[Tom]

I got an Exstream Orinoco Water Purifier (sport bottle filter) at REI late last summer. I never used it (plan to return it) but I hear they work fine - it's an EPA certified purifier which is no small feat. Unfortunately, the weight of the squeeze bottle and filter is 7.5 ounces before you add any water! If you're looking to go light with a filter, a 8.5 oz SweetWater Walkabout (or 11 oz SweetWater Guardian) Filter makes more sense IMO. The LINK dante provided above compares weights (add 3 oz to the First Need Deluxe ).

[Water Boy]

Those bike bottles with filters are convenient and fast, but they are hard to drink from. If you like to squeeze and suck (don't interpret that wrong) then you'll like them. I don't drink nearly as much using it. But I'd guess the weight is about 2 oz for the whole darn filter thingie (need a water bottle anyway).

[Dante]

I recently bought some AquaMira to try. For the past couplle years, I've carried the PUR Hiker without the outlet hose and bottle adaptor. I just pull of my bite valve and plug the hose on my Platypus right onto the Hiker. Still, it must be over 12oz.

[reststep]

I used grapefruit seed extract for treating water for one season with no ill affects but could not find any what I considered reliable documentation on any lab tests for it so have stopped using it for the time being. As far as the taste of iodine goes I understand that you can add ascorbic acid to the iodine treated water and it neutralizes the taste of the iodine.

[Allison]

Even if you don't mind the taste of iodine or you neutralize it with Vitamin C, it is still not 100% reliable in killing crypto.

[Brian Curtis]

I had never head of Grapefruit Seed Extract for treating water so I just did some web research. It is touted on many websites and being a miracle drug that kills just about anything and everything bad, including giardia. But deeper research reveals that no studies have proven its effectiveness. The most reliable study comes from 1999. They found that the antibiotic properties of the GSE came from the additives used as preservatives, not from the GSE itself. A commercial product with no additives, and a pure manufactured extract had no antibiotic properties at all.

[mtnrider]

Yes, learn to love iodine. I use the bottle with the crystals so it is a solution that is used. The crystals last a long, long time. Have been using this method ever since I picked up giadria i the Teanaway years ago. Even used the iodine in Nepal. Works for me.

[Allison]

Ok, I've gone back through all of the links posted on this subject and I can still find no evidence that iodine is 100% (or close) to killing crypto. The other thing I'm seeing is that iodine is only really effective if the water sits for quite a spell. I'd love for someone to show me evidence to the contrary.