Steripen advice

Bushwalking gear and paraphernalia. Electronic gadget topics (inc. GPS, PLB, chargers) belong in the 'Techno Babble' sub-forum.
Forum rules
TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.

Steripen advice

Postby Hiking Exped » Wed 08 Dec, 2021 6:11 pm

I confess I find the Steripen a little temperamental, but I persevere with it. However, I usually use in 1 litre Nalgene bottles, but am about to get a folding 2.8 litre one. Anybody used a steripen with these. I assume 1 press for half a litre 2 for a litre means I just treat for a litre x 3 times to be safe?

The Katadyn pump days were the best, but every gram counts for my knees these days :D
Hiking Exped
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed 13 Oct, 2021 8:05 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby EGM » Wed 08 Dec, 2021 9:16 pm

There is a kit you can buy for it which has a large bladder with a special coating so the whole thing gets done in one go. I think it's four litres.
I got one second hand a while ago but I haven't used that part of it.

Might be worth checking out.
EGM
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 197
Joined: Fri 08 May, 2020 2:01 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby Zapruda » Wed 08 Dec, 2021 9:20 pm

Ditch the steripen and look into a Befree, QuickDraw or Sawyer. They are lighter, cheaper and more reliable.
User avatar
Zapruda
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1690
Joined: Thu 07 Apr, 2016 10:46 am
Region: Australian Capital Territory
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby ribuck » Fri 10 Dec, 2021 7:17 pm

Zapruda wrote:Ditch the steripen and look into a Befree, QuickDraw or Sawyer. They are lighter, cheaper and more reliable.

I second the recommendation of the Katadyn BeFree. Lighter, cheaper, more reliable, and more convenient too - although I didn't get the promised 1000 litres lifespan before having to replace the filter.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1882
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby crollsurf » Wed 29 Dec, 2021 8:58 pm

Befree fan boy but the pouch isn't super durable. Excluding when the dog took a liking to one, I have had one spring a leak out walking.

BTW ribuck, how do you know when its reached its use by date?

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk
User avatar
crollsurf
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 2206
Joined: Tue 07 Mar, 2017 10:07 am
Location: Sydney
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby ribuck » Thu 30 Dec, 2021 3:04 am

crollsurf wrote:BTW ribuck, how do you know when its reached its use by date?

I retired mine when the flow rate became too low, even with squeezing the pouch very hard, and wringing it. Of course I did the recommended rinsing and swooshing after each trip to stop it clogging up too quickly.

However, I will buy another one because it was great while it lasted.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1882
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby Hiking Exped » Sun 02 Jan, 2022 12:44 pm

Thanks all, How had I not seen these.

I love my old Katadyn pump, but the weight retired it. The Steripen and pre filter works, but is temperamental. This Be free in the 3 litre looks perfect for me and will shave weight off the Steripen too.

Thanks loads - shopping time :D
Hiking Exped
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 149
Joined: Wed 13 Oct, 2021 8:05 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: Steripen advice

Postby Gadgetgeek » Sun 02 Jan, 2022 8:57 pm

Disclosure, I don't like Sawyer as a company due to some of their practices and products, I have little experience with the rest. As for the steripen, when I use one I use it with either 0.5L nalgenes or 0.5 platypus bags, and so for my effort, I think that having a "treatment" bag and a larger storage bag would be more ideal. I have several bladders from 2-4L, and filters to suit the conditions, but if I'm going solo, I'd probably just take the steri-pen, an 0.5 and a 2L and that should do my "walk" stage in most cases though I could take more if needed. I wouldn't use a steri for more than 1L at a time just due to my own concerns about bugs not getting close enough to the bulb, but I may be over-concerned having grown up in major giardia territory.

In the bigger scale, the steri is also part of my "at home" plan as it would be a very user-friendly plan if home ends up having a boil water advisory. That said, I also have an MSR gravity and miniworks, though they count as group filters for me (should I ever get the chance to walk with a group again)
Gadgetgeek
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1214
Joined: Sun 23 Sep, 2012 4:10 pm
Region: Queensland
Gender: Male


Return to Equipment

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot] and 23 guests