[pct-l] Filter vs Purifier

[Brick Robbins]

On Sat, Jun 8, 2013 at 3:55 PM, Bruce 'Buck' Nelson <buck at bucktrack.com> wrote:
> Many PCT hikers get giardia. I'm one of them.

While many hikers get giardia on the trail, or presumably do, since
few people actually have a culture done before they start treatment,
there is ample evidence that the source of the infection is poor
hygiene from other trail users, not the water.

There is also little correlation between filter use, and infection,
which supports the alternative source hypothesis.

Me? I use Aqua Mira when the water looks skanky, and use nothing, in
most other places.

If you are going to go to all the bother of filtering, etc, then you
might want to also go to the effort of eliminating the other possible
causes, and not share food, not touch other hikers, or touch their
gear, and bring hand sanitizer.

On a long trek, like the PCT, I would also carry 2g of Tinidazole,
just in case. That way there would never being severely inconvenienced
or a risk of "burdening others" since I would self diagnose and treat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinidazole