Glad to help as much as I can nurit and Grouch. When using the Steripen for trips, if you only put the batteries in the unit when you need it, it will save battery life a lot. I think it has a small current drain on the batteries if left in there all the time. The solar recharger they sale with the steripen takes forever to recharge and a fold able cell is a invaluable tool. I did find out that my 40 watt cell will power the steripen with no batteries vs my 20 watt won't. But both cells will charge the batteries quickly and if you keep some spares around and there is a sun out to recharge then you will be ok. I do like the 40 watt cells in case I have battery failures or no sun for awhile and I need power now, when the sun does return from multiple rainy days, and the battery power is low so I can just run the steripen off of the cell with no batteries for quick treatments.

I've been considering a foldable solar panel anyway so this might be a good time to get serious about it. I watched your videos and I was impressed with your 40 watt panel.

Thanks Grouch, I'm glad you liked it.

I plan on being gone as long as I need to- There is no set "time limit".... I will not be carrying a stove, I'll be building campfires. I will have to be careful where I build fires I realize, but that's just part of paying attention to where I'm at, and the laws of the area.

Careful: iodine does not kill Cryptosporidium.

If you have the capacity to carry 3-4 L of water and the time to boil all of that at least twice per day (maybe more if you're hiking all day at a fast pace) whenever you're at a water source, then I think boiling is an option.

I think UV sterilizers with Micropur tabs as a backup in event of battery or device failure is the best option.

I just started a post the other day on the steriPEN. I have used the PUR Hiker filter for about a decade and carried iodine or tabs as back ups. That has some great feedback on that item.

The flow of your posts leads me to assume, perhaps incorrectly, that your looking to do this as inexpensively as possible. Buying a $100-$150 SteriPEN set up may not jive with that philosophy. That leaves boiling which is time consuming and fuel consuming if you have to use gas instead of timber due fire restrictions. Camping gases for that long in the back country can be heavy.

So that leaves for cost, a filter. I think name brands are the tested way to go for consistency and efficiency but I found a UL filter by Timberline Filters that is only $20 and claims to block out all the usual suspects.

For inexpensive but effective water filtration, the folks at Emergency Essentials has the Katadyn Hiker water filter on sale for $49.99, generally about $10 off regular price. http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_WP%20F150_A_name_E_KATADYN%AE+Hiker%99+Water+Filter. This isn't the Hiker *Pro* filter, which provides identical filtration but includes quick connect fittings for the input and outgo hoses, which can be useful but will cost you another $25 if you buy the Pro version. The Hiker is a solid performer, outdone only by the Katadyn Guide imo for output of clean fresh water, good for approx 200 gallons per filter cartridge. I've used a Hiker Pro for 4 seasons of backcountry hikes and camping in the PNW, including filtering for groups including Scouts. I get tired of pumping but there's no disputing, the Hiker / Hiker Pro works like a charm and out-purifies (by volume) my older MSR filter pump.

My hiking backup (always at least two methods of getting clean water) are Katadyn Micropur water purification tablets, which I've used periodically on hikes just to use them up. For emergency preparedness I rotate some Micropur tablets into my bag and have an MSR filter in my bag just in case - I'm committed to keeping a store of water for my family, and we'll drink Scotch before I drink potentially chemical or waste contaminated filtered water. $50 for the Hiker gets me thinking it might be cheap enough to buy as a BOB backup. I was given a SteriPen for a birthday gift last year and have done no more than to test clean a bottle of water, then put it away in an earthquake kit - it works just fine, but the weight savings of 7 oz over the Hiker Pro just doesn't make relying on batteries for everyday filtering worth it to me, but ymmv.

Every method of purification consumes a resource that will run out eventually. (With the possible exception of boiling, although even there the fuel cost can be an issue.) Filters get clogged. Chemicals run out.

Batteries have the advantage that they can be recharged (eg from car or solar panels), or new ones bought almost anywhere (my Steripen uses AA).

Reviving an old thread...

I am ready to get serious about a foldable solar solution with the primary use being to charge batteries and possibly, if necessary, to directly power a SteriPEN or other small device. I wonder if it would be wise to buy two or three small panels which, when linked together, are equivalent to the output of one large panel. My thinking is that if I have only one panel and it fails, I'm out of business. With a multi-panel setup, there would be something to fall back on (assuming that something catastrophic didn't destroy everything). What say ye experts on the matter?

Once that's decided, pointers to decent panels at reasonable prices would be greatly appreciated. I suppose I would shoot for something around 40-50 watts of output.

I have absolutely zero knowledge on solar devices so thanks for any input that you might offer.

I have a Steripen Journey with the little smiley face display. It takes the guesswork out of knowing if the UV treatment was sufficient. I also called their tech support and inquired specifically about the quiescent current draw from the batteries when the unit is turned off and sitting there with the batteries installed. They told me it draws only a teeny tiny amount of current, on the order of tens of microamps (that's way way less than 1 milliamp). My Steripen was turned off and sitting in the back of my truck for weeks before I used it last time. It worked fine and gave me smiley faces after the required 90 second treatment for both the treatment efficacy and the battery charge status. I would refrain from removing and replacing the lithium batteries every time you use the unit because, unfortunately, I would say the weakest part of the entire device is the battery compartment cover. It is a bit on the flimsy side, and a little tricky to mount properly because there are two very small teeth along one edge that have to be engaged properly inside the battery compartment rim or the cover won't seat properly and be watertight.