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SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier
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The SteriPEN Adventurer Opti water purifier is equipped with a new optical water sensor for reliable performance so you can enjoy clean, purified water on the go.
- From 2011 Backpacker Editors’ Choice awards: “Our testers have tried every water-treatment method available, and for most trips and conditions, this one beats them all”
- SteriPEN Opti features an optical water sensor that detects whether or not the device is in water and only allows the UV lamp to activate when the SteriPEN is immersed
- After pressing the button to activate the SteriPEN, immerse the lamp and optical sensor; the UV lamp will then activate and emit UV light and visible blue light
- Optical sensor doubles as a backup LED flashlight that can be handy when walking to the stream to get water; operate flashlight with SteriPEN cap in place to protect the lamp
- Adventurer Opti requires no pumping, chemicals, test strips, extended time-keeping or filters; leaves no aftertaste, will not clog and does not require lubrication
- Innovative SteriPEN system uses UV light rays instead of chemicals to purify water for drinking
- Ultraviolet (UV-C) light rays safely sterilize clear water by destroying 99.99% of protozoa (including Giardia and Cryptosporidia ), bacteria and even viruses
- Long used by municipal water districts and bottling companies, low-level UV-C light treats water safely, and unit's light will not damage eyes or skin when used properly
- SteriPEN protects you from risks that cause botulism, cholera, dysentery and typhoid, just to name a few
- SteriPEN Adventurer Opti is simple to use: just press a button and gently agitate the water with a quick stir
- Purifies 16 fl. oz. of water (cold or warm) in less than a minute, or 32 fl. oz. in a minute and a half
- Small size fits most containers—use it in cups, mugs, water bottles and canteens; carries easily in a shirt pocket
- SteriPEN Adventurer Opti turns itself off once ultraviolet treatment is complete; light source can be used up to 8,000 times!
- Watertight seals keep water away from the electronics; rubberized coating ensures secure handling in wet conditions
- Low-power indicator lets you know when batteries need replacing; screw-off cap permits easy battery access
- Use only on clear water, as cloudy, sediment-laden water hinders effectiveness; FitsAll prefilter (sold separately) clears particulates and debris from water
- SteriPEN Adventurer Opti includes 2 nonrechargeable lithium CR123 batteries; SteriPEN does not recommend the use of alkaline batteries, as they provide very few treatments
- SteriPEN recommends the use of name-brand CR123 lithium batteries with a capacity of 800 milliamp hours (mAh) or greater, such as Duracell, Energizer and Panasonic
- SteriPEN Adventurer Opti water purifier includes a neoprene carrying case with belt loop
Please Note: This item contains a lithium battery and cannot be shipped to APO, FPO, U.S. Territories, international destinations or Hawaii, and are only available for in-store pickup in Alaska.
Imported.
Item 799003
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- Backpacker Magazine 2011 Editors' Choice Winner
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SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier Customer Reviews
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
- Lightweight (79)
- Maintenance (50)
- Easy to clean (36)
- Good filtration (18)
- Easy to use (6)
Cons
- Eats batteries (4)
- Filtered water doesn't taste good (4)
- Unreliable (3)
Best Uses
- Backpacking (70)
- Hiking (56)
- Day trip (37)
- Car camping (27)
- Travel (6)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Avid adventurer (59), Casual/ recreational (31)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (85), Yes (3)
Reviewed by 95 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-10
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Pros
Cons
- Battiers May Die
- Doesn't Filter Crud
- Inconvenient
Best Uses
- Day trip
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
Think twice before being swayed to buy this unit. One thing to think about: how you are going to get the water from your water source into your bottle! You either must scoop it directly into the bottle you will be drinking from, or use another bottle or cup to scoop it. In the first case, you are accumulating water on the inside and outside lip of the bottle, which DOES NOT GET PURIFIED BY THIS PEN! You must deal with that contaminated water in some way before you drink from the bottle. In the second case, you are now carrying a second cup, which you are constantly immersing in contaminated water. If you're lucky enough to be pulling from a spring, then no problem; but then you shouldn't have to purify anyway. (Note: all the videos I checked out before buying this showed you starting from the point of having your water in the bottle! Maybe a reason for that???)Also, this unit will definitely not work with Platypus-style small mouth bottles. And the FitsAll filter is useless: my wife and I both tried repeatedly to squeeze the funnel onto the filter cup, but the fit was way too tight and they would not lock together. So you're stuck with drinking water with crud in it, at this point. Also, Steripen emphasizes that the water pretty much has to be absolutely clear for the sterilization to work. Don't know about you, but I run up against a LOT of un-clear water sources. That's what your purifier is for! I would not trust this unit in such a situation. Also seems a lot of people are having trouble with battery life. This is definitely not a good thing. I'm a long-time pumper, and was looking for a viable alternative. But really, I can pump the same amount of water this purifies in the same amount of time. It's true that you won't have a filter to clog -- but if you're encountering cloudy or murky water, this unit won't work anyway!! Bottom line: sounds like great wiz-bang tech, but maybe the old-fashioned way is still the best!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- All Around Easy
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Camping
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
This is an easy to use product, I used it on a three day hike in New Zealand. It was nice to not have to bring all my water with me and to just have this product.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Low maintenance
Cons
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Car Camping
- Day trip
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
