Whatever we are doing in our travels and outdoor adventures, we need to stay hydrated. Sometimes getting water is as easy turning on the tap and filling a glass. Other times it may be miles between water holes, and even then, they may be holding water that is very questionable. When I find my self out hiking I always take some way to refill my water supply, and this time I took along Aquatabs. These are effervescent tablets for disinfecting or sanitizing running water. I took them on a fishing trip recently to try out before adding them to my survival kits.
Aquatabs (penny shown for scale)I’ve tried a few different types of water filtration, along with purification, or disinfecting of my water. I‘m getting smarter (well lazier) as I get older and find packing along a good water filter is heavy and bulky. It is just not worth it unless it’s for a trip that I will be at least a couple days long. So I have been trying out different methods from boiling for an entire weekend to screening out the floaties and using a UV sterilizer, I have tried tablets once before and was struck at just how easy they are to use, just plain convenient.
The Auqatabs are packaged in a small foil-lined package that is pretty minimal. They have a five year shelf life, so not using them all in a season isn’t a concern. This also makes them great for putting in 72 hour bags and survival kits – just rotate them every year when you get new ones. I did not try too hard to get many of the floaties out, just found a clear spot in the lake I was at and filled up my bottle. I threw a tablet into my water bottle, and waited the suggested 30 minutes before drinking.
As I watched the tablets fizz away, I also took in the panoramic view I had from my shady perch just above the lake. When it was time for a drink, the water was still nice and cold, and tasted like it was from the mountains, with no chemical taste that I could detect, which was a big plus. And 72 hours later, there was no sign that the Aquatabs were going to let me down. Overall I really liked them with how convenient they were to use and carry, and left the water tasting fresh. aquatabs.com
– Rob
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received my Aquatabs for free from Aquatabs, in consideration for review publication