One piece of gear that is definitely coming with me to the Cairngorms is the Aquagear Water Filter that Bob and Rose sell on their cycberspace boutique. Both Darren and ptc* have blogged this, so I won’t say too much now, until I’ve used it in the field. Weighing a measly 136g (without the cover), it easily beats any pump filter for weight and is only slightly heavier than the Steripen I’ve been using. It beats most systems as it removes both organic nasties and chemicals. It’s very easy to use and is a lot cheaper than most (if not all) competing systems.
I know you’re all going to say that I don’t need to use it for Scotland’s pristine mountain streams, but I’m just a very cautious chappy. You never know if there’s a dead animal in the water upstream from you. In the Lakes once we were merrily drinking water from a stream just below Coniston Old Man, only to find a few yards upstream there was a dead sheep rotting away in the middle of the stream. Niiiice! After that experience, everything gets treated.
Having exhaustively tested it in the sink this morning under the most demanding conditions, I can confirm that, unlike the Laser Competition, it is idiot proof. The flow rate is good and the water tastes like clean water. The only niggles are that the print is coming off the bottle (who cares) and that you need to take care that the bottom of the bottle is screwed on securely.
Better get in quick before Bob and Rose sell out!
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