[pct-l] Steripen

[Trekker4 at aol.com]

I've used a Classic Steripen for about 2,000 mi  now, with no problems, 
except one of my making.. I let it accidentally stay  in a wet, nylon stuff sack 
for many hours; water got into the battery  compartment and killed it. I was 1.5 
days from Durango finishing the CO  Trail; I drank 1 qt of unpurified water 
before reaching a spring, and finished  unscathed. I do carry a few tablets now 
for emergencies. Steripen asked me to  send it in with $10 for repair. The 
one I got back appeared brand new; it  definitely wasn't the one I sent in.
    Get the Classic, or original blue and white one,  and use lithium 
batteries (12 packs at Sam's or probably Costco). Their  other models cost about 4 
times as much per gallon to use; their chart  shows half the battery life, and 
the batteries cost twice as much. 
    Yes, the Classic is slightly heavier, but it's  under 8 oz with lithiums. 
Over the decades I tried all the others - Walbro (my  first, a pour thru - 
one never forgets one's first, eh Reinhold?), First Need,  Sweetwater, and PUR 
(Katahdyn-sp ?) - with mixed results; all but the Walbro  weighed about 16 oz.
    I use narrow neck bottles; the tapered  rubber neck seals quite well 
while one slowly rocks the bottle for 90 sec  per quart. I've never had to try it 
with really dirty water, but I'd probably  use my bandana for a crude 
pre-filter if necessary. Oh, and, uh, don't use  the snotty parts of your bandana.    
 
Bob  "Trekker"
Big Bend Desert Denizen
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of  Texas

Government cripples you, then hands you a crutch and says, 'See, if  it 
wasn't for us, you couldn't walk.' 
-- Harry Browne

"If you think  health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs 
when its free."  
-- P. J. ORourke



In a message dated 3/11/2009 9:11:47 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
m.karon at comcast.net writes:

http://www.rei.com/product/761906


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