Water Treatment

This section is not so important.

The majority of you will go somewhere with easy access to clean drinking water, and the rest of you will likely buy bottled water when in need. I was in questionable areas, so I bought a water purifier. Important: water filters clean out most of the dangerous material; purifiers clean out everything. Get a purifier.

I bought a Katadyn Extreme XR Purifier for $50. I liked how it is entirely hassle free, with the system contained within the bottle. You simply fill up and drink. Others use cumbersome pumps, take up space, and you need a separate bottle anyway. The purification system needs to be replaced after about 100 liters, for about $20 to $30. If you do the math, it does not save money over buying bottled water. However, it was nice to know that when in need, I could fill up from the sink.

If you do extensive hiking, there are other, more expensive options that will eventually pay for themselves, as they do not need replacement parts. The simplest option seems to be the SteriPen line of devices, which use ultraviolet light to purify. Several models exist ($80 to $150), including one contained within a water bottle, which includes built-in filtration (which might need replacing, I don't know). The process takes only 90 seconds. These devices require electricity; if you get the solar charger or rechargeable batteries, water is essentially free.

Much cheaper (though not in the long-term) are iodine tablets. The water will taste funny, but $6 of tablets will do 25 liters--just wait half an hour for the chemicals to work. I think this is a convenient option if you plan on buying bottled water, but can resort to the iodine when in need. It will also be the smallest and lightest option out there, and will probably last if used only in those infrequent cases.