Don’t you think it is a must item for going out-door! Since this is a matter of your health, it should get the maximum priority. You just need the best hydration and filtration system to avoid abdominal cramping, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and belly pain.
It is really tough to judge the water only by seeing it. If you see nice crystal and clean water in the lake, does not mean it is safe for drinking. Remember, if there is wildlife or human, contamination is obvious via faecal matters. However, It is highly recommended to stay healthy especially while camping and it is so easy to become sick only by drinking unsafe water.
We are going to discuss how can you choose your best water treatment while camping or hiking. Though there are lots of options available in the market, here we will try to figure out the best!
Key factors you should know before choosing the best Hydration and filtration system:
- System:
– Water purification: Purifiers fight against a virus such as Hepatitis A, Rotavirus and Norovirus. These are weighed light and good for running water.
– Water filtration: Filters remove bacteria, debris, and mud. It is good for standing water. However, it has a litre per hour indication.
Water purification VS Water filtration :
Water filters can be an ideal choice if you travel within USA and Canada when bacteria is the concern but when you are traveling international, it is important to stay safe from waterborne virus and Purifiers are good at that. However, filters make water more pleasant to drink but, purifiers do not.
- Weight VS Duration of filtration process:
– You may always want to keep weight as less as you can and you will find a lot of filters in the market with different weight but you should know that smaller and lighter filters take a long time for filtration process and vice versa. So before purchasing it, you need to decide, which is more important to you! (Duration of filtration process or lightweight).
- Speed:
– Who wants to wait! However, when you are on camping, you will want to enjoy the full time with nature rather than killing time for water treatment. The speed of filtration depends on how many members you are! More people, more time. Chemical such as chlorine, iodine can take up to four hours to purify the water but you just don’t need to be worried just because there are many more options are available for you which can perform within a minute. A speedy filtration process can be a good choice if patient matters for you.
- Water source:
– There are lots of sources can be found in the backcountry for sure but, are you sure that those sources of water will be free of debris or mud or glacial sediment! Never, right? So, if you are only planning for using chemical or a Sheridan, you need to add something for filtration to remove the dirt. However, If the water is not so congested than sometimes a bandana comes handy to get rid of the dirt.
- Types:
– Here, we are going to describe all the types of water treatment process for outdoor which can help you to select the appropriate one for your trip of camping or hiking:
Pump Type hydration and filtration system:
The mechanism is like water passes through the pores and it catches the microorganism and the particles.Remember, the smaller the pore is the effect the filter is.
– Pros:
– Any amount of water can be processed, you need,
– If the water source is down from your stand, it can be pulled,
– Anything of its internal element like cartridge can be replaced,
– Pumping mechanism differs, so you can choose the best one for you,
– Quick process.
– Cons:
– Sometimes a virus cannot be trapped in the mesh of the filters just because they are too small,
– It generally weighs greater than other means of purifications,
– Pumping is a burden if you think,
– Price is high,
– You will need to clean the mechanism or it will become dirty and clog up which can even stop the water flow.
– Using tips:
You can have a container for collecting water and then filter form that just because it may seem difficult sometimes to filter water directly from a tinny river or a puddle of water avoiding the bottom.
– Ideal for:
Since you can filter any amount of water by it, it is good for a small group camping.
Gravity type hydration and filtration system:
The name itself defines it. Yes, the gravity works to create the water flow. Just hang up the container by filling it by water and wait.
– Pros:
– High quantity of water can be filtered.
– Gravity does the job.
– If you compare it with the amount of water it can process, it is a lightweight option for you,
– An element of the cartridge can be replaced.
– Cons:
– It is expensive,
– It processes the water slower than pumping system,
– You will need to find a suitable place to hang it,
– The non-flowing water source can be challenging to fill the reservoir,
– It requires field cleaning.
– Using tips:
Remember, it requires a place where it can be hanged. So it will be not wise to camp in a place where trees are far and it is hard to find a place to hang the reservoir. Think before you go or set up the tent.
– Ideal For:
Since it can process a huge amount of water, it is handy for cooking and for a big group.
UV light purifying system:
This really an amazing process of purifying the water because it is less hazardous. Just put your device seems like a pen into your water bottle with activating it and shake it for a minute. That is it! UV rays neutralize the organism and restrict them to reproduce.
– Pros:
– Extremely lightweight,
– A very quick process,
– Easy process,
– Not bulky.
– No element cleaning required.
– Cons:
– Little expensive,
– Requires batteries,
– Sometimes requires prefiltering,
– Can’t process a large amount of water at a time,
– Does not work on chemical pollutants,
– Requires clean water rather than others.
– Using tips:
Since it does not kill the organism but restrict them from reproducing, you can not expose it to daylight while in a long journey or hiking just because there is a chance of being reactivated of the organism.
– Ideal for:
Short camping, single camping, emergency situation, survival cases.
Bottle / Squeeze filtering option:
It is also one of the easiest options for you. Just fill the bottle and sip.
– Pros:
– Lightweight,
– Easy process,
– Quick drinkable,
– Less price than pump and gravity filter,
– The element can be replaced.
– Cons:
– The water amount is limited by the size of the bottle,
– Field cleaning is required.
– Using tips:
Since it is a matter of sipping, private use is good.
– Ideal for:
Short camping, hiking, a single person.
Straw type hydration and filtration system:
It is designed like you can drink water directly from the source as much as you want.
– Pros:
– Lightweight,
– Cost is lower than the pump and gravity filter,
– Easy process,
– Direct drinkable from the source.
– Cons:
– You can not save water for the future,
– Field cleaning is required,
– Designed for one person.
– Using tips
Try to camp near to any water source or get a container to reserve the water and then straw from theirs.
– Ideal for:
One man, short trip, emergency situation.
Chemical treatment process:
Water gets filtered by adding the chemical pills or tablets into the water jar. Works well against both Virus and Bacteria.
– Pros:
– Ultra-light option,
– Ultra-inexpensive,
– Easy process.
– Cons:
– It takes a long time to clear the water (30 mins to 4 hours).
– Chemical can change the taste of water.
– Using tips:
These are based on iodine or chlorine which can be a concern for pregnant woman and people with a thyroid condition. However, it is not effective against Cryptosporidium.
– Ideal for:
It is always useful just because if your filter bottle gets broken, it will come in handy.
– Boiling process: Boiling is always a good option for purifying water. If you have no hardware to purify than this could be the best way to clarify the water.
– Pros:
– You can process any amount of water depends on your pot and stove.
– You can use boiling water for cooking and washing plates.
– No extra hardware required.
– Works well against Virus, Bacteria, and micro-organism.
– Cons:
– Take a long time to boil,
– Need extra fuel,
– Not good for chemical pollutants,
– Does not work against particles,
– Hot water cannot be drunk, so you will have to wait.
– Using tips:
If you are planning for boiling water then you must need an extra big jar to boil as well as make sure you have extra fuel. However, if it is winter, it will take more fuel to boil.
– Ideal for:
All kinds of camping if you have the cooking system.
– Know, before collecting water:
– Collect water from a clean source as much as possible,
– Try to collect upstream as possible from human activities,
– Avoid dead source just because, stagnant water is home of micro-organisms,
– A cloudy source cannot be a good one,
– Try to pre-filter the water with a towel or a cloth,
– If you want to collect rainwater, collect it after 2 or 3 mins of rain.
– Water near to the industry or agriculture can produce chemical pollution,
– Do not make any vibration into the source before collecting water, if you do so, particles from the down will get mixed.
Safety is always first. So, do not ignore any silly reason for hydration and filtration system for water treatment as well as if you are new in camping, we suggest you to know the things before you go camping.