Seeking a better way to purify water

[toejam]

I got a BeFree with with the 0.6L bottle to see if it works and took it on a weekend trip. The size of the bottle is a joke, but I thought the whole setup worked much better than my Sawyer Mini. The flow through the filter is really impressive and the bottle is easily filled. I came home and ordered a 2L bottle and will use it exclusively on my next trip.

[EasternSierras]

I backpack with some friends and as @Toejam uses, we too use a Katadyn water filter. Works fine. We always take water purification tablets as a backup in case the pump fails. 

[cookiedough]

Interesting topic, and I see a couple Grayl posts. I have used both the MSR Miniworks EX and Sawyer Squeeze. I like the Squeeze (me, my 2 daughters in the San Juans, CO) for the speed, and lack of effort (I guess I'm kinda lazy).  When hiking the desert SW, I'm wondering if the Grayl with the electro-absorption media takes out the salinity (alkalinity, like a water softener) of the water in the rivers - say the Dirty Devil, San Juan, Escalante.  Anyone have any experience with filtering those waters?

[jensaito]

Very good recomendations. I use ultraviolet purifiers and squeeze filters. Earlier, I just boiled water. It doesn't require any equipment, but it takes time to boil, and time to cool, and boiled water tends to taste a little "flat".

Edited August 27, 2017 by jensaito

[JeffreyH]

I use Katadyn Micropur tablets in previously boiled water, I've heard that the cooler the water is, the more time it will take to purify it. Moreover, boiled water is much more safe to drink.

The taste of Katadyn purified water is unusual. But that's the matter of time. You will get used.
If the taste of boiled + purified water will be too "flat" for you, you may drop a few sweetener pills in the bottle, as I do.

[wspscott]

On 8/30/2017 at 10:28 AM, JeffreyH said:

I use Katadyn Micropur tablets in previously boiled water, I've heard that the cooler the water is, the more time it will take to purify it. Moreover, boiled water is much more safe to drink.

The taste of Katadyn purified water is unusual. But that's the matter of time. You will get used.
If the taste of boiled + purified water will be too "flat" for you, you may drop a few sweetener pills in the bottle, as I do.

If you have already boiled the water, why use any other purification? Everything is dead if it is boiled.

[JeffreyH]

14 hours ago, wspscott said:

If you have already boiled the water, why use any other purification? Everything is dead if it is boiled.

I know, that's too much, but it makes me feel safer than just boiling water. 

[iio]

Sawyer squeeze on the PCT last summer. Easy, quick (backflush it when you get to towns) only downside I had was loosing the o-ring on the dirty water side. But a common garden hose gasket fits and works there just fine!