Water Purifier for Camping

Why You Need a Purifier

Camping offers a get-away from the stress of everyday life and presents opportunities to get back to basics. Experiencing life camping in the backcountry is thrilling and offers panoramic views, up-close wildlife sightings, free-flowing mountain streams and crystal clear lakes.

If you plan to use such streams, lakes or rivers for your drinking water source don't think their safe just because they look clean. No matter how pristine they appear - streams, rivers and lakes can't always be trusted as a source of potable water. In fact, these natural water sources often harbor microscopic pathogens. Estimates indicate that in the United States 90 percent of surface water fails EPA drinking water standards, so it's a good idea to use a water purifier for camping to avoid the risk of getting sick.

Water Purifiers vs. Water Filters

Since you'll be going through the process of ensuring the water you drink while camping is potable it's a good idea to understand the difference between portable water purifiers and water filters designed for camping and hiking.

As you compare and make your decision between a filter or water purifier, check for an absolute pore size of 0.2 microns for the best purifying capacity.

Preparing for Longer Stays

Water treatment using a portable purifier will require planning ahead. If you expect to spend days away from a reliable water source, be sure you're prepared. Carry back up filters and replacement parts to ensure the water purifier will not leave you stranded without drinking water.

Keep It Clean

To keep your purifier dependable, it's important to clean it on a regular basis. When possible, boil water used to clean the purifier and after you reassembled it, let a little water pass through it before using the treated water.

How They Work

Portable purifiers use a hand pump and intake hose to withdraw water from a stream, lake or river, and then drive it through an internal filtering medium where the water interacts with iodine. Here fine sediment and invisible microorganisms including viruses too small to be trapped by a regular filter are captured and rendered useless.

Other purifiers engage an electrostatic charge as the filter medium.

Basic Water Purification

• Boiling -- If something happens to your purifier while you are in the backcountry you can always revert to boiling your water to make it safe. It's important to boil it for several minutes to kill microorganisms, so you'll need to use a consistent source of heat like a camping stove. If camping in higher elevations, boil the water for several minutes because the boiling point is lower. A rolling boil kills 100 percent of microorganisms.

• Tablets – Water purification tablets are easy to carry and can be purchased at most camping supply stores. Tablet ingredients include iodine, halazone or chlorine. One tablet cleans one quart of water. If the water is relatively clean, drop the tablet into the water and let it stand for 10 minutes. If water is discolored or happens to be cold, let the water stand for 20 minutes before using the water.

Buying Your Water Purifier for Camping

No matter what method you use, be sure to engage in the safe practice of purifying the water you use when camping. If you decide to buy a water purifier for camping, the specifics to evaluate include:

• Cost
• Water Output
• Ease of Pumping

Clean potable drinking water makes the camping experience safe and enjoyable.