Hydro Photon SteriPEN Adventurer Opti - 2010 BCS

This things rocks!!.. nuff said

Used this pen to purify several gallons of water on Kalalau trail. Performed great, quick and effective.

Just got back from an overnighter up to 11,750. I used the Steripen on about 6 liters of water over the course of the trip. I had a couple of 1 liter nalgene bottles that I carried with me to use for cooking or to refill my hydration bladder. The steripen gave me a very lightweight, low bulk, option to sterilize the cold delicious mountain stream water. It was awesome being able to drink water without any purifier tablet taste. I had no GI issues and would trust this to keep my water safe. As others have stated, this will only work on killing germs, but won't filter grit or anything else out so if you have to pull water from a lake or murky stream you'll need some other filter device to get the floaties out.

The SteriPen is lightweight, easy to use, and worth the money. Although I do not recommend the SteriPen Pre Filter as a companion, since it only removes larger particulate matter. After melting down 3.5 liters worth of snow, filtering it twice, then sterilizing we were still left with slightly turbid and gritty water. (Please note I do realize the SteriPen does nothing for removing particulates.)

Love this thing. It fits perfectly into a jersey pocket. Easy to use. Faster than iodine or a pump. I copied another reviewer's technique of cutting the top off of a platypus mini-dromedary to fit the steripen far enough into the water when treating a full liter. I've used it on multiple long training mt bike rides and runs.

Admittedly I was a bit skeptical to get a steripen due to all the bad reviews on BC and other site (reviews like, it only works some times, you have to adjust for mineral level, etc). But once I got this Steripen, my worries were completely abated. This has to be the easiest and most efficient way to purify water out there.

Literally all you have to do is fill your nalgene, put the Steripen in, push the button once, stir for 90 seconds, and wait for the green light to come on. It's that easy. No longer will I waste time/fuel boiling water, and no longer will I waste time wating for pills to dissolve (although I will bring pills for back-up).

I took this thing straight out of the box and into YNP/SE Montana for 7 days. I used it daily in rivers like the Yellowstone, Lamar, Slough Creek, and the Madison. It is incredibly easy to use and i don't know why anybody would use any other method. What I did was buy the pre-filter to get the sand and dirt out first. So you twist the pre-filter on, fill up your bottle, take the pre-filter off and the put the steripen in. I did this for the entire trip for 4 guys and no problems at all.

I was originally looking for the regular adventurer model but BC didn't have it so I bought the Opti. The main difference is that with the Opti, you have to have the entire "light bulb" and the "optical sensor" in the water for it to work (basically just put the steripen in the water until it hits the handle section). If you don't put the light it, or if you take it out during the process, it will not work and you will have to do it again. Not a big deal really, only takes 90 seconds. Plus I figured with the Opti, since it is a newer model, maybe HydroPhoton worked out some of the kinks of the earlier models.

regarding durability, steripen says that each pen/light bulb is good for 8000 liters of water- or as Steripen puts it- 2 liters of water every day for the next 7 years.

This is the smallest and lightest steripen, so you won't notice it in your pack, but i would be careful when packing it so you don't break the light or the protective case around the light. It also comes with a neoprene waist-belt pouch to store the pen in.

When storing the steripen, take the batteries out to avoid damaging the electronic parts or accidently turning it on.

I don't have the solar charger but would consider getting it next time i'm in the backcountry for more than a week.

Overall, this Steripen is highly recommended. I know people have had problems with Steripens in the past (namely the original Steripen), but it worked 100% for me.

My wife and I along with another couple just finished the standing Indian loop( 3 nights ) near Franklin NC. We had two new steripens and between the two we cleaned at least 30 liters of water. Both pens worked quite well. We carried extra batteries as short battery life as been a complaint I have heard but we only needed the supplied batteries.
Russ

FYI - This new SteriPEN Opti is an upgraded version of the SteriPEN Adventurer. It utilizes a new Optical led sensor to let the unit know it has been submerged in the water source, which then lights the bulb. Does the same thing as the other SteriPEN products as far as purifying the water, etc. The optical led can also be activated and used as a small flashlight by depressing the units on switch for 3 seconds or more.

I opted to purchase the "Opti" version of the Steripen, as I've heard it's the newest version that is less problematic. It uses an optical sensor to detect the water. The older versions (aka Steripen Classic) use a couple of metallic pins checking for electric continuity. Some of the problems arose when a water source wasn't saline enough. The pins don't get continuity, the UV bulb won't light. Some report workarounds by adding some salt/Gatorade to the mix to have it work properly. Again, it's only for certain water sources, but I didn't want any fuss.

There is 1 button on the unit. 1 press treats 1 litre, and 2 button presses treats .5 litre. I have only tested at home in a glass of tap water so far. I don't know how the optical sensor works, but when I dip it in a glass of water, the UV bulb lights up and begins the process of blasting the water. You simply stir the water lightly until the light goes off and a green LED indicates the process is complete. If for some reason the LED lights up red, the process was incomplete, and you'll need to re-treat.

Semi-turbid water can be treated, but it takes two complete cycles. You have to use your own judgement as to what is turbid or not. I also purchased the pre-filter that goes over the neck of a bottle and has a 4 micron screen to keep bigger floaties out.

