# Using a Steripen for River Water?



## lajudice (Aug 12, 2006)

We’re doing the Rio Chama in a couple weeks (at really low water). Has anyone used a steripen to filter the river water?


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

I've used one with a water filter in Mexico and didn't get sick. I wouldn't trust it to be the only filter..........I would use it with a filter for better purification.


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## Dstruxx (Apr 1, 2021)

Maybe this is just semantics, but a steripen doesn't filter anything, it just kills bacteria. I only use them as an emergency backup for a filter, or a redundant treatment.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Also kills viruses and protozoas. Can't answer for Rio Chama but I use one hunting all over ID if I know the water will be clear and on the Middle Fork Salmon quite often. I try to hydrate a lot on raft trips so it's nice to just dip a nalgene and steripen it and chug after wiping off the bottle lip. They get noro, salmonella, giardia, e coli, etc...the stuff I'm worried about with clear water.


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## rivershark (Mar 26, 2020)

IMO it's a little risky to rely solely on electronics when it comes to purifying water. plus as mentioned before, it won't remove any sediment from the water it will just kill the bacteria. i like gravity filters for bigger groups, other people swear by the pump style ones. I'd rely on one of those and use the steripen as a backup or to filter it more if you wanted.


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

I was just thinking about picking up a couple last month, one to put in my ammo can when i go camping and one to carry in my pocket when my water bottle goes dry when fishing, hunting, short hikes etc...


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## Sawatch Rescue (Apr 17, 2010)

Water needs to be clear because any turbidity weakens the UV radiation → it may be necessary to pre-filtrate the water. Also, it is essential to agitate the water during irradiation.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

rivershark said:


> IMO it's a little risky to rely solely on electronics when it comes to purifying water. plus as mentioned before, it won't remove any sediment from the water it will just kill the bacteria. i like gravity filters for bigger groups, other people swear by the pump style ones. I'd rely on one of those and use the steripen as a backup or to filter it more if you wanted.


Agreed. I have a gravity filter in the box and we carry a bunch of scepter jugs full. I'm talking just a quick nalgene or three during the day on raft. Hunting is a different story on water management.


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

For what it's worth, people who rely exclusively on personal portable water treatment systems only use filtration. Besides a rafter, I am also a member of the thru-hiking community. These are people who hike hundreds and thousands of miles at a time. Of all options available to treat drinking water, the debate is long settled --filters are the safest, most reliable solution. Specifically, Sawyer filters, which are used almost exclusively over other brands.

Sawyer filters screw directly onto any bottle with soda thread. Fill the bottle with river and drink directly from the filter.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Sawyer is the other filter I use when hunting and I don't know the spring situation. Sawyer doesn't grab noro and the only place I've had noro is the MFS not using UV hence the UV treatment. Noro is not common out backpacking so a great option when not around a bunch of dirty rafters.


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

Rightoarleft said:


> For what it's worth, people who rely exclusively on personal portable water treatment systems only use filtration. Besides a rafter, I am also a member of the thru-hiking community. These are people who hike hundreds and thousands of miles at a time. Of all options available to treat drinking water, the debate is long settled --filters are the safest, most reliable solution. Specifically, Sawyer filters, which are used almost exclusively over other brands.
> 
> Sawyer filters screw directly onto any bottle with soda thread. Fill the bottle with river and drink directly from the filter.


I hope this is the one your talking about, because I purchased two of these instead of the steripen's about a month ago, because of the compact size and light weight? I will be a happy camper if they are.


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## zaczac4fun (Mar 21, 2018)

Here's another non-filter option, I've used it climbing, incredibly compact and efficient and while the taste isn't great, it's also no worse than some city water I've had. 
I'd be curious to get this community's options on it.









PA PURE Electrolytic Water Purifier: Potable Aqua


PA PURE Electrolytic Water Purifier provides access to clean, drinkable water killing 99.9% of all organisms without pre-filtering, pumping or stirring.




www.potableaqua.com


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Used Steri Pen for years backpacking
Settle and filter water (coffee filters, clean bandana) most important for good result as Sawatch Rescue said
No ill affects after many uses


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

You'll be home before you get sick...just tell the boss you may have Covid and take another week off.


