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7 Comments

  1. @JWR- I didn’t know that a water filter would be damaged by freezing temps. Thanks! I did retrieve it from my storage but left it in my car which is definitely below freezing. How would I know if it had been damaged?

    1. Looked it up on the Sawyer website and pasted what they had to say below re: storing the filter in below-freezing temps. So as I’ve never used it(wetted it) before, it should be fine. But now I won’t store it exposed to the elements anymore. Interestingly there is nothing in the packaging that warns not to let it freeze which is why I didn’t know this. I used to just keep chemical water purification tablets in my BOB.

      From the Sawyer filter site:

      “How do I care for my filter during freezing weather?
      Before initial wetting

      Filter is safe from freezing temperatures if it has never been wetted.
      After initial wetting

      While there is no definitive way to tell if a filter has been damaged due to freezing, Sawyer recommends replacing your filter if you suspect that it has been frozen.
      During trips

      If you are in freezing temperatures, we recommend that you store your filter in your pocket or close to your person so that your body heat can prevent freezing. THERE IS NO WARRANTY FOR A FROZEN FILTER.”

    2. Thank you JWR for letting us know about the [freezing risk for filter] straws. Four of us have Life straws and I have a Sawyer, all kept in our vehicles. It’s 9 degrees today. Looks like I should probably invest in five new ones and keep them warm.

  2. I enjoyed your article, looking forward to part 2. Something i have struggled with in my travels is food storage in a car. Im a huge fan of peanut butter for calories in the gym and on the trail. Any canned fish Tuna, Sardines, Tilapia and Haddock.

    I hope you end up finding the home you want. Thanks for sharing your adventure. Not to your extreme but i was a nomad when i was a teenager and moved state to state hunting work during the 2006 financial collapse coast to coast until joining the army and traveling a whole lot more.

    After 6 years of putting in roots im ready to get a camper and travel while still maintaining home base. With three boys now i want them to experience adventure but also have stability.

    1. Tuna is not what it used to be. Tuna once resembled a hockey puck when you emptied the can. Now it slush with bits of dubious fish in it. It doesn’t taste like it used to, either.

      For sardines: the only true sardines are from Goya. I was raised on them as a child, before the laws were changed that permitted any small fish to be called a sardine.

      When I decided to go back and buy some sardines, years later, I was shocked. Sardines have a vivid taste, like real tuna. What the heck were these things? I tried every brand, with the same results, and gave up.

      One day while passing through the Spanish aisle in the supermarket, I saw the Goya brand, and decided to try them. SARDINES!!! Real sardines!

      Sardines have many compounds that are exceptionally nutritious, and are found in very few other foods, if any. They also keep for years in their cans. In France, very well aged sardines in cans are considered a delicacy.

      They do have a vivid taste, and are excellent in sandwiches with mayo and a thick slice of tomato.

  3. Have been out of town so a little late in replying here…
    RE: Water filters/purifiers and freezing… as stated, once used in cold weather, you can not let them freeze, to prevent this is to keep them in a waterproof type barrier (waterproof stuff sack or freezer weight zip-lock bag?) and carry them inside your jacket, around your neck etc. but close to your body to include in your sleeping bag at night. I’ve done this several times during both military and civilian winter outings with no problems in Alaska, Korea, Afghanistan, the Sierra-Nevada and the Great Lakes region to name a few…
    Once you get home from your trip, in a warm room, place your filter(s) on a paper towel and let it air dry for several long days (or weeks). it should dry and be ready for your next trip with no problems. and at today’s prices, a Lifestraw ($20) and/or Sawyer Mini ($25) are cheap enough to replace after each trip.

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