BootsnAll Travel Community

A tiny UV light tube that sterilizes clear water quickly without imparting taste. Can be used on a single glass at a restaurant table. Also kills viruses.

Battery life is reasonable, and the unit will clear 5000 liters before needing a lamp change. Works by sticking Thymine DNA rungs together, thereby destroying it's DNA altogether. Only costs $100 US.

To be honest, the only thing going against this unit is the fact it garners MANY looks ! Very cool in operation but attracts attention in restaurants.

It might even work for purifying the INSIDE of ice cubes.

Very cool....

Steripen.com

I just bought mine, Steripen, from Amazon.com

The steripen is a great idea. I would still bring some type of coffee filter (or something similar) to filter out any large particles to make sure that the UV can be most effective. If the water is dirty, the dirt will prevent the UV from fully sterilizing the water.

Also, if you're traveling somewhere very rural, bring a couple sterilizing tablets just in case your steripen breaks.

It must be magic. Simply by crossing the Atlantic it almost doubles in price. Amazing :|

I agree, and think folks who voted for Bush have some explaining to do ....

I can barely afford the Sushi in Vancouver BC anymore (frown)

What I meant was that it's $100 in the US, yet somehow it's between £70 and £100 here (i.e. $140-200). Which is poor.

Steripen - meh, boy toy (obviously bought by girls too). I had a look at water purification before our last cycling trip and stumbled over the steripen as well. Have you ever tried to purify enough water to actually really keep you hydrated while hiking, trekking, cycling (or probably even just hanging around hot and humid places). Additionally, you have the problem of energy consumption.

Water purification is best done manually - and there are plenty of time-tested tools out there, such as the Katadyn filters. They are admittedly not sexy. But I can purify enough water for me and my gf before collapsing from dehydration.

Exhaustion ?

Using a steripen requires nothing but stirring a light swirl in your water bottle for a minute or so.

Mine has a box with a solar panel on the lid, power is really not trouble at all to manage unless you're trying to hydrate a group over maybe four people or better.

Water filters don't work on viruses -- this does. People also mention that it can break, but so can the ceramic on a conventional filter. Been there.

i'm curious about the wattage of this thing. there have been studies done showing that different levels of UV strength, time, whether or not there's anything else that can absorb the rays, and even distance from the bulb can influence how the dna gets destroyed. and i hope it comes with something that you can cover the light with, don't want to sunburn your corneas!

As I understand it's pretty safe, UV isn't supposed to cross plastic or the water surface. Beyond my first curiosities I don't look at it anymore, and I use a black bottle for no other reason than minimizing attention.

I do know it's powerful and not something to be trifled with. Beyond that, there's lots of info on their website.

I took one of these things with me on the Everest Base Camp trek in January and it worked like a charm - even in very cold water. I really like the idea of using a black bottle to hide the light though. I wish I'd thought of that! The only downside to the SteriPen was instantly becoming the center of attention every time I used it in a crowded teahouse dining room.

Actually since writing that I've changed to a stainless bottle. No way of knowing what's in plastic anymore.

You are right about it being an attention grabber ! It's another reason I went stainless.