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Thread: backpack water purification

  1. #1
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    Default backpack water purification

    I'm going to be hunting out of state in the near future. There is going to be 2 of us and only 1 truck so there may be days where I leave the truck before daylight and get back to it at dark. I don't want to carry 5 gallons of water so I figured some water purification tablets and a filter straw like backpackers use would be handy. Any recommendations on what brand.

    Also any suggestions on some calorie dense food to stick in my turkey vest for the same situation. I like to eat so it needs to taste fairly good and I weigh 200 pounds so I need lots of calories.

    thanks
    "My resume is the trail of destruction behind me. " Bucky Katt

  2. #2
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    For water filtration, Sawyer Squeeze +/- a steri-pen

    For backpack food comparisons etc go to www.backcountryfoodco.com

    I'd also recommend bringing along a powdered electrolyte supplement to add to your water to keep your sodium, potassium and magnesium levels up on long distance days. I use LMNT recharge and it's worth it's weight in gold. I have a code link if you decide to order it.
    Last edited by Glenn; 02-02-2021 at 02:44 PM.

  3. #3
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    Gravity bags are great unless you will be somewhere with alot of sediment. Sawyer squeeze is great for solo folks.

    Glenn gave you a great link for food.
    http://tektongamecalls.com

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  4. #4
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    Sawyer squeeze and a steripen like glenn said. And I would have both.

    Tons of dehydrated meals out there, but for eating on the move just grab your favorite snack bars. Calorie dense food that won't get damaged in your pack: bagels with peanut butter and honey, tortilla wraps with hard cheese and pepperoni, and mixed nuts/granola.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

  5. #5
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    Sell me on the Sawyer over the more traditional units? Cost looks great on those...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by JABIII View Post
    Sell me on the Sawyer over the more traditional units? Cost looks great on those...
    By traditional you mean the pump-operated filters?

    Pros are ease of use(they thread on to most any normal plastic drinking bottle ie SmartWater, coke, etc.), size, weight, and price.

    Con: maybe can't access water in places where water is really scarce. Like a puddle, where a pump unit could pump out of the puddle.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

  7. #7
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    If you’re in a situation where you MUST have water then you’ll make a hole for dipping.

    The big con to the Sawyer is that if you let it freeze it is now toast. Easy enough to keep it in a jacket when it’s really cold out though.

    I have two Sawyers and I use them a lot.

  8. #8
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    I'm pretty positive the same will happen to the pump filter if it freezes.


    Another pro: much easier to clean the sawyer if it gets filled with trash and sand.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tater View Post
    If you’re in a situation where you MUST have water then you’ll make a hole for dipping.

    The big con to the Sawyer is that if you let it freeze it is now toast. Easy enough to keep it in a jacket when it’s really cold out though.

    I have two Sawyers and I use them a lot.
    Toast as in it breaks the system components?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Islandguy85 View Post
    Toast as in it breaks the system components?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Water left in the internal filter expands as it freezes creating leaks inside the filter that will let dirty water through.

    Put it in your sleeping bag at night and you won't have any issues.

    ETA: You may get away with it freezing one time, or the first time may render it unusable. Most likely, you won't even be able to tell until you start reaching for the Immodium.
    Last edited by MolliesMaster; 02-02-2021 at 04:31 PM.
    "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

    "Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by JABIII View Post
    Sell me on the Sawyer over the more traditional units? Cost looks great on those...
    Cost, ease of use, versatility and very compact.

    You can either fill a gravity bag at night and let it work, or fill a bag and squeeze filter, or fill a bottle with dirty water and screw the filter on it and filter as you drink. Easy to clean by back flushing it and it's light as a feather and takes up zero room. I got turned on to 'em by Tater and haven't looked back. I added the steri pen to the suggestions above to ensure you get everything but a sawyer squeeze has a small micron filter and gets most of what will ail you by itself.

  12. #12
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    Thank you for the replies.

  13. #13
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    Steri Pen is all you need for day trips, I like to bring electrolyte tablets/powder as well. As far as food goes bars are great, and a lot of serious backpackers like crushed up potato chips.

  14. #14
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    Katadyn be free is another good water filter option


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  15. #15
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    If you get the Sawyer get a couple of extra squeeze bags, they will bust. It t about 5-10 minutes to squeeze filter 3 liters with a Sawyer, considerably longer to gravity filter. Water was hard to come by on my last elk hunt. I was carrying a couple of liters and a Nalgene. I mixed a couple of packets of Propel in the bottle and drank it during the day an another before bed. Helps with cramps. Bagel sandwiches hold up well in a pack Two and a snack would get me thru the day. I don’t care much for the Cliff bars and such. 7-8 days of that gets old quick.

  16. #16
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    I use a Grayl, haven’t got the hershey squirts yet.
    If God didn't want us to eat animals he wouldn't have made them out of meat.

  17. #17
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    What happened to dropping a few iodine tablets and trucking on?
    Carolina Counsel

  18. #18
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    Here's the one I use...

    https://www.rei.com/product/116363/k...ar-microfilter

    It's not great but I've never gotten sick. It had a carbon filter to clean up the taste some too.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  19. #19
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    For the food it's hard to beat dry rice noodles. I pack dry chicken bullion and dry sun dried tomatoes. There's a lot of calories for a minimum of weight and it has a lot of liquid and electrolytes. Adding some sun dried tomatoes while cooking is the bomb.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  20. #20
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    Steripen is all I use when I pack out west. I have drank from streams and lakes and have not had an issue yet. Mountain house chicken and rice is pretty good.

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