Aquapure Traveller - Water Filter - 12 November 2007 - Back

With the dangers of Weils disease well publicised it's not a suprise that most of us choose not to fill the kettle from the lake or river. Added to algal bloom, silt etc. it's none to appealing a prospect. However that might not be the case anymore with the advent of modern water filters that can supposedly leave even the muddiest water as clear and clean as the tap water at home.

Water filtration is something have considered before for a number of reasons:
- It's a nuisance carrying a 10kg of water for a weekends fishing.
- A glut of visitors can leave the supplies a bit short, and it's never nice to say "sorry mate, can't offer you a tea, out of water"
- Reeling in because you're out of fluids or finding yourself extending a session when you're on the fish but out of water is always a nightmare, especially if there's no one around to replenish supplies.

Ok these are not really issues on many waters where you fish close to the car, or can wheel a heavily laden porter around well manicured paths. However if you have a more lightweight approach, fish the bigger pits or rivers where much legwork is required, or even fish the (ahem, cough) slightly naughty venues then the ability to travel light is critical and cutting 10kg off the load very useful.

So it was with great interest I recieved a Pure Hydration Aquapure Traveller a while back for review. Having previously used iodine to treat water from as dodgy sources as Africa's muddy Zambezi I have had direct experience of iodinated water, and it doesn't make a good cuppa. So I was interested in finding out if these modern filters can clean the water and leave it untainted as they claim.

The Aquapure Traveller uses a crafty little filter design, attached to the bottle lid.
- This features a 2 micron wide "tortuous path" to remove pathogens, including the likes of Weils causing spirochetes, salmonella bacteria etc, or anything else in the water physically.
- This filter media also absorbs heavy metals and organic compounds removing over 98% of lead, mercury, copper etc. in tests.
- Additionally it boasts an iodine bonded sleeve which works in the same way conventional iodine treatment to destroy nasties. The difference being no iodine taste in the water afterwards.

The filter has been approved by the London School of hygiene and Tropical Medicine and endorsed by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

To purify water you fill the bottle, give it a shake and leave for 15 minutes. Then it's ready to use. Each filter claims to treat approximately 350ltrs, of course that depends on the murkiness of the water in question. Replacement filter elements are available.

The acid test is of course the carp anglers staple, the cup of tea. And I'm glad to report it passed this test producing for me a lake water cuppa indeterminate from one made using bottled water.

At around £35 it is competitively priced for a modern advanced filtration unit and could be a handy backup for any angler or even primary supply for the lightweight angler.

More details at:
http://www.aquapuretraveller.com