Negatives are that I actually have to treat a wider-neck bottle. It will not insert into a narrow-necked 'soda' or water bottle, (the Classic model does, however). A Gatorade bottle works fine -- and even mates perectly with the pre-filter. Would also work great with Nalgene bottles. The Gatorade bottles are light and durable, so that's what I'll stick with for my use. It also cannot be used to directly treat a Camelback/Platypus bladder. Rather, you'd have to treat a bottle-ful and pour into the bladder.

It uses a pair of CR123 camera batteries. The unit came with a pair of Energizer brand cells. I've ordered a 6 pack to have on hand, and will take a spare pair with me on the trails. I'll still be keeping a backup method with me, whether that be chlorine or iodine solution. I'll update as I use it in the real world, and report any concerns or findings.

Through all my years of backpacking, I never found the perfect water purification system. Water filters give you clean water that's ready to drink immediately, but they're heavy and have a tendency to break and clog. Chemicals are lightweight, but you have to wait at least thirty minutes. And boiling -- forget it; it uses too much fuel.

But after using this device on my entire Appalachian Trail thru-hike, I've found the perfect water treatment system for one to two people. (For larger groups, a filter is probably your best bet.) The water is ready to drink after 90 seconds and the device is relatively lightweight. Plus, it's not too hard to use.

All along the trail, people were curious about this new-fangled little device, and I was happy to tell them how wonderful it was. The Adventurer Opti is definitely the model you want to use; the older models such as the Classic and Journey have been known to have problems, and they're bigger and heavier.

As for the batteries, they're a little harder to find. I ordered the LITHIUM batteries online before my trip, and mailed them to myself up the trail (which may or may not have been against postal regulations, but...). Don't expect to find them in small towns, or even at your local big box hardware store. (And don't even think about using the alkaline version of these batteries; they won't last.)

My first SteriPen malfunctioned after about 500 miles, but Backcountry.com was nice enough to take it back and issue me a refund. I promptly bought a second one and have been happily using it since.

Synopsis? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

When I'm not 100% sure, I use my Steripen rather than my Katadyn hiker pro. Steripen also deactivates water-born viruses, and so far I haven't gotten sick after using it. It definitely doesn't improve the taste of water nor filters things(!) out, but with clear water, you can be relieved to know that you're bacteria/protozoa/virus free! It is super easy to operate, and it also works as a backup torch. You definitely go for Steripen, especially when you're planning international trips. Long story short; awesome! I like it!

After reading copious reviews on water purification systems which were lightweight and relatively space-efficient, I settled on the Steripen. The science is sound, provided you think through the purification process thoroughly. I am getting into minimalist backpacking, and so primarily was interested in a system to be used in mountain wilderness areas and for future international travel. I settled on the Steripen Adventurer Opti for three reasons, which numerous reviews here and elsewhere mention, but which I will summarize. First, the optical sensor on this model prevents accidental activation (the glass sensor must be submerged in water to turn on) and allows activation even in water with very low mineral content, such as what may be found at high mountain snow-melts. Previous models relied on the conductivity of the liquid to activate, but this presents problems if the water is "too pure." Second, this unit has the most rugged, water resistant casing, which is much better suited to the rigors of backcountry travel. Last, this is the newest model, and I assumed, as others had before me, that Steripen would have worked the kinks out. Indeed, this is the model which was awarded the Editor's Choice 2011 award by Backpacker Magazine. The unit I received met all of my expectations. Read the directions before you try it, and take the time to figure out which light flashes at what time, and you'll be set. Used this all weekend on a trip to the Grouse Lakes Wilderness with my Backcountry.com 700mL titanium pot, and experienced no ill effects from drinking the water. I skipped the expense of the separate Fits-all filter and used a hanky rubber-banded over the mouth of my pot instead with reasonable success in filtering floating sediment. In retrospect, the filter and Klean Kanteen setup recommended by other reviewers might have been a bit easier. Either way, you must remember to sanitize any surfaces your mouth could contact which are wetted during the process. I used the alcohol antiseptic wipes commonly found in first aid kits to swab the inner rim and lip above the water line, and stirred the water during the purification cycle vigorously enough to incorporate any remaining drops on the inside. I then emptied the contents of the pot into my hydration bladder for storage. For a full pot of water, I ran the 1L cycle to be safe. The only thing about this I would note is that the pot has a rolled lip. If you decide to drink straight from it, be conscious that there could be fugitive untreated water in the roll. It is worth noting that this device relies on LIGHT to penetrate the entire volume of water, so it is not an advisable system if you plan to pull from really murky sources. It also does not change the taste of the water at all-- skanky water will still taste skanky. Finally, just to clarify if you are still in the research phase, this is a water purifier, NOT a filtration system. You'll have to figure that out on your own, as I describe above. If this meets all of your criteria, I highly recommend it. Light, small and cost-effective-- minimalists won't regret this purchase.

Probably steralized more than 50 liters of water now, and like the others, I have had no noticeable illness. At only 90 seconds for a full liter of treatment, it was much more effecient than several of the pumps my fellow backpackers utilized. I can't necessarily say that I would have gotten sick if I hadn't used the steripen but I did take water from a fairly sketchy source that I would have definately avoided prior to treatment. Highly recommend.

We have used this in several "clear" water situations: Ecuador, Colorado, Nepal, etc. Probably 200+ liters sterilized. No traceable illness to using it. I'm amazed doubters don't get it that UV shreds living tissue-- the stuff is still in there, but folks, it's dead.

How hard could it be. Well it works well with a new set of batteries. makes the water potable and havent been sick yet :P but then again there are some things you just shouldnt drink