Reddit reviews Potable Aqua Germicidal Water Purification Tablets

Whatever filter you end up going with, I would STRONGLY recommend keeping some iodine or similar tablets with you. (I use this brand.) Any filter can fail or get contaminated, and a small pack of purification tablets costs <$10, lasts four years unopened or one year opened, and weighs ~2oz, so there's very little reason to not carry some as a backup.

Do be aware that not every purification method gets every kind of contaminant - most purification tablets don't get Cryptosporidium, for example, so it's often a good idea to think about what's in the areas you plan to be hiking in. Crypto, for example, mostly comes off of farm animal runoff, so I don't worry about it when I'm in the mountains collecting water from snowmelt or springs with no farming upstream.

A pump like the MSR MiniWorks is a classic choice. They work forever if taken care of. Aquamira is a popular chemical solution, although a bit expensive. Iodine is a go-to answer as well. Sawyer Squeeze is one of the lightest solutions and quickly becoming VERY popular, just don't burst the bag. I currently have a Steripen but it stopped working half way through my last trip so I'm planning to stop carrying it, otherwise it worked well for 3 years with no complaints.

I would also recommend water treatment tablets. The water supply could be undrinkable for days, and you may run out of potable water supply.

Pet food, extra set of shoes/sneakers, and spare eyeglasses.

Additionally, I keep a kit in my car, and one in my home.

Exactly! From the beginning of this I have said that it NEVER hurts to be ready for the worst. Where I live we get a lot of earth quakes and I am sure within my life we'll get a nasty one. Our building codes are VERY strict and I don't fear that my place will tip over, but the power grid in the US is VERY old and in need of repair badly.

We lost power out here two years ago over about 2 days and people were freaked out. What happens when something really bad happens and it's a week or two weeks with no power, no gas, the food starts dwindling and people are running around like crazy trying to get food to eat.

I'll have my MRE's not the best food in the world, but damn I won't starve to death. I think about prepping hardly ever and I need to get my self re situated and make sure I have everything back together again. I even made a list here for people who were new to prepping. My list is far from a complete list of things one would like to have, but it has the essentials.

My personal Kit:

Item| Cost | Unit
:--|:--|:--
Water | $1.00 | 1 Gallon / person / day
DYI Meals Ready to Eat | $3.50 | Per Unit
Life Straw | $19.99 | 1
50 FT of Utility Rope | $11.49 | 1
Multitool - Leatherman | $27.00 | 1
Flashlight - Crank LED | $9.99 | 1
Potable Water Treatment Tablets | $5.99 | 1
Magnesium Fire Starter | $4.33 | 1
Trash Bag | $0.50 | 2
Vitamins | $15.27 | 1
Total | $99.56 |
_ | |
Added for EVD | |
Latex Gloves | $9.34 | 1
Option A| |
Reperator | $28.90 | 1
Replacement Filter | $8.90 | 1
Option B| |
N95 Mask| $14.79 | 10
| |
Total A| $47.14 |
Total B| $24.13 |
| |
Grand Total A| $146.70 |
Grand Total B| $123.69 |

The fact of the matter is that the subreddit for the most part seems to be under the illusion that if you don't live in West Africa you are 100% safe, which is a dangerous thought to have.

As /u/snorgsniffer said yesterday

>When confronted with dire circumstances beyond their control, humans predictably engage in one of the following behaviors:

> Denial
> Delusion
> Distraction
> Dismissal
> * Drugs / Drink (altered state of consciousness)

>All of those things result in still another "D"... delay
It's clear that both the victims and potential responders are engaging in "D behaviors" at this time.

>My point? It is almost impossible to change someone's mind using logical argument when their conclusion is an irrational, emotional one. They just burrow deeper into their chosen coping behavior when forced to look even more closely at the thing which frightened them so badly in the first place.

>Though not directly news related, I think understanding the psychological underpinnings of the outbreak is important when interpreting the nuts & bolts side of it. This sub seems to me like a good place to see it discussed. There are some really bright people here.

A lot of people are giving voice to their coping mechanisms of denial to make themselves feel better. I don't think their attitude will change until the numbers reach upwards of 50,000 and the people start fleeing and spreading this crap all over the globe.

That would be water treatment/purification tablets, which they have, not dehydrated water.

The thing with bug out bags is first figuring out where you're going to bug out to and how you're going to get there. Do you have relatives that live 100 miles away? If so can you walk there if your car is unusable? I'm still struggling with this as my family is in the exact opposite direction of where I'd want to bug out to in a disaster/ SHTF situation.

Unfortunately, BOB's can get pretty expensive quickly - I picked my bag and contents for an indefinite bug out so naturally I ended up spending a good amount of $ on it - BUT spaced out purchases throughout many months as I also didn't have the money to be spending all at once.

