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A thru-hiker in the Smokies changed my mind about water filters

I was dead set on using iodine tablets for years because they are light and cheap. Then on the AT near Clingmans Dome, a guy named Jim showed me his clogged filter and explained how giardia almost took him off trail for two weeks. He told me he spent $60 on a new Sawyer and it saved his trip. Now I bring a filter every time. Has anyone else had a similar wake-up call about gear they used to swear by?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_wells10d ago

Iodine or filters, which surprises you more people still get wrong?

fiona_sullivan2910d ago

I've seen way too many people in the backcountry just drop iodine tabs in murky water and think they're good. The thing is, those tabs don't do anything against giardia cysts unless you let them sit for a solid 30 minutes in warm water, longer if it's cold. Filters are way more reliable in my experience, but people forget to backflush them and they get clogged fast. I actually ran out of iodine once on a trip in the Sierras and had to boil everything for a week, which was a huge pain lol. If you're gonna use chemicals, at least carry a pre-filter to get the floaties out first.