Hydration and a new filter bottle.

As we all know hydration is a major issue to Hikers and backpackers everywhere.
 It's always on the mind of backpackers as to where to find a good supply of clean drinking water for evening meals and brewing up.
Boiling the water kills pretty much everything, but you don't always have the time or the inclination to boil water just for a drink on route.

Since i started hiking i have never been overly concerned about drinking directly from streams in the hills.
I have never suffered any bouts of illness.
Over the last couple of years though my attitude has completely changed and i regard most streams/becks etc as potential hazards.
You just never know what's died in it further up stream or what contaminants have found there way into the water course.

I like many others, bought the Travel tap from Backpacking Light UK to give us some piece of mind.
I was so pleased with the results we got from this filter. Then on one adventure i noticed that it was dripping from the  outlet.
I had a check of all the fittings and all seemed well except that the O ring was a bit worse for wear. I thought that this might be the problem.
I contacted Bob at BPL and explained. He kindly passed me on to manufacturers at drinkSafe systems.
I explained the problem and they sent me 2 new O rings.
I fitted the new O ring and at first i thought the problem had been resolved as it didn't leak but then on the 2nd fill it did leak.
I unscrewed the filter to check its position and when i re fitted the filter the thread broke off from the body.

After paying £35 for this kit i must admit to being a little upset. Who wouldn't be.

When you have a good look at the area where the threads finish and the body begins there is very little material here for such a heavy component, especially with the hole running through the centre of it as well. And a component that can get tossed around in the rucksack.

I decided not to replace it with another, but to have a look on the internet and see if i could find a different one and i did.

It's called the Super Delios. I ordered one which cost me £29.99 + P & P £2.80 and it arrived the very next day. They contacted us via email within 10 minutes, saying it had been shipped. You cannot ask for better than that.

So do i think it's a better buy than the travel tap? Well i do actually. And here's why.

First the cost. Its £5 cheaper.
The filter itself is 0.2 microns so no difference there.
The weight.
Travel tap including cool bag. 267 grams

Super Delios including protective bag which isn't a cool bag i must say. 72 grams. A saving of 195 grams

 Also the filter assembly locates on the outside of the bottle rather than taking up room within the bottle. and there are not protruding threads to damage or in my case, to break off.

When you have just an empty bottle the Delios bottle will collapse whereas the Travel tap retains it's bulk.

The collapsable Super Delios.

The bulky travel tap.

The capacity of the travel tap is 500ml or 650ml depending on which bottle you have whereas the Delios is only 350ml.

But for me this is what clinches it. The Delios filter will fit onto all Platypus bags or bottles so the capacity however large or small is your choice.

Super Delios filter head fitted to 1L Platypus bag.

And also vica versa the Platypus pull top cap fits the Delios collapsable 350ml bottle. Which gives you a simple water bottle option.

There are 2 filter types available one is a squeeze pressure filter and the other is a base camp gravity drip feed. See web site.

I am impressed with this filter system and pleased to have found an alternative. 

Maybe Bob will look at stocking it in the future.