MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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Hi,
Am planning another 3 - 4 day bike packing trip for August and was thinking about getting a water purifier rather than keep stopping at shops and garages to refill with bottled water. Was wondering whether anyone uses one of these on bike trips and if so, can you refill your water from water troughs in fields or from rivers / streams you pass by
http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart.asp?part=PN8768&product=MSR Swee****er Microfilter
All rather new to me, so apologies if it is a dumb question
Thanks
Streams yes, but I'd avoid stagnant water like troughs or ponds. Also watch for muddy water as this will block the filter. I think it's cleanable on the MSR kit but will prevent the flow of water until cleaned.
Also, it can take a fair amount of effort to pump the amount of water you'd need to replace on a hot day. You might want to look at one of these instead. A bit pricier, but you fill one bag with a couple of litres, hang it up, go and do something else whilst it filters and then you have a couple of litres of clean water. decant and repeat if required.
[url= http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/platypus-gravityworks-2l-water-filter-kit-p263586 ]gravity filter[/url]
Get yourself a Sawyer Mini Filter...
Where exactly are you planning on going? I've not done any hiking for a while but up here in Scotland I'd not think twice about drinking water from a stream and I can't imagine that the rest of the UK would be all that different. I wouldn't use a water trough though.
Plan is to ride the Sarn Helen Trail. Being a slightly paranoid weirdo, I would not feel happy drinking water directly from a stream.
Just had a look at the Sawyer Mini Filter on here http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/bushcraft/PA104.html
I did chuckle when at the bottom of the page it states
Customers who bought this item also bought:
Tinder Card: £2.99
Toilet Trowel: £4.99
Bio-Degradable Toilet Paper: £3.99
Hope that's not an indication of how effective it is