FUNCTIONALITY: High WEIGHT: 4.3 ounces
EASE OF USE: High PRICE: Affordable
PROS:
- Compact and easy to use
- Battery operated or rechargeable options
- Eliminates most all bacteria
- Works quickly
CONS:
- Relatively expensive
- Not highly effective with cloudy water
REVIEW:
When you are in the backcountry miles from camp and you are running low on water you will want a safe way to filter or purify your drinking water. Even the cleanest of mountain springs can contain bacteria that will send your stomach into convulsions if you ingest a harmful bug. The SteriPEN Ultra UV water purifier is a great tool for purifying water wherever you are. This lightweight UV device is Katadyn’s flagship purifier. The Steripen eliminates bacteria, protozoa and viruses. You can treat ½ liter or 1 liter of water with this device by simply turning it on, placing it in your water and swirling it around until the device tells you the water is safe to drink. Its as simple as that!
The treatment time takes 48 seconds for a half liter and 90 seconds for a full liter. The device offers an advanced user interface featuring a user-friendly OLED display. You will know your water is NOT safe to drink when you see the frown face on the front of the device. Once your device shows the smiley face you can rest assured that your water is ok to drink. Pro Tip: you need to continue to swirl the UV tube in the water while the device is purifying and keep the tip fully submerged or the device will shut off or stop until you restart it.
This device has a product life of 8,000 activations. That is enough activations to last many years for most hikers. The SteriPEN Ultra UV has an internal USB rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. It takes awhile to charge the device when you first take it out of the box. However, it charges fairly quickly after the first charge via a USB cable. You can get approximately 50 treatments out of a single charge. The Ultra UV is only 7.3 inches long and comes with a neoprene case and the USB cable. Make sure you take off the plastic protective cover before you insert the Steripen into your water bottle. We had 1 mishap with the SteriPEN Ultra as it failed once, due to not realizing the charge was low and it needed to be recharged before a long hunt…
The SteriPEN Ultra UV comes with a three year warranty. If you are in the market for an easy to use water purifier this one is top shelf!
COST: $80.84
WHERE TO BUY: SteriPEN Ultra UV water purifier
