SteriPEN Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier

I initially debated this purchase, as it's not inexpensive, but it's a total win. My debate centered around version, price, weight and fragility. I trust the science behind it.I'm notoriously sloppy with water purification, drinking tap water in Mexico, ice cubes in Myanmar and river water in Colombia. In preparation for an expedition to cross Madagascar, where water sources would be unknown, I decided it was time to consider my health. My last big gear-buying spree was in 2005 - it's pretty amazing the advancements since. For any hardcore trip where you risk destroying water tablets, using up iodine on other activities or serious dehydration...get a SteriPEN.Key moments I was particularly thankful for SteriPEN:1) When porters topped off a group pot of water we'd boiled the night before, which we realized as we went to tank up for the day. Wait 30 minutes for purification tablets, or, re-purify starter bottles with two wands for immediate consumption? Easy.2) When I ran out of water and found a river an entire village used to wash dishes, laundry and bathe. I ran through the purification process twice, just for fun, drinking within five minutes.Since returning from this trip, I've undergone multiple blood tests- the only bacteria strain found was contracted pre-SteriPEN. Having this, I am much more likely to drink wisely on future trips.The weight was nominal and, while you certainly want to use the included case, it's sturdy enough. I had it in the outer pocket of my pack much of the trip. I used it in multiple 40oz Kleen Kanteen metal containers, which the math was a little tricky on, but I just over-purified when in doubt. Also "works" on Camelbak sacks. I do agree with various other reviews noting it's a little awkward to ensure the wand is submerged while you're stirring (otherwise it shuts off), but it's not a big deal. The signal light is easy enough to keep an eye on, but it would be nice if placed at the end of the handle. A lot of folks warn of contamination around the lip or mouthpiece of your container. Slosh it around while you're purifying or rinse your mouthpiece off with a purified bottle. At the end of the day, my bottles were being dragged through rivers and muck so there are really only so many preventative measures one can take.Like any tool a life might depend upon, I tested it before departing to at least verify the light remained on through a full cycle, etc. I would encourage anyone to do the same.October 2016: I still recommend SteriPEN as your primary method of water purification. Also great for extended trips or living abroad.

We bought this for our trek up to Mt. Everest and used it the whole time, never got sick. Easy, intuitive, 10/10 would recommend. We even had it up in some pretty cold temps and it was just fine.

I added this to my filtering system - I do a lot of hiking in the high peaks in the Adirondacks. Recently I did a solo backpacking trip - and camped out for 2 nights. I wanted to make sure there would be no reason I would fall prey to some kind of parasite from a brook or stream. I coupled this with another filtering system and really felt this to be a great solution. It was compact and simple to use. I will be using this for a lot of trips ahead. Great solution!

I recently took mine up to the Boundary Waters where abuse to all gear is the staple since portaging, hiking, and exposure to water via rain or tipped over canoe are commonplace. My SteriPEN Adventurer held up to these elements and delivered on drinkable water. I'm not sure why people have had issues turning theirs on since it was pretty easy to do such. I will say, though, the "ON" switch is sturdy enough to where bumping into it wouldn't turn it on.I used it in two Nalgene water bottles (one tinted charcoal grey and the other chartreuse yellow) and had no issues not seeing the UV light turn on - even at high noon. It'd take a minute or less to clean the water, dry the SteriPEN, and put it back into my bag where it takes hardly any space. Also, no hassles with pumps and tubes like my friend's filters.My only gripe, which isn't much b/c its not that big of a deal, but I wish it would buzz or vibrate when it was done. I usually would scoop up the water at the base of my campsite and bring the water up to camp and talk with my friends while using the SteriPEN. I'd find myself a few times looking down after a bit and the light already had turned off - I'd get too carried away in conversation. It gives you a small blinking green light that lasts for about 20 seconds that'll tell you if the water is good to drink after it's finished purifying, but if you're talking to your friends or caught up in a sunrise or sunset or something worth seeing when out in the wilderness, it'd be nice for the system to vibrate to your hand to tell you it purified the water instead of being glued to watching the device the whole time.

poor design. The SteriPEN Adventurer Opti UV Water Purifier. does not appear to work on a standard 1/2 liter water bottle that you can buy around the world. The standard screw top is just over 1 inch and the most common bottle in the world for water. Additionally, the design went from a standard AA battery that could be purchased around the world in most stores to an odd Cr123 battery. The perfect design IMO should be able to be used in a standard screw top bottle of about 1.1 inch/ 30 mm and take a standard battery of 4 AA like a previous design that can be used and serviced and used in most locations in the world. Yes, we can buy some great rechargeable AA batteries with more Mah ratings than the current cr123 battery .

I bought this for a trip to Guatemala as a backup in case we needed it. It came in handy when we travelled to Tikal and didn’t want to buy a bunch of overpriced water at our hotel. It’s a bit of a leap of faith when you start using it and I’ll admit, I ran it twice over everything for good measure. No one got sick, it really does work. I highly recommend it.