One of things I really appreciated about Intrepid Travel – in fact one of the reasons why I chose them over other companies – is they suggest that travelers bring a filtration system for water so that we are not leaving trails of plastic bottles in countries that can’t support recycling. I love a good challenge and I hate the taste of iodine, so after a fair bit of research I found the Steripen. This is a device that you turn on and stick into water and when that contact with water is made, a UV light turns on. After 60 seconds, the icky things are dead. (I’m obviously very concerned about the science and details about how it works.) I suppose the icky things are still “in” the water, they are just deactivated. Good enough for me!

Imagine what it’s like to fill up your water bottle from a tap in Thailand and use the Steripen for the first time… Your heart races as you put the water to your lips and you’re a little nervous to drink too much at first, just in case. And then… it works! You drink more and everything is fine! Magic! I was filling my water bottle in a public restroom in a train station and had a lady adamantly trying to get me to understand that this water was not for drinking! She was so concerned I would get sick!

I have a “Classic” model, though now they have all sorts of versions – one that’s even charged via a USB plug, so when mine dies, I plan to upgrade… though I’ve had mine since 2009 and have used it in over 40 countries. Seems to be holding out just fine. With my model, I screw a plastic lid onto my Nalgene bottle (and I’ve tried the generic versions – they leak.) I then push a button on my Steripen, and when I have a solid green light, insert the wand into the water and the light turns on. I usually tip the bottle upside down and swirl it around to get the air bubbles out. When it’s over (60 seconds) the light will flash green for good. If it flashes red, the water is not safe and probably has something to do with the batteries. (Or that the sensors are dirty or were wet prior to beginning, or that the battery is near depletion…) I keep a little wash cloth to wipe off the pen so I can put it away dry (the sensors need to be dry to work.) My pen runs on 4 AA batteries and I use rechargeable ones. That means I usually have 8 batteries with me – 4 in the pen and 4 as replacements when those die. I then have my recharger and the electric adapter so I can plug it in. If you were in one location and always around electricity, you could probably get by with only 1 set of batteries, but I do enough hiking/camping/home stays/yak huts at Everest Base-camp with no electricity that I keep a spare set. I also keep EVERYTHING in a pouch or bag, which are half of my travel souvenirs, so I have a little bag that I got in Turkey for my charger and battery and another bag to carry the Steripen, the lid, and the rag. Did I mention I am good a being prepared but not good at packing light?

Random things I’ve discovered about using the Steripen:

It works. Really well and in 60 seconds with no funky taste! I’m still amazed.

If I’m doing a trip with hiking – like the Inca Trail or a short hike in the Himalayas, I clean my water in my Nalgene bottle and transfer it into another container, like a water bladder. Then it’s good incentive for me to stay hydrated so that I can drink down the weight in my pack!

I also fill up in sinks or faucets of some kind… not from streams or puddles or lakes. (Exception – New Zealand, where I did drink untreated water in the pristine Milford Sound.) I have standards with my water… if it has a funky smell, I dump it. If it’s brown, I dump it. More times than not, it’s probably ok, but… mentally, I can’t handle it. Kinda like eating the tarantula. Tasted fine, but the legs kept bobbing up and down in my mouth as I chewed. Goo.

I usually get 5-15 uses on my charged set of batteries, but it really depends on the quality of batteries. Take some from home. My batteries started to loose steam at one point on my year abroad and while I tried to buy various types in both India and Nepal, they didn’t hold a charge and I had to have my Aussie friend bring me some quality ones when we met up in Bhutan. Clean drinking water wasn’t something I was willing to chance it on… so many ways that can go wrong.

And you know the best part? The money I don’t spend on water is more money I have to spend on travel.

Since we’re on water… here’s a bonus tip about ice cubes while traveling!

Many times folks suggest that you avoid ice while traveling. This can absolutely be true, but not always. Some ice has come from a factory of treated water – and that ice is safe. You know it’s from a factory (and not from the man with a giant block of ice on the back of his moped) because it will have a round hole in the middle. This is where it was on the machinery thingy in the factory. Again, I’m great with details, eh?

In a lot of areas, ice is a luxury anyway.

Love to travel? Book a trip with the USA branch of Intrepid Travel and use the promo code 11330 and the name Laura R to receive a FREE set of Pack-It packing cubes with a Garment Folder from Eagle Creek. I get a point towards a trip. Win-win.