In some water sources, even the 4 micron filter is insufficient to filter some of the suspended particles, leaving the water somewhat turbid. I use the SteriPEN Classic Handheld Water Purifier. It provides instructions for dealing with turbid water. Have not run across any flocculating agents that are not combined with a chlorine treatment which kind of defeats the purpose of using a Steripen.
This system is vented to allow air displaced by the water to escape as the water container is filled. Remove the vented cartridge to insert the Steripen. READ THE DIRECTIONS for the Steripen!!! Just remember to press the button on the Steripen for the required dosage FIRST before inserting into the filter housing...once for 32oz, twice for 16. I''ve seen some reviews that get that wrong! Also, your container needs to be full enough for the water to make contact with the 2 electrodes on the Steripen while its in the filter housing. Get the procedure down before you go in the wilderness! In daylight or with a non see-through container, this filter housing and the Steripen, you won''t be seeing what''s going on. You''ll have to pay attention to the LED on the Steripen to know when the treatment is finished. If you are using something like Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter, you won''t need this prefilter.
This filter is *40* microns, not 4. That''s a pretty significant difference. It''s true that a human hair is about 100 microns, but when you''re trying to water out of streams or rivers, a 36 micron difference lets in a lot of extra stuff. This filter will still let in a fair amount of fine particulate matter, and, of course, all the microbiological agents you want to avoid. The 40 micron size is clearly stated on other literature, so I''m not sure why Amazon''s product description is wrong.
The filter itself is just a soft funnel with a removable filter canister. It fits well into a standard nalgene bottle. I stuck it in a regular 16 oz soda bottle as well, and it seemed to make a good seal with the long adapter part. I don''t plan on using it, but it''s good to know it works.
As a warning, you can only use certain models of Steripen with this filter. With the round base models (like the Journey), you can remove the filter canister with a twist, and stick the Steripen in. Then you can turn the bottle upside and let the Steripen do it''s work. The the square base ones aren''t compatible with this feature, so you''ll still be sticking your Steripen in the regular way.
If you own a Steripen or use purifying tablets, this is a good way to get the "chunky" stuff out of your drinking water. But if you want crystal clear drinking water, you''re going to want to buy a real pump filter with a less-than-one micron filter. This would work as a good, lightweight prefilter for a pump filter, which will save some life on one of those devices.
Weight is decent. Filter seems a little flimsy, I expect it would last a few years of moderate use. Overall, this is good for people who use other purifying methods and just want mostly clear water to drink. This is a good product for it''s cost and intended purpose.
Buy Steripen FitsAll Filter Now
This product has proven indispensable in our travels to Vietnam, not as a filter but use of the cup as a seal between our classic steripen (see separate review) and the varied water bottles. It is easy to pack and carry. Glad we got it at the same time we bought the steripen.
Read Best Reviews of Steripen FitsAll Filter Here
I ordered the FitsAll with my Steripen. While I have yet to actually take it into the backcountry yet, I ran a few tests in my kitchen using coffee grains and potting soil. I essentially made muddy water and filtered it with the FitsAll. I still had cloudy water but it actually tasted fine after treatment with the Steripen and my little trial run was probably not even close to the water most people would filter though.
The whole process timed (to get an idea of what to expect on the trail) took about 3.5 minutes to setup the filter, filter 1L of water and treat it with the Steripen. Compared to activated carbon pumping water purifiers, that''s pretty slow but the saved space and setup time of the Steripen offers a real advantage.
The FitsAll fits Nagene, Sigg, and many other water bottles including most disposable water bottles. Just make sure you read the directions to using both this and the Steripen and stir the water with the Steripen during treatment, especially with 1 liter bottles. I only rated it 4 stars because the filter does not create a great seal when used with Sigg bottles. Needless to say though, this product does a great job of removing large particles. You can always use a coffee filter as well to filter out particles.
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Very functional and stows away well in my backpack. Before purchasing this product, I used a coffee filter to initially filter the water (for sediment) but I like not having to carry the coffee filters in and out and this product is more stable.
What a bummer that other person had to deal with. I had the complete opposite experience. The container doesn''t leak a drop. It''s perfect for hot LOOSE herbal tea as it has a built in steep to strain the leaves so that you don''t end up eating them. It''s double walled glass so you don''t even feel the heat coming through. It''s BPA freetotal bonus. And lastly, it looks SO GOOD! I love the design. So sorry to that other gal. I''m usually drinking out of Ball canning jars to avoid plastic but this is definitely an upgrade.
