Is there a tablet out there that doesn't have a taste???? How about a VERY mild taste.

I saw one in Campmor I thought might have potential. Katadyn micropur purification tablets. In the description, it says "virtually no taste or odor". Fact or fiction???

I am not used to "city water" since we live in the boonies.

I have never tried it but some friends of mine who are seasoned paddlers and portagers swear by Polar Pure. They pump no water and only use the stuff. It can't be purchased in Wisconsin, however.

I second the Polar Pure nomination. I carry it as a backup to my filter. It's iodine, but not tablets. A screen keeps the crystals in the bottom of the bottle. You fill the bottle with water, wait half an hour, and a thermometer on the bottle tells you how many capfuls to add to a liter of water. Still tastes like iodine, though. Bring Kool Aid or Lipton Cold Breww Tea to mix with it.

Personally, I have never tried a tablet that didn't taste awful. I would 100 times rather boil water and taste the smoke than taste iodine! (although my son has won me over to the filtering camp).

Of all the chemical treatments, the katadyn micropur tabs are hands down the best ones out there. Iodine is obsolete and shouldn't even be sold anymore.

Micropur tabs are a chlorine dioxide-based treatment that kills all of the microscopic nasties in the water from encysted cryptosporidium down to viruses. Iodine cannot kill crypto, and neither can bleach.

That said, if you are used to boonie water, I don't think you'll be satisfied with any chemical water treatment. Chlorine dioxide treatments relatively speaking have very little taste or odor (compared to other chemical treatments like iodine or bleach), but they do make the water taste like city water.

I live in SE Wisconsin and have purchased and use Polar Pure. Can not remember if I purchased it at Laacke& Joy, or REI. Very little taste. One bottle will last a few seasons. All water treatments have their good, and their bad aspects. Do a little reaserch on the topic and make your choice. I have not encountered any "beaver feaver", but a buddy that went to Quetico with me did. It was NOT something I want to go thru!!!

butthead

I participated in a kayaking trip to the Apostles this year. The guides for the trip said they routinely do not pump water, but use a product called Pristine. Here's the site;http://pristine.ca/. They said there is no objectionable taste (no iodine) and is safer (healthwise); it is safe for recreational use. The iodine tablets I've seen all have a warning that the product is intended for emergency use. Pristine uses two-part liquids that you mix - this creates an oxidizer, which is the principle by which the MSR MIOX functions. I haven't used it myself yet but intend to pick up some as a backup to the Miniworks - or if I want to pack extra light.

Pristine is not available in the USA. A similar product is available, called Aqua Mira by McNett. Keep in mind that this stuff is not approved by the EPA for use as a purifier. The EPA tests have not yet shown it sufficiently effective on Cryptosporidium to give it the 'purifier' rating. Therefore, all stats you see on the stuff do not take crypto into account.

Katadyn Micropur tablets ARE approved for use against crypto and use the same basic chemistry. I don't know why the Aqua Mira does not have approval while Katadyn Micropur and MSR Miox do have approval. I wish I knew that answer, but there's a reason for it.

All three of these products leave a similar effect to the water...a chlorine smell that dissipates pretty quickly and doesn't leave a discernable taste (to someone who is used to city water).

If you don't want the chemical taste to the water, then you might consider the Aquastar or the Steripen, which use UVC radiation to kill the nasties. You will still need to pre-filter the water with a coffee filter or something, but you can avoid ANY and ALL chemical taste to the water.

I'm not pushing Pristine or any product for that matter, but for inquiring minds, there are field-test reviews of several of these products at http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Water%20Treatment/Chemical%20Treatment/. By the way, Pristine can be ordered over the internet (Canadian company) and their site claims their product to be 99.9% effective against Crypto and Giardia.

A guy I met on a hiking trip swore by using polar pure coupled with a calcium tablet. I think he was just using rolaids for the calcuim tablet. After the water has been treated, add a crushed calcium tablet and it will bond with the chlorine / iodine and settle to the bottom of the container.

I haven't tried this, so I can comment on the validity of it. But the guy seemed pretty bright, so if I had to bet, I would guess it works. Perhaps someone here can comment on this.

I use aquamira and the taste doesn't bother me but I can tell the treatment is in there.

Ok, so the forum timed out. The only product on the pristine site that claims 99.9% efficacy against giardia and crypto is the filtration bottle...not the chlorine dioxide solution.

If you want the chemical stuff here in the states, look for McNett's Aqua Mira. It's widely available and is the exact same thing as Pristine's chlorine dioxide. It just doesn't have approval from the EPA for treatment of crypto, even though in Canada, Pristine claims that it's effective.

Here is a great reference for anyone drinking water in the backcountry.

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/CID/journal/issues/v34n3/010954/010954.text.html

forget pills. first need filter all the way. its worth the weight.

Jan

Here's my water regiment.

Deep Lakes-drink straight from lake (if you are not comfortable doing this don't-I have nothing but respect for all who boil, filter or use tabs for all water)

Rest of the water gets filtered with a PUR Hiker

I also have a filter bottle that you fill and suck filtered water through a straw

I have a small bottle of polar pure along in case of emergency and/or the filter breaks

I also know if nothing else works I can boil.

I've used pills once-hated them. They may make the water potable but if you can't stand the taste and have to "disguise" it with sweet drink mix what good is it. Besides pills don't remove the little black bugs and other critters, and the little floatie things are still there. Filters are better for potable and more enjoyable water.

Keep in mind, folks, that the new chlorine dioxide tablets aren't in the same league as the old potable aqua iodine garbage. Seriously, not even close, and the chlorine dioxide stuff is ACTUALLY potable without covering it up (as long as you're not used to well water, anyway).

I like the bag filters. These will purify water. They filter about a gallon an hour. no pumping no iodine taste. You can get them from Kaytaden. I usally put a old sock on the filter part. This due to the tanic acid used in the logging days will clog up these filters in ten gallons of tanic acid water.

anyone, please feel free to correct me here if im wrong. i believe tannic acid wasnt USED in the logging industry.....it was/is a naturally occuring acid FOUND in some trees....not an "additive" used by the industry. Jan

I think it comes from the bark of tamaracks?

A quick search will show it's common in wooded areas.
Ever notice how dark brown water as seen by the eye turns bright blue in photos of the same waters?
I don't think it's a problem in lakes or streams.

butthead

> Katadyn Micropur tablets ARE approved for use against crypto and use
> the same basic chemistry. I don't know why the Aqua Mira does not have
> approval while Katadyn Micropur and MSR Miox do
The DoD did a massive study: http://usachppm.apgea.army.mil/WPD/Default.aspx

They used the product based on directions, then also tried a longer treatment. Aqua Mira specifies a 20 minute treatment time and is not effective at treating crypto in that time. However, if you let it set for four hours, it *is* effective.

The Micropur instructions specify a four hour treatment--that's the primary difference.