SteriPEN

Classic 3 Handheld Water Purifier

Lightweight backcountry and emergency item

I purchased this Steripen to purify filtered water on a week-long back country trip, and to keep at hand in an urban water emergency. It is easy to use, and I feel confident with the company’s long service to outdoors people. While I often opt for rechargeable gear, I chose the Classic 3 battery-powered Steripen because I may have drained the power pack recharger due to the amount of gear that requires it (camera, phone, pump…). Storing with my emergency pack with batteries out, I would be able to add fresh batteries and be good to go.

Perfect UV pen

Steripen works like a charm with the pre-filter lid for Nalgene bottles.

Great product. We bought to use on a trip to a country where we were concerned about tap water. Fit in our toiletries bag. We used it over a 3 week vacation and it worked great. Easy to use and we felt confident that the water we drank was safe.

An excellent addition when needed

This is an excellent option to pair with a filter when local water supplies demand it. I grabbed this for a trip to the Olympic Peninsula, as there were warnings about cryptosporidium in coastal water supplies. It’s a little chunky and delicate, but those trade offs are worth it for its speed and effectiveness, compared to chemicals and boiling. I imagine the rechargeable units are a bit more streamlined. Replaceable AA batteries (4) seemed like a good option for both travel and backpacking.

Reliable UV Filter

The steripen is a classic, it works. It takes a little while to fully purify a liter, and the steripen is a bit heavier than other options, but its reliable and a great peace of mind in the back & front country.

Great Sterilizer

This is a great product to use in your filtration line up. To be clear this is best used once you have run your water through a filtration system. It helps eliminate biological contamination. I love it's form factor and how easy it is to use in my setup. I would definitely recommend Katadyn products, they seem pretty focused on trying to provide a quality line up.

Simple and easy to use

This is great for having in the camping gear and then just grabbing some AA batteries on the way out of town. I have a Lifestraw pump that gets the big stuff out and then I can sanitize with the Steripen for extra peace of mind. The two modes can be tricky to figure out so I’d recommend doing a couple trial runs at home to get the hang of it first. When using the pen, I’d highly suggest NOT watching it and saving your eyes from the UV damage. Just keep it steady so the two probes stay in the water and then do a countdown in your head unless you have UV blocking eyewear.

Great for travel

As someone who gets sick from the water a lot when traveling, this has helped me to not get sick from using the water when I travel! I will make a cup of water and use this to make the water safe for me to brush my teeth and drink. I will also use it for my water bottle whenever I refill it while abroad.

Disappointed

I really tried to make this work but it did not. Unfortunately, Backcountry only offers store credit for "used" items. Not sure how I would know it didn't work without trying it.

Must Have!

I have used my SteriPen for years both while living abroad (I drank water from the Amazon River) and on thru hikes and backpacking. I know i can rely on it's performance and it's one of the easiest and quickest methods on the market for sterilization. I have convinced so many of my friends to buy SteriPens.