Aquamira Water Treatment - 1 oz.
Simple-to-use Aquamira water treatment drops use chlorine dioxide to kill odor-causing bacteria and enhance the taste of stored potable water. Drops are effective in clear, muddy, warm and cold water.
- Includes part A and part B drops that you mix together before adding to water; each bottle contains 1 fl. oz.
- Chlorine dioxide is iodine and chlorine free and has been used by municipal water treatment plants to kill a variety of waterborne pathogens since the late 1940s
- Chlorine dioxide has been shown to remove greater than 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and cysts, including cryptosporidia and giardia
- Chlorine dioxide does not discolor water or give it an unpleasant taste; iodine and chlorine free
- Small size and long shelf life is ideal for international travel, backpacking and emergency preparedness
- Contains everything you need to treat up to 30 gal. of water
Made in USA.
View all Aquamira Replacement Water FiltersBest Use | Backpacking |
---|---|
Filter Type | Drops |
Active Ingredient(s) | Chlorine dioxide |
Removes/Destroys | Protozoa, Bacteria And Viruses |
Output | 30 gallons |
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Effective, tasteless, compact water treatment
As with many people leaving reviews here, my first experience with Aquamira was through a NOLS course. We used Aquamira to purify our water for two weeks in the Scandinavian wilderness, and it worked like a charm. It's compact, lightweight, tasteless, purifies a lot of water for such a small package, and works regardless of what container you drink your water from. I recently used it during a two night trip in Yosemite, even without a way to filter out small bits and pieces from our water source, and didn't get sick at all. I'm so glad REI has started carrying this product, as I would highly recommend it to all backpackers.
Awesome product!
I'd like to point out that most water filtration systems (I use Katadyn's Hiker PRO water filter) are only moderately effective against bacteria and NOT effective against waterborne viruses. If these are of concern for you, I recommend further treating your filtered water with these Aquamira drops. Not to be confused with chlorine, the chlorine dioxide in these drops has the added benefit of being an additional, effective layer of defense against Giardia protozoa (which, admittedly, any decent filter does a fine job removing). Small enough to fit right in with my filter, I carry these on backpacking trips after an unfortunate and uncomfortable bout with an unknown waterborne pathogen in Army SERE school.
Best water treatment ever
I was surprised that it took REI so long to start carrying Aquamira. I have been using this product for many years. I have used it mostly in Minnesota and in the Grand Canyon. I have NEVER gotten sick while using it and believe me, I have even drank water that I had to fight beavers to get. Water that came from puddles in dried up river beds etc. Every other method that I used failed at one point or another (UV, pumps filters). The best water I have tasted in my life was coming out of a swamp on the Superior Hiking Trail and treated with Aquamira!
My go to
In my opinion Aquamira is hands down the best way to get clean drinking water. It has a few cons such as having a 30 minute wait time, being a little pricey, and if you lose one your kind of screwed. But it's pros outweigh these cons for me. It is light weight, purifies instead of just filtering, colder temps do not effect it, and it does not leave a taste that I can notice. I also bring a Lifestraw as a back-up and so I can also camel up at sources if I need to. A full dose of Aquamira lasts me about 2 weeks on the trail while thru-hiking and I always carry this in my pack wherever I go.
Good product but bottle cracked
We use the Aquamira drops as an added safety layer to water that we have filtered from springs and streams. We really like that the drops don't affect the taste of the water at all. My only disappointment is with the packaging of the drops. Recently while on a multi-day backpack trip, the Part A bottle cracked and leaked out most of the contents (almost a full bottle). Previously the drops came in four-sided bottles that seemed more durable than the current circular bottles (I just purchased a new set). Premixing drops at home might be a solution but running short on the premix or wasting unused premix could become new problems. Hopefully the makers of Aquamira see this and consider different packaging.
Reliable water treatment
On a recent 1-week trip on the PCT, we brought a Sawyer Squeeze, and Aqua Mira as backup. Sawyer quickly clogged and was rendered useless. Aqua Mira treated several gallons per day from a variety of sources, and never failed. We didn't even get a stomach ache the whole week. I was pleasantly surprised that Aqua Mira is flavorless. Another consideration is that Aqua Mira will destroy Norovirus but Sawyer will not. There have been several Noro outbreaks along popular trails in recent years, including PCT, JMT and AT.
Never a problem
I have been backpacking for about 5 years now and have always used this as my water treatment. I have been all over North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Colorado and I have never had an issue. Some people might say they don't like how you have to wait for it to activate and then pour it in and wait 15 minutes; however, the price, longevity, and proof of efficacy make that a non-issue for me. Pro tip: Duct tape the two bottles together so you can always find them (write the instructions on the tape in sharpie if you think you will forget).
The Part A Container Failed (after ~3 years)
While the product works great and is an easier alternative to pumping, the problem with the Part A container cracking open and failing is real. I've bought this product twice, and both times the Part A container failed, either by cracking or, most recently, the plastic bottle rim failed and the dropper popped off. However, in both cases, it took at least 3 years for the container to fail, so I got 3+ years of use before it failed. I noticed that, just before failing, the container made a crackling sound when I squeezed it. I use the product after prefiltering through a 40 micron filter. It's the easiest option when I'm cold or tired, or its getting dark.
Good product with a serious weakness.
I love the portability of this water treatment system - much lighter than filter systems and slight taste does not bother me. It requires a bit of discipline to use effectively. I carry two quart water bottles, as soon as one bottle is empty I start using the other bottle and stop at the next water source to fill and treat the empty bottle. That way I can continue hiking without waiting for the required wait time. Unfortunately, I have twice had the experience of a previous reviewer with leakage - the small square bottles seem to be prone to developing a leak - not good to find out one of the parts is mostly empty when you are on a multi-day solo hike. In both cases the leaks were from an upper corner and in neither case were the bottles mistreated or dropped. I give this product only two stars because of the bottle leakage issue. The manufacturer needs to address this problem promptly.
Works great
This is my new #1 water treatment now. My group of 4 ended up relying on this in Coyote Gulch, Utah when the silt in the stream was clogging the filters. The silt was so fine that even letting the water settle overnight did not prevent the filter clogs. No one got sick using the Aqua Mira. You just need to plan ahead so you can allow it to work for the required 30 minutes before drinking.