SteriPEN Aqua UV Water Purifier

Took it to the Boundry Waters for five days. At least three out of the six of us used it. No problems and no sickness. I have another SteriPen (Explorer I think). Took it to the BWCA twice. No problems and no sickness with that one either. I picked up this one just to have two in-case I busted the lamp on a portage. I read the reviews by the CDC and about how micro organisms are smaller than sediment particles and the size of particles may conceal the organisms, in the shadow of the light. My answer to that is, if it is cloudy water (I always get the cleanest possible) just treat the water twice, if you are really worried.

I was hesitant to trust that light would clean my water, so on my first trip with it, I boiled and also used this. Later, I stopped boiling and did not get sick, so I am guessing it works :). I like the ease of use, lack of chemical taste, etc.

My partner and I used this steripen for through hiking the pct. After 4 months on the trail I cannot image life without it. For ultralight backpacking it is a bit on the bulky and heavy side but it was worth it because I could begin drinking water after 90 seconds.On a through hike our whole lives revolve around the next water source and at times, especially in the desert, we walk up to a new source thirsty and all we want to do it drink a liter of water. This pen made quick work of that dream.Now I with all that being said I give it 4 stars because the batteries actually run our fairly quickly. For 2 people we needed a set of batteries for 4 days of use. So if we were going to be on trail more than that we would carry a second set.

I purchased this purifier to take to India and used it on all of my water while I was there. I found it was very easy to use on a standard wide-mouth bottle. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I was able to use it okay on a standard wattle bottle when I lost my Nalgene early in the trip and I never got sick. It has not shown any sign of running out of batteries and continues to run strong on my camping trips. I look forward to using it in travel and camping for years to come.

We are camping and backpacking enthusiasts and I wanted to get something like this for some time. When my teenage boy scout son decided to test methods of purifying water for his science fair project, I convinced him to use this pen as one of his purification methods. Seemed like a good justification for an expensive product. Even though he followed all the instructions, and filtered the water through a clean coffee filter first, the product did not purify the water, which we took from a nearby lake. The bacteria levels were almost as high as in the control. A big disappointment. Also, it did not appear that the light area was sealed properly in the factory, as it had condensation inside the light area after it was removed from the water and cleaned. I would not rely on this product when camping or backpacking. Boiling, the Sawyer filter, and aquamira all worked much better and are much less expensive. To add insult to injury, I missed the return deadline and now I can't get my money back. Save your money and your health and order something that actually works.

I was a little worried by some Steri-pen reviews, but this model had fewer bad reviews. I took one loaded with lithium batteries on a 2.5 week backpacking trip across Thailand. It worked perfectly. I wrapped several layers of plastic bags around it for protection and packed it in the center my backpack surrounded by clothes for cushioning. I never checked the backpack as luggage. You can't fail to protect the glass lamp and then complain if it stops working. I'm a happy customer.

Great product while working, but it stopped working halfway through my hike in Nepal. Requires full battery strength and doesn’t work well in cold temperatures.

Such a good product! Lightweight,easy to use and don’t have to stoop over difficult places to pump water. Will also use it in my earthquake kit.(primary reason is for backpacking)