REI.com
  • Online: www.REI.com
  • URL for this product:
  • From the U.S. and CanadaCall 1-800-426-4840
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT.
  • InternationalCall 1-253-891-2500
  • Mon. through Sun., 4 a.m. through 11 p.m. PT. English language only.

Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30

This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

Or, may we suggest shopping for similar items:

Shop more Water Treatment TabletsShop more Potable Aqua

This page is provided for reference to historical product information.

Purifying water couldn't be easier! Simply drop a Potable Aqua chlorine dioxide tablet from this packet of 30 into a quart of water and let it go to work.

  • Features the same proven technology used in municipal water supplies; effective against viruses, bacteria, Giardia and Cryptosporidium
  • Requires a 4 hr. treatment time to kill contaminants
  • Each tablet is individually wrapped and sealed
  • Unopened Potable Aqua tablets that are stored at temperatures between 60 and 86°F should remain effective up to 4 years
  • Exposure to heat, humidity, moisture and air will reduce the effectiveness of the tablets

Made in USA.

Item 736898

This item contains hazardous or flammable materials and is restricted to surface shipping only. Online orders for shipment to Alaska must be picked up at the Anchorage REI store (follow options for Free Shipping to REI Store when ordering); shipment to any other Alaska address is not offered. Sorry, this product cannot be shipped to Hawaii, APO, FPO or international addresses.

REI Membership

Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30 Specs
Specification
Description
Best use
Backpacking
Tablet
Protozoa, bacteria and viruses
0.9 ounce
Chlorine dioxide
30 quarts
Filter type
Removes/Destroys
Weight
Material(s)
Output

Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30 Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30
 
4.0

(based on 4 reviews)

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

  • Lightweight (4)

Cons

    Best Uses

    • Backpacking (4)
    • Hiking (4)
      • Reviewer Profile:
      • Avid adventurer (3)

    Reviewed by 4 customers

    Sort by

    Displaying reviews 1-4

    Back to top

    (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

     
    5.0

    Works Great!

    By hiker17MD

    from Minneapolis, MN

    About Me Avid Adventurer

    See all my reviews

    Pros

    • Lightweight
    • Low maintenance

    Cons

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • Hiking

      Comments about Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30:

      These tablets work great. Other reviewers have commented on the taste of the water after treatment, but I did NOT think the water tasted any different than the city water in Minneapolis (maybe it even tasted better!). There really is not any strange taste left over. It does take 4 hours to get rid of the encysted stuff, but if you plan ahead and have a bottle specifically for treatments the time is not an issue. I used these on a three day backpacking trip in northern MN and plan to use them in the future for other backpacking trips. I use a 2L hydration bladder and a 1 L nalgene bottle. I would treat water in the nalgene bottle overnight and during the day while I was hiking, and then empty it into the bladder.

      • Was this a gift?:
      • No

      Comment on this review

      (5 of 9 customers found this review helpful)

       
      3.0

      If you have to...

      By Paddy Potatoes

      from Pawtucket, RI

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      See all my reviews

      Pros

      • Lightweight

      Cons

      • Filtered water doesn't taste good

      Best Uses

      • Backpacking
      • Hiking

      Comments about Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30:

      I usually bring a water filtration pump on my trips, but since I was going in February and the temperature would be well below freezing, and not wanting to deal with a frozen pump, I thought tablets might be a better alternative to boiling. But the flavor was so horrible that this was somewhat difficult. Everybody agreed that it was somewhat along the lines of chemical toilet and boiling became a much better option.

      As I figure it, the strength of each tablet is probally much higher than it needs to be to ensure that they work under any circumstances. I also assume that the companies producing these tablets don't want sick hikers and so the doseage is well above what is actually required.

      So, what you have is terribly tasting water free of micro organisms. The tablets are easy to use, they weigh nothing and can be carried in your pocket. Personally, I think the pumps are preferred. The extra pound of weight and little amount of time required to use a pump filter is a small penalty for the fresher taste of the water it produces.

      But these tablets do have a use. They don't hurt to bring along as an emergency backup should your filter break, and for winter backpacking when using a pump is impossible, they are handy. But I can't recommend relying on them to clean your water. After all, there is little else so pleasing on a sweaty hike than a drink of water, unless that water tastes like bleach.

      • Was this a gift?:
      • No

      Comment on this review

      (38 of 39 customers found this review helpful)

       
      5.0

      stay well in the wild

      By jataylor79

      from Austin, TX

      About Me Avid Adventurer

      See all my reviews

      Pros

      • Effective
      • Lightweight

      Cons

        Best Uses

        • Backpacking
        • Hiking
        • Travel

        Comments about Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30:

        Excellent product. Easy to use and effective against all types of water-borne pathogens, chlorine dioxide is used world-wide to treat public water supplies.

        Advantages over iodine: (1) effective against Cryptosporidium; (2) tablets are individually vacuum-sealed (better shelf life); (3) lightweight (no glass bottle); (4) no iodine-related health risks.

        -----------------------------------------------

        To clarify the waiting period:

        * 30 minutes will kill most pathogens

        * a full 4 hours are required to kill Cryptosporidium, a tough little protozoan on the rise in U.S. waters

        -----------------------------------------------

        If the 4 hour wait time is too much for you, run the water through a filter that catches the Crypto (they are very large), then treat with chlorine dioxide. (The "MSR Sweetwater Purifier System" is an out-of-the-box setup, though I prefer solid tablets to the liquid drops which are included in this system.)

        Tip: the mild chemical aftertaste largely subsides if water is left to sit overnight.

        Comment on this review

        (24 of 29 customers found this review helpful)

         
        3.0

        Better than iodine!

        By Nicole

        from Boston, MA

        About Me Avid Traveler, Casual/ Recreational

        See all my reviews

        Site Member

        Pros

        • Lightweight
        • Tastes better than iodine

        Cons

        • Strong taste

        Best Uses

        • Backpacking
        • Car Camping
        • Day trip
        • Hiking
        • International Travel

        Comments about Potable Aqua Chlorine Dioxide Tablets - Package of 30:

        This product is confusing because it says to leave in for 4 hours but [...] staff said 30 min is fine for clear water (like tap water in foreign countries). Still, the taste is very strong, but better than iodine. The longer it sits, the taste starts to go away. Also, doesn't stain water bottles like iodine does. Good value.

        Comment on this review

        Displaying reviews 1-4

        Back to top

        How are we doing? Give us feedback on this page.

        • Join REI today!
        • REI Membership
        • REI member benefits include an annual refund (typically 10% on eligible purchases).
        • Join REI today!
        • Sign up for REI Gearmail®
        • and get 15% off selected items!
        • Store Locator
        • Locate an REI store near you.
        • Find a Store

        Find REI on: FacebookTwitterYouTubeFlickr