Water

[mytimetoshine]

As prospectors, water is always on our minds for many reasons. I would like to hear everyone take on drinking water and how you go about getting it.

So typically I hike or mountain bike to my digging locations. When I bike I have the option of attaching a trailer to one location but usually it hiking in like most. I assume the vast majority of us are walking to the locations. Obviously the less you can carry the better. I find that water takes up alot of space and adds weight.
I have been considering other options lately other then packing it in. First thing that came to mind was just building a fire and boiling,which probably just isn't practical in my area especially with the drought. People would freak out and probbaly not legal in most areas.
Then I started looking at filters. But it looks like while you might save some weight your still losing valuable space for whatever prospecting gear you would rather have.
I had read about and seen the Life straw before on tv. According to what I can find it has really good filtering and capacity capabilities,low cost and most importantly small size. Asmbandits and I were discussing this last weekend. For 20 bucks you get like 1500 liters or something crazy. I'm really thinking of ditching the water bottles and just going with this. There is plenty of water where I go so it's not like I'd be drinking out of mud puddles but getting sick would be a drag...
How well do these things work? Has anyone on here ever gotten sick why using a filter and more specifically the Life straw?

 

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[fowledup]

Look at the Sawyer mini. It's a great little filter. Comes with a straw for drinking directly from water source, a fold up bag for use when filling your canteen or water bottle, plus an adapter for attaching it to a water bottle. Everything fits in a ziplock sandwhich bag with room to spare.

 

[beekbuster]

Using a filter in already clean water is doable, but if it's not clear water it would be a last resort measure. Luckily I can go a whole day on not much water if I am in the water I would always pack water if you are that concerned about needing it, it's to easy to forget a filter

 

[Asmbandits]

After you left that day I ran out of water so gave the life straw a try, filled the gold pan with water and drank away. Didnt get sick or notice anything bad except the water although being crystal clear to start had a almost fishy taste to it, wasnt bad just noticed it.. I paid $18.50 for mine at big 5 and it says it will do a minimum of 2k gallons, id assume a lot more if the water your drinking is clean to start. Im sold and will being using it again with less worry, still going to pack in water for the most part but wont be rationing as much depending on conditions.

 

[fowledup]

From the Sawyer specs-

0.1-micron filter physically removes 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli; removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, such as giardia and cryptosporidium

If folks get sick using one of these it's usually due to inadvertant cross contamination not a defective filter

 

[Reed Lukens]

The Life Straw? I guess it depends on the stream. I've drank plenty of water straight from the rivers and never had a problem. But... We do have the Life Saver Jerry Can System and I do like the Life Saver bottle for hiking because when I am walking back up the mountain, I need water to drink. What I have done in the past when going to a place with known water issues in a deep canyon is take my filer and a medium size bottled water down with me. This gives me clean water to drink all day and with the filter, I just fill it and re use it as much as needed. Plus I fill the empty container that doesn't weigh anything after I drink it at the end of the day for the hike out. If you are using the same trail you can have a carry in to stash water and ropes, etc. at the bottom of the hill and then just pick it all up including the fresh filtered water to use on the way up. Some of the canyons that I use to climb were 1000' up on rope, so lots of water was needed. So carry a container and a container style filter when needed. If the going is easy where you are and you just plan on drinking all day from the river with an easy climb to the car then the Straw would work great but for most of what I do, I need water a long way from the source. We did our research on the Life Saver products and chose them over the others - LIFESAVER Products | View the Range

 

[goldenIrishman]

Us Desert Rats only have one option most of the time.... Pack it in! Most of you know that when I'm out in the field I'm there for a month. This means 4 cases of drinking water plus 165 gallons of water for processing has to be brought in each month. Once I file for a claim I'll have to haul even more water for processing since I'll be running a lot more materials. I'm thinking of picking up one of those caged totes and having it out at the claim. A couple of trips and I can have it filled.

Now if the area I checked out today turns out to be good as it looks, I won't be having this problem since it's only 2-1/2 miles from the house. Can you say home for dinner and a nice hot shower every night? I knew you could!!!!

 

[Reed Lukens]

For transferring water to our trailer we use the Simple Siphon Big Gulp, it's a handy little work horse - Simple Siphon Plus :: Home

 

[mytimetoshine]

Look at the Sawyer mini. It's a great little filter. Comes with a straw for drinking directly from water source, a fold up bag for use when filling your canteen or water bottle, plus an adapter for attaching it to a water bottle. Everything fits in a ziplock sandwhich bag with room to spare.

That's looks like the ticket right there. 100k gallons

2oz has a straw, can fit in line with a camel back and screws on to most water bottle for about 25 bucks. SOLD

 

[fowledup]

Thanks Reed those are cool, gonna get a couple of those, very handy indeed. However the Live Saver Jerry cans ($350) will have to wait a while as I'm just simple ol' po folk!

 

[Bill_saf]

I have the simple siphon now 15 years did not know that they made a bigger one thanks Reed!

 

[2cmorau]

when i did a lot of backpacking
i had the sweetwater handpumpwater filter
MSR SweetWater Water Filter - REI.com

 

[mytimetoshine]

Just ordered the Sawyer mini on EBay. 19 bucks shipped. Thanks Fowledup

 

[fowledup]

Just ordered the Sawyer mini on EBay. 19 bucks shipped. Thanks Fowledup

Stay thirsty my friend!

always wanted to say that

 

[Asmbandits]

 

[mytimetoshine]

View attachment 1190412

LMAO

I don't always dig holes in the ground. But when I do I get gold.