Greetings all, New to posting here. I have been lurking for several years though.

I ran across something on the web called "Lifestraw". Has any one here ever used one before? Just curious what some of you think. The reason I am asking, I am thinking about adding a few to the "supplies".

No affiliation with the company....

http://eartheasy.com/lifestraw

Welcome,nice to see you posting says this Newbie here.

Welcome, Javelin315! I bought two of the LIfestraws but I've yet to test or use them. This ended up being "The Summer That Never Was" for me- I had to go to school full time & work full time for the last 10 months, right straight thru the summer. Everything I've read had been positive but we shall see.

Welcome aboard!

I bought two of those LifeStraws a few months back. They are stil in their packaging in my emergency supplies. I don't feel the need to test them - others (in official agencies) have done that. As cheap as they are, I cannot think of any reason NOT to have a few available in your emergency gear.

I've heard some good things. I'd like to put one in my edc/bob in the future.
But I'd like to hear of any review or first hand experiences

The two biggest issues I have with the Lifestraw is that:

1. It doesn't work on viruses.

2. It isn't designed for use with anything other than a person's mouth. As in, you can't fill a container or vessel with clean water for uses other than drinking.

With that being the case, I wouldn't rely on it as my only source of water purification.

Thanks for responding...

It looks like the main advantage is price. For it's size and weight I'd prefer a SteriPen which kills everything (this assumes metals in the water is not your main concern!).

http://adventurereports.blogspot.com/2011/06/steripen.html

...as long as your battery doesn't wear out. For BOB use, I would not want something that is dependant on electricity. LifeStraw for the quick drinks on the move, iodine, boiling, etc. for if you're at a fixed location or worried about viruses. Viruses are not a large concern in the US - not to be ignored, but not to be overly worried about either. Many backpacking water filters do not deal with viruses either (because for the most part, they just don't need to).

My 2xCR123 batteries last close to a week providing all the water I need for drinking/cooking/cleaning during heavy activity. If the scenario you're planning for lasts longer than that then you'll want something more than a straw anyway.

I'm a big fan of the Steripen as well... But, as with everything, you better have a backup in case of failure (bulb, batteries, etc...)

If you are boiling your water, you're in good shape anyway. The Steripen makes it easier to fill up on the move...

Welcome Javelin! I've been thinking about getting a Lifestraw for my urban EDC backpack.

I have a Frontier Straw Filter in my dayhike pack.

I'm curious about the differences between the two. (Off the top, it looks like they both filter down to 0.2 microns, and the Frontier looks smaller and cheaper.) The filter in both packs is intended for short term emergencies only (I also carry microPUR tabs, as well as a bandana to pre-filter) so I don't want anything heavy, bulky or expensive but do want something reasonably effective in an urban environment.

I just wanted to drop and fyi that the Scouts Canada Scout Shop has the Life straw on sale for $21.99 right now. Amazon lists it at $24.99 so it's a bit of a savings.

http://www.scoutshop.ca/eSolution/search...raw&lang=en

And I believe registered members receive an additional percentage off their price on camping gear (I don't recall exactly what the percentage is).