Montanero wrote:
> I would like to find a good chemical lab to help me test the water purification methods, along with all of the other ones I already have. That straw, the "Sidekick", advertises some significant capabilities for such a small device. If it
actually works it would be a very excellent addition to any
> kit, if it actually works.

Chris Townsends 'Backpackers Handbook' (terrific book) references several studies and his (and theirs) conclusion is that 'it is far more important to wash your hands thoroughly and keep your pans clean than to treat your water'. 'Most backcountry water is safe and you are very unlikely to catch anything from drinking it untreated'.
That's in North America and Europe.
In the third world it's a different story. Where, don't forget, filters are not purifiers, so they don't remove the most dangerous threat; viruses. Even iodine won't remove Cryptosporidium. The reviews I've read never mention this and talk about filters and purifiers without mentioning the difference.
And chemical pollution is a different story again...

qjs