giadia
 

i was at sportsmans warehouse with intentions of buying the right sized backpack when i thought of the water issue do i buy a backpack with a hydration unit, pack bottled water,or as the young man offered there is another solution-if you know there are streams or rivers you can use this plastic bottle with the filter and keep refilling i was not aware that even these pristine waterways contain all sorts of micro-organisms like crypto.and more commonly giardia has anyone gotten sick from drinking the water, what are your preferences and is anyone familar with this bottle and filter-its guaranteed to eliminate all these nasty bugs up to i think 2000 refills.thanks

RE: giadia
 

I have hunted, fished, and hiked around Colorado for 15 years off and on and I have never used any kind of water purification system for my drinking water. In fact at our elk hunting camp there is a small creek fed from a natural spring about 500 feet in elevation above our camp. It runs about 10 yards from our "fire place" whick is where all of our water comes from while elk hunting. None of us in our hunting camp have ever gotten sick (4 - 6 people per year).

Up in the high country where few humans travel the water is plenty pure enough. I really don't think that a purification straw can get it any cleaner than miles of unpoluted water shed.

RE: giadia
 

wow i hope u like being sick, bigbulls....

if u think the water in the creeks in THE HIGH COUNTRY is pure unpolluted...

u need to put the crack pipe down or pass it around![:'(]

u think the elk and deer crap in an outhouse? no they crap where ever they want! right up creek from your "fire place"![&:]

someday u will get sick!
[&:]


badger bob... yes get the bottle and use the filter!;) and do not listen to all the old guys here who like to pound thier chest on how tough they are!

RE: giadia
 

Depends on if you want to gamble. 9 out of 10 will not get sick. Do you want to be the one and ruin your hunt? I got giardia in New Mexico at around 9,000 ft. It absolutely knocks you down.

If you are in an area like bigbulls described, you probably will do as the Romans do and enjoy the fresh water. But if you don't know where you might wind up, take iodine. Tastes bad, but when I'm thirsty I don't mind it a bit - especially when I recall my bout with giardia.

RE: giadia
 

I got sick from giardia once. It will really knock you down. I now use a General Ecology First Need filter - works great and I haven't been sick since I got it. It is the only portable water purifier independently certified to meet EPA Microbiological Purification Standards against cysts, bacteria AND virus, without the use of chemical pesticides, hold time or double processing. They're not cheap.

RE: giadia
 

Yet another smart assed comment from the peanut gallery.

He asked for our experiances and I gave them.

So please if you ain't got anything constructive to contribute to anything shut the @#$% up.

RE: giadia
 

When we hunt sheep in the mountains we do not use any purification system at all.We take our water from the springs or from the cold running mountain drainages and none of us has ever gotten sick.My friend is an outfitter that hunts the same area and none of his clients has ever gotten sick either.However when we hunt elk in the foothills we carry in our own water.

RE: giadia
 

The only sure thing is to boil the water before you drink it. I personally have used a Pur hiker microfilter for years. Not too expensive and the cartridges are pretty abundant in my area. The Extream filter bottle is supposed to filter out viruses but some on here may feel that it lacks sufficient capacity. The hiker can filter a couple hundred gallons before you need to replace the filter cartridge and the water will taste like you just dipped your lips in the stream

RE: giadia
 

Giardia, aka Beaver Fever, will put you out of commision for a few days.

A good friend got Beaver Fever in Montana. He ended up needing IV feeding because of extreme dehydration, from what I understand, he had "lost" 28 pounds of water weight out his backside.

RE: giadia
 

OOOOHH!!! I can already feel the TP burn,OUCH!!!.28 lbs thats crazy.

Bigbulls you are lucky!;) I have a bro-n-law who just drinks right out of streams,not me bottled water all the way.

It's not uncommon to find a spring,that comes right out of the mountain or ground and be able to drink it.Like I said I don't wan't the "BEAVER FEVER":([X(] so I drink bottled water or a take a water filter and screw it on the end of a empty pop bottle.

Also a reminder,sometimes water can be hard to come by in arid places,and sometimes the only water around is a stinking stock pond with flies and cow crap flaoting in it[:'(],so you might wan't to just buy a case of Arrowhead water at Wally-worl for 5 bucks and save some hassle.
Hey each to their own.
BBJ

RE: giadia
 

Anyone who has had giardia will tell you that you don't want to get it. Very unpleasant. I had it.

What I use is a portable water filter to replenish my water. When backpacking, I filter enough water to fill a quart bottle which carries me through the day (people recommend more at altitude). When I cook at night, I filter more water. When I clean up, I filter more water. It worked well for me and a backpacking partner. Be careful not to splash water from the stream onto things or you may defeat all your careful measures to avoid giardia!

RE: giadia
 

Here all along I thought that only happened when you came out of the mountains/bush..huh who knew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I drink the bottled stuff as well now. When I worked in the north guiding fisherman we'd often hit the springs with no effects or need for additional TP. Then again diet pretty much consisted of fish, beer, more fish & beer...wait did I mention beer. Vitamin B worked wonders, the odd morn it would be a B & C combo (Beer & Clam") that was required to as gramp's would say "Take the edge OFF!"

RE: giadia
 

I would go with a filter just to be on the safe side. It doesn't change the taste, and it eliminates most of your concerns. What could it hurt?--But, I have never had problems and rutinely drink from springs and creeks when hunting/hiking.

