Water treatment chemicals (i.e. MicroPUR tabs or something similar) or a small straw filter?

The Chlorine dioxide tablets don't impress me. They take $ hours to work and in the desert I may not have that much time for myself or an injured person. Plus with thier instructions I feel like I should be wearing a docontamination suit and have hazmat standing by. I use Potable Aqua because it's faster and I'm familiar with them BUT I have had a recent disappointment with them. Bought the kit at wal-mart when putting together a kit for a nieghbor who is a scout. When I openened botlle one I found 21 whole tablets and enough broken pieces for perhaps 6 more for a total of 27 not the 50 it claimed. There were 50 tiny tablets of vitamin c in bottle 2 however. I need to email or call potable aqua and alert them to this.

I like filters, faster and more efficient. Even if it's just a survial straw like the Frontier filter. I use a pure hiker most of the time.

Based upon the research I did for my own EDC/GHB, i would recommend that you use either or both of the Seychelles "Advanced" straw or bottle purifiers. Light and compact, with very good, test data and on-line comments. BIG BUT, I have no first hand experience with either. I also carry the Katadyn tablets and the Survival Resources Water Bags and their little fold up funnel to hold coffee filters, to pre-filter. The Katadyn Purifier Bottle, ES version, also gets great write-ups. Its a bit bigger and more strongly constructed that the Seychelles bottle, but heavier.

Ideally you want both, Jackie.

Even if you chemically treat water you still have things in them that won't make you stick, but will make for an uncomfortable drinking process. Sediment, mostly. I'd chemically treat and then drink it through a filter straw similar to what many bottle companies are selling. Charcoal based filters meant to filter out chlorine and other particulate matter.

Water down here is so full of various things that it would plug up any filter straw rather quickly. And because of that I am not entirely confident chemical treatment would be good enough for my standards. I would probably just filter the water through a bandana or piece of t-shirt and then boil it as well as chemically treat it. I've tasted boiled river and pond water and it taste like crap.....so having some chemical flavor in there is a step up.

Although I wouldn't be surprised if after years of growing up swimming in the St. Johns, Wildcat Lake and numerous Spring fed runs and creeks that I am immune to what's in the local water. Lord knows I've swallowed enough on accident. But I'm not about to put that to the test.

Are you looking for a just-in-case solution or for something that you will be using on a more regular basis?