[pct-l] SIERRA WATER...Filters & Giardia

[Brick Robbins]

On Sun, Mar 16, 2014 at 3:23 AM, Reinhold Metzger
<reinholdmetzger at cox.net> wrote:
> You just never know for sure and that is why many folks buy all
> kinds of expensive filters and purifiers to make certain the
> water they are drinking is giardia free.

There is ample evidence that poor sanitary practices in the
backcountry are the main vector for infection with Giardia.

While giardia does exist in some water, IMHO, the fear of un-treated
water in the backcountry mostly comes from Lawyers and Filter
Manufacturers.

I threw my pump away in 1995, and have never used one since.

I carry Aqua Mira for particularly skanky water, where I'm mostly
worried about bacterial contamination, which many of the lighter
doesn't deal with anyway. The Aqua Mira makes nasty water taste better
too. For clean Sierra water, I drink straight from the source.

Of course, if you want to filter everything, then by all means do. But
don't try and tell me that I am somehow being irresponsible for not
doing as you do.

HYOH....