMira drops and the whole setup (liquid in BPL AM droppers and plastic "thimble") weighs .95 oz. I'd be adding ~3 ounces with this bad boy, but the ease of use really alluring to me!
A hiking buddy of mine uses it and loves it! He uses a Platy canteen that he cut down, treats the water then pours it into his Aquafina bottles... all while I'm still waiting for my drops to turn yellow.
The AM drops work great, and I love them, don't get me wrong. Are there any others out there that went from AM drops/tablets to a Steripen and just took the weight penalty? If so, what are your thoughts now? Was it worth it?
I'm going to go dig up some old threads on this.

Roger,
Can you explain why it is beneficial to remove the batteries after each use. It would seem to me that as long as it isn't on, it would make no difference whether they are in or out.

I've read this in various places -- something about a very slow 'drain' whenever batteries are left inside -- even when turned off. Not unique to Steripen but to all electrical devices in general.

In lieu of repeatedly inserting /removing / storing batteries, another alternative is to insert a piece of paper or plastic between battery and the device's metal contact.

I didn't do the above at all -- and battery usage was just fine -- 2 sets over 7 months. In my travels, I believe I averaged 20 oz. of water every day -- sometimes every other day. Remember, my travels were mostly in urban areas (cities, towns, villages) and I drank lots of OJ and other juice during day time.

Hi Gerry

Once upon a time ... the power switch was a real mechanical switch that disconnected the batteries. These days many devices (headlight, Steripen, GPS , etc) are run by a microprocessor, and the 'on switch' is nothing more than a signal to the micro that you have pressed a button.

What this means is that the microprocessor is running 24/7, waiting for your action. And that means it is using power all the time - sucking power out of the battery.

In some cases the power consumption while doing nothing is quite significant - and the batteries quickly go flat, while the unit seems to be doing 'nothing'.

Cheers

I'll chime in with an endorsement. Once I figured out that I had to keep the batteries warm (actually keeping the whole Steripen warm was even better) I have loved it. Before I figured that out I had issues, especially in the morning in the high mountains. Now it hangs out near me in my hammock and I have found it very reliable. ' Don't leave home without it.

-Mark