If I plan to use the Aquamira water purification drops for a two week trip, what's the best way to get the 'dirty' water into my clean container? Just sinking it into a stream could in theory contaminate the threads etc. I've read that some use large baggies to scoop water; seems messy. Is there a better solution? What about using a very small 'bulb' hand pump, like those for aquariums? They weigh nothing, and it would be simple to reach water most anywhere, and transfer it cleanly to my clean container. I know this basically duplicates the pump filter model, except that these pumps will fill a liter bottle in about 15 seconds - fill, drop, go. Or am I just overthinking this? Never used the drops before, so wondering...

You can easily make an ultralight and ultra compact "water scooper with pre-filter". Click here.

As an aside, if you are concerned only with bacteria, used A.M. drops. But if you are also concerned about the bigger and harder to kill protozoa (giardia, crypto, etc.) -- then switch to the same ingredient but 3X more potent A.M. tablets. Click here and scroll down to 7th post for more details.

Edited by ben2world on 03/27/2011 10:30:35 MDT.

Unless you have reason to believe that you have a particularly nasty water source, I suggest that you just don't worry about it. I typically fill my "clean" container directly at the source, add A.M., and am fine.

This doesn't guarantee that you will be, but I think that it's a pretty common approach. If concerned, wipe the threads dry as best you can (with something more or less clean ...).

Brian:

I'm with you. Even at home, our water isn't germ free -- just minimized for our body system to handle. Unless I am in the Congo in the midst of an Ebola virus outbreak, I too wouldn't worry about the iddy biddy untreated droplets of water on the rim of my Platypus. But, of course, we all have different thresholds, so YMMV applies here.

Again, like you, I normally just fill water directly into my clean water bladder. My "scoop with pre-filter" above comes in handy at shallow water sources though -- where direct fill into a narrow-mouth bladder becomes slow and annoying -- if not downright impossible.

Edited by ben2world on 03/27/2011 11:23:10 MDT.

Good advice, thanks. This is for a GA/NC AT hike next month, a test run for longer. How much of a concern is giardia etc there? I decided on drops just to lighten my load this first time, but maybe a pump makes more sense in the long run?

Maybe... OTOH, if you hike on popular routes (say hitting different trail heads along your way), then viruses may be a problem at some of those water sources. Most handheld filter pumps are ineffective at capturing these truly tiny baddies. One exceptions that comes to mind is the First Need Purifier. An excellent choice in terms of effectiveness and ease of use, but not exactly UL.

Edited by ben2world on 03/27/2011 19:02:43 MDT.

Many years ago in scouts we were taught to "bleed the threads" of our water bottles, something I still do each time I treat water. After dipping my container in the water source and treating the water (waiting the appropriate time for the purifier to work), I tighten the cap, turn the container upside down, then gently loosen the cap so that the treated water runs through the cap and threads so that the mouth area of the container is rinsed with treated water. Is that not something normally done by folks when treating water? I guess all these years I have assumed that it is normal procedure for backpacking. I'd be interested to hear back how many others do or don't do this.

Edited by taedawood on 03/28/2011 13:06:36 MDT.

I fill the container straight from the source, add the Aquamira after its 5 minute wait time. Shake the bottle/platypus and loosen the lid so it splashes around the threads well. Screw the top down, wait 20 minutes and drink. Been doing it this way for many years.

Edited by hyperslug on 03/28/2011 13:13:56 MDT.

Rinsing the threads makes perfect sense. So now I've been through the many and extensive conversations about water purification in the forum, and it seems like the choice, since I'm going with the drops, is to use them (smartly) alone, or be ultrasafe and use a filter too. Would drops + a small filter like the Aqua Mira Frontier Pro make sense, or be overkill? FWIW I have gotten pretty sick twice in the last 5 years from travels south of the border, and I *thought* I was being conscientious about food/water. Of course I also like to try new things that my wife wouldn't touch even if boiled. Twice.

Use a push-pull cap.

"I have gotten pretty sick twice in the last 5 years from travels south of the border, and I *thought* I was being conscientious about food/water. Of course I also like to try new things that my wife wouldn't touch even if boiled. Twice."

We're all different, not to mention there's still a big component of "black magic" when it comes to health and wellness.

Just a general observation here... my own one-and-a-half cent: how we take care of ourselves everyday also has a big impact on how well our body fights off diseases -- both at home and out in the wilds. Unless a person has impaired immune system or the water is laden with heavy metals or somesuch -- my opinion is that is is generally idiotic to drink ah-so-clean bottled water and use anti-bacterial soaps or wipes on a daily basis!

Moi, yes I bathe and keep clean and all -- but don't go out of my way to keep my environment "the cleanest possible". This may gross some people out -- but I also eat donuts while counting the parish collection plate on Sunday's. Good way to exercise my immune system.

And you know what? I've eaten at roadside stalls in India, Bangladesh, Mexico, etc., etc. -- and have never gotten sick -- yet.

But getting back to Chris' post -- do I rely solely and intentionally on chemicals not made or marketed to kill certain baddies that we have all been warned lurk in our North American waters? No.

Edited by ben2world on 03/28/2011 13:56:53 MDT.