GREAT gift idea...

[MikeInFHAZ]

this is the neatest thing since sliced bread, almost http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.99592/catImage.False/dept_id.L1~4264/qx/product.htm
I have 2 of these 22oz. water filters, I have to say they are really convenient, as long as you have a reliable (constant) water source. Say youre doing Sycamore Canyon, this baby negates the need to bring a filter, 100oz. bladder, and so on... just scoop up water and drink! It is made by Nalgene and Bota of Boulder. Neat!
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http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albwb18/BRIDGE.sized.jpg
bridge hammock, quilts and tarp (all DIY)

what i do

[Kim]

another great gift idea for anyone is a headlamp-they're great for working on the car, going outside to the compost pile or wherever around the house in the dark...

about the filter, it prob would be handy, but one would have to look at what it doesn't filter out and how long it takes to filter. it it takes a long time, can u walk with it while it filters...

[MikeInFHAZ]

Kim, the bottle is something I've found very useful. Just wanted to share with others that link.
The bottle filters water while you squeeze it, just the way you would squeeze a bottle of EVIAN. This 22oz bottle can be emptied in about 30 seconds. Its very similar to what you drink out of at the gym. ONLY...
a bottle of Evian this size costs $1.29, and the bottle/filter by BOTA costs $10 and filters out 200 refills. DO the math!! ( I heard a comedian that said EVIAN spelled backwards is NAIVE, which is exaclty what you are if you spend $2 on a bottle of water)
The list of agents that are filtered include lead, chloramines, chlorine, flouride, mercury, asbestos, radon, pesticides, DDT, arsenic, and many more. IT is NOT a viral filter, although removes 99.97% of crypto and giardia. I have not gotten sick yet, and I drank well over 10 gallons so far, i wish i would have gotten the sale price!
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http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albwb18/BRIDGE.sized.jpg
bridge hammock, quilts and tarp (all DIY)

what i do

[Kim]

wow, after I spent $80 or whatever the cost was on the miniworks! I wonder if this would've been just as good! sounds pretty good-like it filters quickly and stuff. do you think it would be a bother with large amts or just as good as a miniworks?

[MikeInFHAZ]

I only use these on hikes with a reliable water source, such as a perennial stream, of course. I dont think I would rely on it to filter a campsite's supply, such as cooking large meals and stuff. But then again, you can simply boil your water for that purpose, anyway.
As of last weekend when I went to the Cabin Loop, there was a water source(s) so often on the trail, like about every 3 miles or so, that I only brought 1 bottle. What it really boils down to is weight savings. The bottle is 6 ounces, with 22 or so ounces of liquid, so your talking 28 ounces tops compared to say 70 or 100. You MuST have a reliable permanent water source, like I said. This thing is the perfect addition to a lighter pack, especially when doing Wet Beaver, Sycamore Canyon, Horton Springs, etc. I still see people everywhere who lug around huge amounts of water, even though they are within 10 feet of a creek. I dont know, I just dont get it!
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http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albwb18/BRIDGE.sized.jpg
bridge hammock, quilts and tarp (all DIY)

what i do

[Cynhikr]

For the Camelback, etc. users out there who want to skip the filter, see>>>
http://store.botachtactical.com/safwatan40oz.html
the bladder is anti-fungal, etc., as well.

for just an in-line filter see: >http://www.seychelle.com/products/inline.htm.. it's less than half the cost of the Camelback tm in-line filter....
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"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
---Benjamin Franklin

"I wonder what ole' Ben would've thought of the TSA and photo-radar?" -- cynhikr

[fairweather8588]

http://www.camelbak.com/mil/cb_prod.cfm?catid=6&product_id=251
Similar to that above but designed by Camelbak for Camelbak
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But let the mind beware, that though the flesh be bugged, the circumstances of existence are pretty glorious


Kerouac

[MikeInFHAZ]

Ive seen those! really cool idea, thanks canyonhiker.
the bladder fills 50-60 gallons and costs (90oz w/filter) about $58.00
the little bottle fills 34 (recommended) gallons and costs $10.
your call really...
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http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albwb18/BRIDGE.sized.jpg
bridge hammock, quilts and tarp (all DIY)

what i do

[cactuscat]

I've tried one of those sqeeze bottle type filters (different brand) and the problem was you had to sqeeze the thing with approximately 1 million pounds of force to get a tiny trickle of water to come out - definitely not easy or practical. Is this brand much easier to use?

[MikeInFHAZ]

yes, cactuscat, I had one in the past that I bought for a trip out of the country. It was a Katadyn eXstream Purifier, and I think the problem was that the water had to pass through a .5 micron virus guard filter that made it so hard to squeeze. I ended up returning it to REI. That is why I went searching for an alternative, and found these. There are also other brands similar but I chose this one for the Nalgene bottle, I tend to trust brand name in this case. About easier to squeeze, yes its better than the Katadyn version.
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bridge hammock, quilts and tarp (all DIY)

what i do

[maryphyl]

I know it sounds bad but we have found that iodine tablets followed with the citric acid tablets taste just fine. It does take some time for them to work which is a negative. I have not used aqua mira (sp) but others say it does the trick.
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Shikekeh hozhoogo naasha.
I walk in beauty.