I can't help but wonder what ya'll have to say about the "First Need" water purifier (filter?) by General Ecology. I've seen this particular model on the shelf at REI, it comes with a small bottle of blue dye, and you're supposed to run a drop of dye through the filter prior to drinking the water to make sure that the blue dye gets filtered out. If the dye shows up in the water after the water's been filtered, it means that the filter is "caput." I'm not exactly sold on the "First Need" water purifier because it seems like it would be a hassle to perform the blue dye test every time you need to drink some water. Steripen sounds like a better deal, but I don't know if I'd be willing to stake my life on it. Has anyone ever tried the Steripen? I'm not sure how to categorize Steripen because it doesn't purify the water of toxic chemicals and thus it cannot be called a purifier, but on the other hand, it comes with a solar charger, it's very small and compact, and it doesn't weigh very much, so maybe Steripen is the way to go when it comes to water purification gadgets. LW.

I've never used the First Need. But I have a Steripen. It has always worked great (at least I've never gotten sick after drinking water treated by the Steripen), but I haven't used it on water where toxic chemicals were a concern. The one drawback is that it has to be used on clear water only. Any sediment in the water degrades the effectiveness, so I end up carrying a filter anyway. The nice thing is that it eliminates the need for chemical treatment and the nasty taste that some of the chemical treatments leave.

I do have to give Steripen kudos for customer service. I bought my Steripen on a Friday and I was leaving on a camping trip Saturday afternoon. When I got it home and tested it, the unit didn't work. I called the company and explained my problem. I bought the last one in the store so it wasn't possible to exchange it. They shipped a new unit to me overnight, and told me not to worry about returning the defective one until I returned from the trip. No questions asked. They paid shipping both ways, and they trusted me. Don't see that too often. I don't have any affiliation with the company.

I think you'll get lots of responses, with good reason, on how Steripen and other electronic devices should always have a back up as electronics tend to go bad at just the wrong time.

UV purification, however, is excellent against all living microorganisms. Post treatment filtration with some sort of brita or activated carbon would get out most of the chemicals.

In my BOB I have a Miox pen to create mixed oxidants. Purifies, and also can oxidize chemicals. I could add a Brita style bottle to remove any residual chlorine or other chemicals.

I do like the steripen. Can't comment on the First Need purifier.

Eric

I have the Steripen Journey. It has the LCD display with the smiling face, the timer, and the battery condition display, so there's no guessing about if the UV light is on in bright sunlight, if the sterilization cycle has been completed correctly, or if the battery is about to go belly up. I also use their Nalgene bottle filter cap, which in my experience works quickly and well if you follow the simple instruction to wet the filter membrane completely and open the airvent before sinking the bottle into debris-laden water. Then you treat the water with the Steripen and you're good to go. I carry extra batteries in the truck with the unit, but it has sat unused for weeks at a time without showing any sign of draining the batteries. The company has stated that the quiescent current is on the order of microamps (extremely tiny) when the unit is off and the batteries are left in it.

I also have a Katadyn Pocket filter in the truck as a backup in case the Steripen acts up for some reason. If you use the KPF unit intermittently, as I do, you must make certain to dry the ceramic filter element out thoroughly between uses in order to prevent any musty water taste in the future. The KPF unit is reasonably bulletproof, the Steripen is less so, in fact the battery compartment cover is somewhat flimsy, IMHO.

The dye test is just a test when you doubt the integrity of the filter. You do not have to use it every time. The first need and the steripen are completely diffrent kind of purifiers. The steripen kills bacteria and virussen and the first need filters. Since the first need is carbon bases filter, it will also remove chemicals.

I was in the south pacific in the early 1990's and was without running water or power for five weeks after a massive typhoon. I was lucky enough to have a First Need Deluxe with me and I never got sick. I drank from dirty swimming pools and tree stumps. Where ever I could.

I now own a Steripen and it works just fine too. Different usages. The Steripen is good for water that is clear with the threat of live organisms. Most backpacking and all drinking in foreign countries are just fine.

First Needs are good for when you have mud and leaves and runoff in a swimming pool.

That being said its hard to know if you would want to drink any standing water in a disaster area like say Katrina that could have oil or toxins in it above acceptable levels.

You might be better off using some type of water distillation method in the event that you're in a disaster area and the water is loaded with all kinds of oil and antifreeze and who knows what else. I've toyed with the idea of carrying a water distillation unit in my BOB, but I'm not sure if the extra weight can be justified. LW.

I have also a steripen and I've had great results with mine. I would recommend a backup as well but I haven't had a failure on mine and it has been overseas with using it several times a day for the full duration of the trip with no sickness. The water does have to be relatively clear and can be filtered. I carried a combi filter to pre filter the water but didn't need it and didn't use it for the whole trip. I would recommend one for sure.

I don't recall reading about any Steripen electronics failing. The closest is the one in this thread, where it was faulty when delivered. Personally I have similar anxieties about filters, which can be fragile or become clogged. (The blue dye thing is reassuring for people like me - it's nice when you can see it working.)