[pct-l] water purification

[Piroska Balogh]

I've been backpacking for about 10 years and have hiked the Oregon PCT  
2 years ago and Oregon and Washington last summer. I've used the  
Sweetwater filter for years and have been pretty happy with it most of  
the time. When it works, its easy to use and works really fast.  
However, the prefilter can clog and is a pain to clean out. My last  
one got harder and harder to use about halfway through Oregon this  
last summer so I had another one mailed to me. I'm thinking about  
switching to Aquamira next summer.

The one thing I really like about filters is how easy it is to fill my  
Platypus hydration system. I just pull off the bitevalve and plug the  
hydration hose onto the outport on the filter then pump away. I don't  
have to pull my platypus out of my pack to do this. The other thing I  
like is that its easy to pull water out of trickles without lots of  
silt getting in my water.

I like the ease, minimal weight and volume, and no moving parts to  
break of Aquamira but if I switch, I'll have to come up with some  
other ways of filling up on water since the opening on a platypus is  
so narrow. Or, maybe I'll switch to another type of water container. I  
also think that I can get away with not purifying from every source.

For those of you who don't purify everything, how do you pick what to  
purify? Do you purify from big lakes? Does anyone know what the rate  
of diagnosed giardia/ cryptosporidium infection is on the PCT?

This is one of those fun topics that can be discussed forever. I like  
hearing other people's opinions and experiences since it helps me  
refine and rethink my own choices.

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