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## thaGoat (May 30, 2011)

I had a steripen for a while. I used it for hut trips since we were just melting snow.
It didn't always work, which made it useless.
I know have a Sawyer water gravity water filtration system. I use it for rafting, hut trips, and backpacking.
It's simple, easy to flush, and doesn't way much.

Side note, the steripen won't help with silty water...
Best of luck!


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## 81939 (Jun 16, 2020)

The Chama is such a short trip, I'd guess it will be less of a hassle to just carry in your drinking/cooking water. 

You'll need to settle out the sediment for the Steripen to be effective, which takes time, then decant into a smaller container to use the Steripen - and I could be wrong but I think you can only treat 1L at a time. Seems like a pain in the ass to me. 

There is for sure a time and place where it is is the right tool but it I think there are better options for the Chama. 

Enjoy your float!


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## Osprey (May 26, 2006)

I think Dakib landed on it, the steripen is a good option for clear water, but it's more of a personal treatment option. Usually on a river trip you need more volume. If you've got clear water to deal with and don't want to filter, I'd use liquid aquamira which is cheap and easy to use on large quantities. For example this is good solution when you are filling multiple jugs at rock creek. if you've got dirty water to deal with, then you either have to settle/alum/wizard and filter and/or then maybe even treat with aquamira if you want extra protection depending on your filter. Filtering water for 10-20 folks takes a different strategy than your average backpacking/camping trip.


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## Flaco (Nov 18, 2014)

2tomcat2 said:


> Used Steri Pen for years backpacking
> Settle and filter water (coffee filters, clean bandana) most important for good result as Sawatch Rescue said
> No ill affects after many uses



+1


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

Conundrum said:


> Sawyer is the other filter I use when hunting and I don't know the spring situation. Sawyer doesn't grab noro and the only place I've had noro is the MFS not using UV hence the UV treatment. Noro is not common out backpacking so a great option when not around a bunch of dirty rafters.


You are correct, and I now feel my post is bad advice. While I do use filtration exclusively on trail, I have always treated water differently on river. I assumed compatibility. I was wrong.

How I treat water on river depends largely on which river, but always involves a combination of:
--do not collect water from the main drain OR settle and filter
AND
--boil OR chemical treatment (I use household bleach, one or two drops per liter depending on source and treatment time)

MFS is known for norovirus. Norovirus is terribly catchy. Not only does it require minimal viral loading to make you sick, it has very high shed rates among those who are sick. Couple this with the fact noro has a long lifespan in water and you have a recipe for the worst of times. A simple wave splash or eating with wet hands is enough to get you. To be clear, FILTERS ALONE DO NOT REMOVE VIRUS. Thank you Conundrum.


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

raymo said:


> I hope this is the one your talking about, because I purchased two of these instead of the steripen's about a month ago, because of the compact size and light weight? I will be a happy camper if they are.


This particular model isn't real popular. The Sawyer Mini and Sawyer Micro have sluggish flow rates and tend to get slower with time. Most hikers use the Sawyer Squeeze. That said, it has been brought to my attention that filters do not remove virus, which is a big deal if you plan to drink water from the main drain.


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## Conundrum (Aug 23, 2004)

Rightoarleft said:


> You are correct, and I now feel my post is bad advice. While I do use filtration exclusively on trail, I have always treated water differently on river. I assumed compatibility. I was wrong.


Your advice wasn't bad at all. I only use a steripen for my personal drinking water during the day on a raft and I will dip my bottle in the river current. We use gravity filters (Sawyer or Katadyn) from deep current or side streams if we need to filter group water. Typically in 2+ flows we just carry water for the group and fill up at the safe fillups along the way. 

I don't think a steripen has a group water application in any way really. But they are great for personal use.


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

Thank you Rightoarleft and Cunundrum for taking the time to explain how these devices work, you young guys understand the technology behind them. I'm like a dog staring at a clock with alot of these new devices. I think I hijacked this posting a little, not my intentions. I have had the bad bugs invade my system before and it was not pleasant at all, it's like cheek's don't fail me now.


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