I bought this for a backpacking trip in Aravaipa Canyon, AZ. With constant creek water available, this product was a no brainer. I paired it with the company's pre-filter, and both worked great. I drank apx 12 liters using the SteriPEN and I trust it completely. It's function is intuitive, and it's construction durable. After sterilization, it gives a green light... like the Ghostbusters, "Light is green, the trap is clean"
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good filtration
- Lightweight
- Low maintenance
Cons
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Car Camping
- Day trip
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
My husband and I took this along for our honeymoon in New Zealand. We toured the South Island, car camping the whole way. Many of the campsites we visited had unfiltered water, we never ran into a problem and it was very easy to set up and use. It's just important to remember to bring a spare battery along. It can even be used as a light source if your in the dark and it's the most handy! Certainly beats boiling enough water, especially in warmer climates. On a three day hike, we even filled up along the way in rivers and had no problems. It's lightweight and easy to bring along. We are very happy with the purchase.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Low maintenance
Cons
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Car Camping
- Day trip
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
Great Product! Tired of pumping water especially for big groups? I used this with a group of 8 last summer and it was a so much nicer than having to pump water for 8 people. I may never go back to pumping water.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Low maintenance
- Small
Cons
- Fragile
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Day trip
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
First of all, I love this thing. It's a great solution to the filtration/treatment question. After seeing other hikers with this, I decided I had to get one. My old system involved getting out the "dirty" water bag, filling it, connecting the inline filter, purging the air from the line, then letting it drain into my "clean" bag in my pack. Then putting it all away. With this thing, I fill the bottle, uncap the steripen, and swirl for ninety seconds. Much faster, and no wet filters/bags in my pack. It's tiny, and the little case clips to a shoulder strap so you always have it ready when you cross a stream.
The cons: 1. It's fragile. I havent dropped it, but it has a 2" glass bulb sticking out, so you do the math. 2. I like my hydration bag. With this, I would have to fill a liter bottle, treat, pull the bag out, dump a liter in, then repeat. I would use this where you know water is plentiful and you have a liter bottle easy to reach.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Low maintenance
Cons
Best Uses
- Backpacking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
I am 52 years old and have been backpacking for nearly 40 years, mostly in the Appalachian Mountains, but some out West and overseas. Water treatment has changed a lot since I used drops of Clorox years ago!
This little baby is easy to use, lightweight,and has not failed me in two years of use. I have taken it to numerous countries, and used it in dozens of water sources here in the States. No bleachy taste (tablets). Beats the heck out of pumping (and smaller than pumps, too).
A great product whose price keeps dropping.
I like it!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Can Be Difficult To Use
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Day trip
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
This thing gets 4 stars just for how light and fast this thing is. Much less tedious than big bulky pump filters. Fill your bottle up at a stream dip it in, push the button, swirl it around, and walla tasty drinking water!
It sounds simple and it should be, but it can be a real PIA to figure out if you sterilized your water corectly or not. In daylight, the little lights on this thing are hard to read. You've only got one button... but (suprising as this may sound) it is not intuitive to use. How many times do you push it, when is the thing done, how do you know if it worked right or not? A little bit of human engineering could make this a spectacular product. As it is, I would still rather bring this thing than a big heavy slow filter. Especially up into the high sierra's were the water probably doesn't even need to be treated.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
- Car Camping
- Day trip
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
I had been accustomed to using a traditional pump filtration system, so it was a little nerve-racking to swirl a light bulb around in my nalgene, and then go straight to drinking! However, I have had no gastric issues at all after using it in fast running rivers and streams. I wipe the rim with a bandana, but do not attempt to sterilize it any further. It is very convenient when solo hiking; just fill up your nalgene are start stirring. The convenience made it so that I could carry less water in water rich environments and spend significantly less time filtering water. However, it wasn't great for large groups--I found it easier to have a pump if I needed to procure a large amount of water. I am very pleased with the product!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Good filtration
- Lightweight
Cons
- Batteries Expensive
- Batteries Hard To Find
Best Uses
- Backpacking
- Hiking
Comments about SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Water Purifier:
I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail with the steri pen. While on the trail I heard mixed reviews from other hikers (that it had broken, wasn't reliable etc), however it worked great for me. The only criticism I have (besides the batteries being expensive and hard to find) is that it is not the best for lake/pond water if you don't like "floaties" in your water. There is something extra you can buy to help filter these out, however, I opted for the less expensive bandanna method! I would often try and borrow a fellow hiker's pump when I ran into especially "sketchy" pond water sources. Therefore, even though I was glad not to carry the weight of a pump it was handy to have around sometimes. That being said, I never got sick, appreciated that it didn't change the taste of the water, never had it break and appreciated that it only weighs 3.6 ounces!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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