Water Purification

When I am in pristine mountainous settings I rarely purify my water. In these environments I am very close to the watershed divides, and most of the water that I am drinking is coming from springs or very small creeks (which start as springs not too far uphill) so the risk of a contamination source being in the water is low. I am selective about my water sources: I look for clean creeks and streams, ideally that are full of spongy green moss and far away from any industrialized or agricultural area. If I don't like the water source, I move on. I have hiked thousands of miles without purifying my water and have never gotten sick.

When I'm not in pristine mountainous settings -- and, instead, in areas that are low-lying, beaver-infested, cow-populated, human-inhabited, etc. -- I more frequently purify my water using a chlorine-based purification treatment like Aqua Mira.

Compared to iodine, Aqua Mira is:

• More effective against bacteria and cysts
• Tasteless and odorless
• Better for you -- it does not kill the good bacteria in your intestine in addition to the bad bacteria in your water
• Designed using the same technology used in most municipal water treatment facilities

Compared to water filters, Aqua Mira is:

• Lighter, especially when you repackage it in smaller dropper bottles from Backpacking Light
• Less expensive
• Faster, especially for groups or when you need large volumes of water