Survival straws

[TrailDust]

Has anyone ever used survival straws? I always carry water purification tablets with me, as well as a total filtration water bottle by Ketadyne, but survival straws would lighten my backpack load slightly and take up less space too. Any info would be welcome.

 

[M. Sage]

I haven't spent any money on one because it seems like it would take a whole lotta sucking to get a little water. I'd stick with what you've got, personally.

 

[MadMo44Mag]

TD I'm sorry - what the hell is a survival straw? LOL!

 

[M. Sage]

It's a tiny little water purification filter that's suction-powered. And your mouth provides the suction: Survival Straw - Complete Water Purification System

You just stick the fat end of the "straw" into the dirty water and suck (real hard, I bet) clean water up for a drink.

Seems like a hell of a lot of work for not a lot of water, and it seems like it wouldn't be able to filter much water at all. Might not be bad to drop into your personal survival kit (it should fit in a pocket, so this may wind up being too much to add, and there are more important things), but that's about as far as I'd be willing to trust one.

 

[MadMo44Mag]

Thanks Sage!
I suspected that was the case but this way if some one else comes along and was like was, now they don't have to sound dumb and lazy - LOL!!!!

 

[TrailDust]

Seems like six of one, half dozen of the other when it comes to a hassle with water purification. Ketadyne bottles are a process to produce filtered water, and tablets and drops take time. No pun intended, but I might have to just bite the bullet and buy one to try it out and see if it's worth it. Big question is how hard is it to draw water up the straw?

BTW, I may be posting a few other threads about survival equipment or issues that went mostly unanswered on USGT if you guys don't mind answering them....

 

[M. Sage]

I don't know, but if you get one, be sure and let me know because that's the big drawback I see to it.

The only drawback to the iodine or chlorine tablets that I see isn't so much the time factor; it's not that long. The drawback to them is that they only take out the critters and won't filter out particulates or chemicals. That and the taste, but a little Gatorade powder takes care of that.

 

[Wolfwood]

as i understad it eh tabs dont get rid of the critters they just kill them. some of those bugs leave some pretty nasty stuff behind, even when their dead.
tabs are good to have on hand, but id save those for the emergency after the emergency. when ya drop your filtration system off a cliff or whatever.

 

[Big country]

I'm with wolfwood on this one. And trail dust let us know how the straw works out when you get it. I'm going on a bow hunt for pigs in a few months and need a water purification system to take with me.

 

[TrailDust]

Yah, I think I'll be heading out to a survival/emergency equipment store in Redlands next month and I'll pick one up to try it out. I'll certainly report back what I find. I'm hoping the draw will be easy as I'd rather have more space in my backpack by getting rid of that Ketadyne bottle when I'm backcountry hiking, and a survival straw would help me do that.

 

[M. Sage]

as i understad it eh tabs dont get rid of the critters they just kill them. some of those bugs leave some pretty nasty stuff behind, even when their dead.
tabs are good to have on hand, but id save those for the emergency after the emergency. when ya drop your filtration system off a cliff or whatever.

The nasty stuff is only for critters that emit poisons like botulism (not found in water, but you get the idea) does. Tabs are best for clear running water IMO. If I was going to be somewhere with more stagnant water, I'd use a filter, but my backpacking trips have taken me along a river in the mountains, so tabs are sufficient and possibly overkill... But I'm still going to dose it.