[pct-l] Steri-Pen

[brick at fastpack.com (Brick Robbins)]

At 12:46 PM 7/30/03, Jeff King wrote:
>So, if you have some feedback about the Steri-Pen, I'd like to hear about it
>(as well as Jim would since he asked first).

OK. I've been interested in these for a while for trips overseas, so I've 
done some asking.

I have not used one, but several friends have recently returned from Iraq , 
where they are in common use by the troops (I live in San Diego, with a 
large number Sailors & Marines around.) Like Camelback water bladders, they 
were not issued, but lots of folks have them.

They weigh 6-8oz depending on the batteries. They say to use them in clear 
water, but not in cloudy water. Fairly rugged as long as the cover is on 
them, but quite fragile without the cover. Complaints were that you 
couldn't use them directly in a camelback, in narrow neck bottles or in 
containers bigger than a liter.

Expensive, at about $200. If you get one from a military PX or Exchange, 
they will be olive drab. Commercial ones are white.

No one I asked knew how long the batteries lasted. Most seemed to like them 
because the water didn't taste of chemical treatment. Nobody could really 
answer if they purified the water better or worse than the tablets, just 
that it tasted better. I guess a lot of what was available to drink was 
pretty skanky anyway. Sounded like Kelso Valley.

Is that what you were after?