The folks at Safecastle recently sent us a SteriPEN Adventurer, charging case, and pre-filter for evaluation. Our #1 Son tested them in the secret laboratory beneath the JASBORR. Here are his findings:
Model Tested: SteriPEN Adventurer
The SteriPEN uses an ultraviolet light to sterilize microbes in water. The pen can treat water in 1 liter batches, in only 90 seconds. It runs on standard CR123 batteries, which are becoming ubiquitous. (A plus for anyone that already stocks these batteries for their tactical lights and/or lasers.)
USE: You just push the power button, put it into a bottle of clean water, and stir for about 90 seconds.
DESIGN: The pen is about 6 inches long and only weighs 110 grams (about 4 ounces), so it is certainly portable enough to take on lightweight backpacking trips. It is water resistant and has a sturdy plastic casing.
ADVANTAGES: It is very easy to use, lightweight, and sturdy. The price of filtration per liter is much less than most filters, and it runs on rechargeable batteries.
DRAWBACKS: The pen can only treat water in batches of up to 1 liter. Also, the water needs to be clear of any sediment, or microbes will survive.
Water Bottle Pre-Filter
The filter attaches to standard Nalgene-thread water bottles. It has a replaceable 4 micron filter, which removes sand and dirt. The pre-filter works quite quickly but still leaves the water a bit cloudy. so it cannot be depended on by itself. (We surmise that a couple of thickness of t-shirt cloth could be used as a “pre-pre-filter.”) But the pre-filter still makes a useful compliment to the SteriPEN.
Charging/Carrying Case
The case is hard plastic, with a small photovoltaic panel on the lid. It has a charging slot for two CR123 batteries, and a foam padded slot to hold the SteriPEN. There is no direct charger for the pen, so the batteries have to be charged separately, and then put in the SteriPEN. The case also comes with a 117 volt wall (grid/utility power) adapter for charging the batteries at home. (Both chargers, BTW are great to also keep on hand for charging the rechargeable varieties of CR123 batteries for tactical lights and lasers.)
The bottom line: Both the SteriPen and the chargers are easy to use and sturdy. We endorse this product. SteriPENs are available from Safecastle, Ready Made Resources, and several other Internet vendors.