It's most likely a matter of individuals attempting to purify snow melt water. SteriPEN water purifiers effectively disinfect snow melt waters, but in some instances, the SteriPEN may not readily activate if the water is so pure that there is not enough trace mineral content to cause the water sensors to recognize that the unit is submerged in water. Very pure water is a poor electrical conductor -- the sensors may not conduct enough electricity to recognize the water. This can easily be corrected by adding a small pinch of salt, or a drop or two of some kind of electrolyte beverage to the water. If you need more info, visit SteriPEN's FAQ website, link below:
www.steripen.com/faq.html

Anthony,
With the proper sleeping pad, it will work great. I have a similar synthetic 15 deg bag by Marmot, used it last Oct in WY and CO mtns and it worked fine on nights in the 20's and 30's. In it's stuff sack, it packs down to around the size of a volleyball/basketball.

Backpacking requires the proper planning, and one of the more important things to remember is weight. If you or your husband don't mind a heavy pack, or your going to hike only a few miles to your campsite and you split the load of tent, sleeping pad/s, food, water, clothes, stove, etc, this bag will work fine. But this bag weighs 9 lbs, which will require a large backpack and will take up a lot of space. If you don't mind spending some more $$$, look at the Big Agnes King Solomon bag. It's roughly the same design but with down fill instead of synthetic. The King Solomon will pack smaller, offers the same temp rating, and is over 4 lbs lighter than this bag, a real plus if your gonna hike some distance. Backcountry has them in stock and I'll include the link below. Remember to take a look at sleeping pads, Backcountry recommends 2 25-inch wide sleeping pads and coupler straps:
www.backcountry.com/store/BAG0119/Big-Agnes-King-Solomon-Sleeping-Bag-15-Degree-Down.html

Bruce,
Replace the battery after 5 years or if you use it in an emergency. You can find a battery replacement center at ACR's website, link is below. I called my local center and the rep I spoke with informed me that the PLB battery would cost an estimated $150.00 - $200.00, but ACR would replace the battery for free should you use the PLB in an emergency situation, were rescued and allowed ACR to publish your story.
www.acrelectronics.com/brcloc/default.htm