the Adventure Lifestyle magazine

• ~ GET PUMPED: PORTABLE POTABLE WATER IS IN YOUR GRASP _. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, THE GREATEST THREAT TO BACKCOUNTRY TRAVEL- ERS IS NEITHER BEARS NOR BANJO-STRUMMING HILLBILLIES. RATHER, IT'S THOSE PESKY MOUN- TAIN STREAMS. AND WHAT'S SO DANGEROUS ABOUT A PR ISTINE STREAM, YOU ASK? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING-IF YOU CAN FIND ONE. In its most recent study of water quality, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found 40 percent of the nation's streams, lakes and estuaries are too polluted to drink, eat fish from, or even swim in. More troubling are microbiologists' stud- ies that suggest nearly every stream, lake, and river in this country contains the pathogen giardia. And there's a good chance another common pathogen, cryptosporidium, as well as bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and dysentery-causing shigella are floating in those crystal-clear waters. Most of these pathogens will make you sick; others could kill you. Sadly, it's the same the world over and much worse in equatorial regions. matter. Bears, beavers, deer, hippos, monkeys and zebra all gotta go somewhere, and often it is near a stream or lake. Once protozoan and bacteria find a host (any hiker will do), they mul- tiply rapidly and begin to wreak havoc on a victim's intestinal tract. Depending on the pathogen, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, fever and other nasty symptoms usually appear in a day or two. The good news is that portable water filters effectively remove bacteria and protozoan from a water supply. And they do it quicker than boiling the water and don' t leave a bad taste like iodine tablets and drops. And unlike iodine and chlorine, filters will remove cryptosporidium. Do keep in mind, however, that most filters cannot remove viruses, the smallest type of waterborne pathogens. (Filters that remove or kill viruses earn the moniker purifi- er.) Viruses are rare in US water supplies, but common in equatorial and developing coun- tries where pollutants including sewage are regularly dumped into rivers and streams. Even if you invest in a portable filter that Most pathogens enter the water supply from fecal ~TYPES OF FILTER There are two main types of filter elements: ceramic and glass fiber and each has advantages and disadvantages. Ceramic filters have smaller pores, which screen more pathogen than glass fiber. They also have a longer life and can be cleaned repeatedly. But, they are fragile, can crack in cold weath- er and are difficult to pump water through. Glass-fiber filters do have higher flow rates but typically screen fewer contaminants and need to be replaced frequently. Although some can be cleaned, most stop working when they are dirty-a bad thing in the backcountry. removes viruses when traveling to a develop- ing county, it is always a good idea to carry a few iodine tablets or other antiviral treatment. Every filter we tested underwent prior independent laboratory testing to ensure it filtered out at least 99.9 of protozoan and 99.9999 percent of bacteria, the EPA guide- lines for water filters. We tested how easy the filters were to pump, their flow rates, how they performed with murky water, and how the fil- tered water tasted. We took into account the filter life, its size and weight, and overall ease of use. Every filter we tested will work well on a hike through Colorado or an excursion to the Urals, but some work better than others. Read on to find out which filters rose to the top. redesigns, are known for producing clean, great-tast- ing water, and being completely field serviceable. The only caveat has been a sluggish flow rate. Not so any- more. The latest incarnation, the WaterWorks EX, has a 45 percent faster flow rate (now a very respectable 1 liter per minute). Our EX also produced the best tast- ing water, resisted clogging the longest, and was easi- er to clean and maintain than others. The secret is a two-filter system: The first is a ceramic filter with a ns nearly all the remaining bacteria and protozoa and other dissolved chemicals. The EX screws on to a standard Nalgene water bottle, a nice feature unless you left the Nalgene bottle at home. Other drawbacks: one of the heaviest of the bunch and pumping becomes a chore when clogged. MSR, 19 ounces, 800-877-9677, www.msrcorp.com. $139.95 This unit was formerly known as the Pur Guide, but last year Katadyn purchased Pur's outdoor unit and stamped its own brand name on the portable filters. Disregarding the name change, the Guide's performance is consistent. Water flows through this filter faster than some of the streams we tested it on. With little effort, the Guide's glass-fiber filter processed a liter of water in 40 seconds, almost twice as fast as other units. On the downside, its filter cannot be brushed clean so ifit clogs in the wild and you don't have a spare, you're up shit creek, so to speak. Katadyn, 14 ounces, 800-755-6701, www.katadyn.com. $80

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