You didn't supply pics or dimensions but maybe an old Epi-Pen container would work? Ask a friend who has severe allergies if the have one would be my suggestion.

"..although you can safely drink through the straw as needed. it does you no good if you need to travel with water stored in bottles. Whereas other treatment methods allow you to treat water as needed and also that treated water then can be stored in bottles and taken with you and used where there may be no other replenishable water."

I've been thinking about this exact thing lately, Teslinhiker. Is there any reason why you couldn't take a container full of untreated water with you and use the filter straw when you want a sip? I've never heard of anyone doing that and it's always been pointed put as a downfall of this type of product.

Could it be that bacteria and virus might build up in a concentrated space like a water bottle?

I see no reason why you couldn't use it this way. Just make sure to remember that this container is contaminated until the next time you wash/disinfect it.

Or with a container like a stainless bottle, if you ever stop and boil water in it, say for a spot of tea or for a freeze dried meal, the bottle should be sterilized if you make sure to let it heat all the way to the mouth of the container.

I know, I know--if you can boil water why use something like a Lifestraw? Well, if fuel or time are concerns, something like a Lifestraw has its advantages. Every product has strengths and weaknesses. The trick is to pick the one (or combination of products) that best meet your requirements.

Theoretically, the bacteria count could be increasing in your container if there is organic matter in the water to feed them, but any good water purifying product should still be able to handle it IMHO.

duh...


duh... (with sound of hand slapping side of head)

why hasn't anyone else suggested that in all these years of reading about straws? but of course!

plain simple logic is sometimes the hardest thing to find. nice going bacpacjac!

LOL! It just dawned on me the other day. Seems simple enough but there must be a reason why nobody seems to do it.

i too await any good reasons anyone can offer.

Bacpac, to answer your question directly.

At first glance, the concept of carrying untreated water to be used with a filtration straw at a later time, seems sound. However I can give you a real life scneario which occurred over the May long weekend that illustrates why carrying clean, treated water is a better idea in terms of time saved and ease of use.

We were hiking with another couple and our female friend slipped and took a bit of a tumble on some wet, off canter ground. She went down and although she did not receive any serious injuries, her left hand took a jagged cut from the protruding rocks.

We had to first use our carried, bottled water to wash away the mud and debris from her hand before the cut could actually be treated which only took a few minutes after. Had we not been carrying clean, treated water and had to use potentailly contaminated water to clean around the cut, the risk of infection increases which could of ended a planned 3 day hike. Had we not had available treated water, yes we could of brought out the stove then boiled and heated the water then waited for it too cool a bit so that it could be used, however by having treated water always available (when possible) makes more sense.

I am not against using these types of straws, however people need to be aware that depending on these alone may not always be the wisest choice and when it comes to water, having available amounts and redundant plans in place is vitally important.

Ah ha! That's a very good reason to carry clean water, Teslinhiker. It's one of my arguments for carrying more light than some people do. You just never know when you might need to do first aid.

I'm still curious about the drinking safety question though.

Removing the water from it's usually cooler source such as a lake or stream and leaving it untreated in an environment such as a water bottle that is subject to potentially warmer temperatures, would all in probability cause the bacteria count to increase. How much of an increase is the question, but I would think that any of the straws or chemical treatments such as MicroPur would still suffice.

Wise advice. Then again, quite a few hikers (typically the ultralight crowd) do not carry water, and practice "cameling up" by drinking at water sources along the way.

Not sure how they plan ahead for injuries that might require wound irrigation. I guess they're just accepting the risk.