Why no stoves or water filters?

I have quite an array of stoves and filters that I am seldom without.

For stoves I have and use; the Jetboil, MSR Whisperlite International (With small to large bottles), and my old military canteen/cup/stove combo.

Water filtering is very important to me. Microbes can ruin you day really fast, even to the point of death in a matter of days. With that in mind I have and use the MSR MIOX, a purifier that creates a mixed oxidant from salt and water. I also use a Sweetwater inline filter on my Camel back or iodine tabs.
 
SouthernCross said:
After 20+ years of drinking untreated water from this area, I've yet to experience an ill effects :D

If I had, I would probably already own some form of water treatment (other than a billy).



Kind regards
Mick
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I agree with you Mick. I've been drinking the wilderness water for years and have never been sick from it. I wouldn't really drink water in areas with lots of people but some of this water has been quenching the thirst of mountain men and trappers hundreds of years ago and since. There were deer, moose, and fish using the water for their toilet way before there were any people and water borne illness was not prevalent then either. Like Mick said, I've never gotten sick from drinking mountain streams fed by snowmelt.:cool:
 
Depending where I go. I normally don't need a water purifier, creeks around mount rigaud are safe to drink straight out of... it's the main water supply for the surrounding cities.

as for the stove, I use a mini-bull type concept that I put together with a Heineken can. it's nothing next to a jet boil.. but it does the job.
 
I have two stoves, an MSR Whisperlite and a Coleman Dual Fuel. I rarely carry food that requires cooking though, unless I'm out for several days.

For water treatment I use iodine crystals. Less expensive, lighter, and smaller than a filter - no worries about breaking or clogging either.
 
Bushman5 said:
I have gear from 20 years ago that looks new, and that has been used extensively. I have auto toolsets that look brand new yet are 10 years old and get used weekly. Some of us take exceptional care of our gear, and we get extended life out of said gear as a result. For example my spyderco Assist rescue balde. Its broken 5 windows, cut 2 seatbels, one web harness, and go knows how much kernmantle rope. It looks new. In the case of my MSR Reactor stove i listed above, it happens to be new. as in bought that day and taken out.......
just saying. :rolleyes:
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Read it again and read the sentence right after it. I'm not saying that a kit isn't functional if it looks new. I said it's not functional if it doesn't have gear commonly needed and my specific reference was to "large, heavy kits" without the basics covered. Obviously, your minikit may not have a poncho or a water bottle, but there is little excuse for it in some of these pack based kits.
 
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ah my bad, i though you were focusing on the lack of beaten up kits.

I go eat crow pie now..... :)
 
Got too excited while pumping, and snapped the handle off my First Need filter 2 days in on a Mackenzie River run couple of years back.

Swallowed and passed so much fine river sediment over the next month that it ended up feeling like I was crapping 1000 grit sandpaper every morning.

Just brutal.

Fortunately, freshwater everywhere here is just pristine and safe, but if I'm touring out of territory or below the tree line I use the metal Katadyn Pocket model now, which even I in my heavy handed oafery have not been able to break yet.
 
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I pack an Esbit stove during the rainy season or where fires are prohibited.
 
Honestly, I find a stove is more convenient than a fire. I'd rather use a stove if I'm on the move. Either an MSR whisperlite or my Coleman Peak 1.

I pack an Esbit stove in my emergency kit, but I haven't actually used it in years.

I'm not a fan of water filters, but I did just pick up a gravity-fed filter for family canoe trips. Boiling works for small volumes of water, but for a larger group it seems impractical.
 
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