RE: giadia
 

I always use a microfilter pump. Then wherever you are, you can get good drinking water. We don't have the same campsite each year, and sometimes not even the same state, so we need some flexibility. We sometimes obtain water from stagnant ponds. I think I paid $60-70 for my filter. Pretty cheap insurance.

If I camped in the same spot each time near where a spring came directly out of the ground, I doubt I would use it.

Bigbulls: That is what the "block" button is for. I have used it and have never looked back. Just smile as I go right over the post.

RE: giadia
 

Yeah, I know but I keep thinking that he just might actually have something good and constructive to say with out being a complete jerk about it.

The last few posts of his I have read were actually civilized. I think he is simmering down a little and may have some good things to say every so often. I still have hope for manboy.

We do have a great advantage concerning water on the mountain we hunt. It actually tastes good enough to bring it out at the end of the hunt.;)

RE: giadia
 

as they say-"an ounce of prevention" so to be on the safe side and to cover my ass literally and figuratively i'll pick one up-thanks

RE: giadia
 

"cover my ass literally"

Good one. LMFAO

RE: giadia
 

I got it in Sep and never got it figured out until April, I went from 190 down to 142. the higher end systems will take it out but I still boil the water when I can.
some people seem to be able to pass it with little or no affect on them, myself if i even look at bad water I'll get it.
By the way I got it from water from a spring at 11,000 ft that was running and clear.

RE: giadia
 

Has anyone used AquaMira - a chemical water treatment? It purifies water with chlorine dioxide. I am going on my first drop camp elk hunt and have been concerned about drinking water. The outfitter says he has always drank from the near-by stream.

RE: giadia
 

Anyone who doesn't think they need to filter their water is walking a very fine line. If your alone in the backcountry Giardia can kill you very easily. I've had it more than once actually. Trust me it's not worth it. Just carry a light filter like MSR and use it. Simple as that and you have no worries.

RE: giadia
 

Do not take his or anyone's word for it. Some people are resistant/immune to it. Get your own filter and use it ALWAYS.

RE: giadia
 

I carry a micro-pump filter all the time now if I am in the back country hunting. I contracted giardia from rinsing my tooth brush off in a high mountain stream. Man that bacteria can flat out hammer you! I barely made the 12 mile back pack out. By the time I got to the hospital I was terribly sick. Be safe guys, take a means of water purification.

RE: giadia
 

I grew up in the mountains, and was a member of the Big Bulls school of thought for many years. Then I got giardia. You're really rolling the dice when you don't purify water out there.

It's like that moron who thought bears were his friend and went around selling his unique line of b.s. for years. Then one day the bears ate him. They ate his girlfriend, too.

(P.S. Don't think I'm calling Big Bulls a moron, 'cause I'm not. I've read too many great posts by him in the past. I just think he's a little off base on this one.)

RE: giadia
 

You've convinced me. Now what level of filtration do I need? how many microns...?

RE: giadia
 

Good question that will lead to another, and another. After going through it all for years, and having a broken filter pump that necessitated using my iodine back-up, I only carry and use iodine. Polar Pur is an amazing product.

But I am also a gearhead. I like looking at the latest filters. I am staying with bottled water and iodine for now. As you can see, many here like filters, but they are mechanisms that can break. Carry iodine at least as a back-up. It's small and light.

RE: giadia
 

This is the one I use for work (I work for the FS) and hunting:

longevity series

I have used this one before and I really like it alot except it broke on me:

simplicity

RE: giadia
 

Here is the one I use made by MSR:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...results1.jhtml

RE: giadia
 

"What filter? How fine a mesh?" Just go to a backpacking store and rely upon their direction. Giardia is probably the principle bug which backpacking water filters are designed to remove, therefore all quality backpacking filters will readily check giardia.

Relative to one comment, you don't have to buy a "high end" water filter system to obtain entirely acceptable service. Just talk to the people at the backpacking shop (REI is a good one, phone them up and talk to them over the phone if there is not a shop nearby). Then again, the Wal-mart special might not cut it.

Relative to yet another comment, having a back-up to a filtration system -- iodine tablets -- is probably a good idea and know how to use them properly.

RE: giadia
 

While I haven't tried the AquaMira product, it is a 2 part system, versus the Katadyn MP1 product:

[link]http://www.katadyn.net/micropur.html[/link]

Chlorine dioxide can take up to 4 hours to remove cysts from water, but that is cold/turbid water. Otherwise it's the same 30 minute wait time as iodine (which will not kill cryptosporidium) and tastes a heck of a lot better.

Regards,
Steve

RE: giadia
 

Thanks for that. I'm going to get some, if only for the flavor. I didn't know about criipto . . .cryptospr . . heck, I can't even type it, let alone say it. It must be bad.

Learned from this forum again!

RE: giadia
 

Oh Yeah! I heard of them....I think captain Kirk fought em in episode 3 maybe:D

I've always assumed that the alpine streams where clean enough to drink. I've never had any problems in the past, but it only takes once. I'm shopping for a filter/ tablets.

RE: giadia
 

Shato,
You know why Captin Kirk Likes Toilet Papper dont ya,---------It circles Uranus and wipes off Cling on's.:D

The filter would be wise if not to save a hunt but maybe your life.
BBJ