[pct-l] lightwight water purification on the PCT

[jeffmoorehead1 at cox.net (Jeff Moorehead)]

I would be interested in hearing about solutions to water purification that don't involve boiling and are in line with the goals of ultralight hiking. I've been doing some research on the matter and from my reading, here are the availabe options in ascending order of the weight requirements:
   1) Lightest method-- don't worry about it and take chances with water purity. Doesn't seem this is wise for a 5 month hike, or even a short hike if it involves water sources in the So Cal deserts.
 2) Next lightest-- tablets or chlorine dioxide solutions. Seems the disadvantage here is the cost, waiting time, and possible after taste.
 3) Water filter bottles: these sound great but do they work? How does one devise a system with these? They are costly, too. One expensive filter cartridge will handle about 30 gallons.
 4) MSR MIOX. A relatively new device that creates a cocktail of biotoxic, mixed oxidants using salt and electricity which is then added in small quantities to unpurified water. In effect, it produces a purifying solution that then has all the pros and cons of a chlorine solution. It would cut costs over the duration of a thru ike and it is relatively light. Anybody used these?
 5) And then the long list of water filters that range in weight from 2 lbs down to 13 oz. The heavier ones are more durable and filter to the recommended 0.1 microns. However, the most durable lighter weight units, such as the Katadyn Pocket Filters are prohibitvely expensive and still weigh in at 22 oz (more with the gadgetry required to deal with viruses and after taste). 

 I'm not sure if this has been extensively discussed in this group, so pardon the remission if it has. I'd like to hear about systems that people use-- i.e. maybe one should use different methods for different parts of the hike. It seems that water purificaton may be a vital chore in the more southerly sections of the trail but maybe not so in the high Sierra. Any thoughts would help...
 Jeff