Anyway, if you want to keep it under $50, I'd suggest looking for second hand bags....even for a halfway decent one, this can bring your budget to at least half that. Ideally, you'll want one with an internal frame and a belt strap. This will keep the weight off your shoulders and distributed evenly throughout - this is especially important if you plan on walking a bunch of miles. If you're not planning on walking far, then this isn't much of an issue but to me, bugging out assumes some walking involved.

Following the survival rule of 3's, the first item you'll need to address is some sort of shelter. Get some 550 paracord and a decent tarp. This shouldn't cost too much and you can make a quick & easy A frame type shelter. Even a few heavy duty trash bags could go a long way (ie solar shower, solar still).

I'd def get at least a light summer sleeping bag unless you feel ok sleeping on a bundle of pine sprigs. Do you have decent hiking boots and wool socks ready to go? I see a lot of bug out bags skimping on this but to me is one of the most important things to have.

Can you start a fire with the fire striker you have? How about if the ground is wet? Not saying you need to get one of these but also not sure if you would be able to process wood with a leatherman.

Next is water. Do you have a cup/ canteen to hold/ boil water in? If you're on the run, get something like this. But if you have time to boil any stagnant water, the canteen with cup linked above is a good idea to have.

For food, yeah protein bars, cans of tuna are cheap and good to have. I got a few of these. But they actually get kinda heavy quick (3 days worth of food in one block). For longer term, I'm currently looking into a decent fishing rod and setting snares.

Hope this helps! If you want to spend a bit more $ I can share with you some of the other contents I have..

Basically you got a kit that is a GearWhores dream, what you don't have is a kit that will keep you alive for more than a few days.

1. I want you to pile up all this shit you call a kit on Floor
   
2. Place an empty box on your bed and put the following in it:
   A) the ability to clean and carry water.
   B) the ability to make fire.
   C) shelter to keep dry/warm (a simple poncho and Mylar Blankets at first)
   
   At this point you could live for a couple weeks, and you've spent $40+ cost of pack
   
   D) food, start with compact shelf stable foods, like the dry emergency rations or these.
   A couple weeks worth is like $20, now if you ration you could live for over a month.
   
   3)Now throw away everything else left on the floor.
   As the other person pointed out you have 60+ pounds of junk. That fact is a kit to keep you alive for over a month should cost $60 and fit in a shoe box.

If you live near a park/greenbelt system, just put on your most comfortable athletic shoes and pack your daypack. It will probably be easy, level walking and no getting lost. It will let you see how well your shoes treat you. There are usually walking or driving routes in state parks, wildlife management areas, and wildlife refuges. Often with easy, short loops. Some ski areas have walking trails in the off season. There are also various group hikes offered by birding groups or community education. Bring some moleskin for blisters (cut into strips at home), sunscreen, and water purification tabs like these. Maybe add a cheap flashlight or headlamp and bug repellent. There’s been some great advice about what else to pack. After a while, you’ll develop a system that works for you.

You'll need lodging, so either a tent or a plain cot. Basically you're wanting a "minimalist" camping kit. As far as water, I use these water purification tablets. Work like a charm as long as you can find a stream/river/lake. If you start with that (and obviously food) you'll find things over the years that you find repeatedly useful and start taking with you every time.

Aqua! (You know, the band that sang the Barbie song? .."Im a barbie girl, in a barbie woooooooorld, dressed in plastic, its fantastic!" ... i can't believe i just sang that.. oye... lol

Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets

There are many {#1, #2, #3} cheap water purification tablets that when paired with propel mix-ins provide a great and clean taste. That is if you're worried about the quality/taste of the water from a tap.

I've found that these work great on a trip, they are less expensive (long run) than bottled water.

OK, thanks for the advice. I'm definitely going to add the 550 cord. Pepper spray is another good defensive option that isn't banned in the People's Republic of Chicago. You've also sold me on the stainless steel canteen, so consider that and some water purification tablets added, too.

I was looking at these for water treatment maybe instead of the sawyer, just to save some money
Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets (50 Tablets) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001949TKS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_-MttzbVDZ4CZQ

Here is all you need to not worry, pal!

Firearm!

Ammunition

Rations

For water!

For Shelter!

Hatchet!

Fire!

More Fire!

iodine tablets

http://www.amazon.com/Potable-Aqua-Water-Treatment-Tablets/dp/B001949TKS

Did this when spending a week hiking/camping in Kentucky. We'd just fill up our water bottle in the river/stream and then throw in a couple tabs. Made the water taste a little funny, but noone in our group suffered from any diarrhea or vomiting the entire trip.

If you have the time/tools, boiling is probably the way to go.

Random!

Alright here we go...now what I got, I tried to price compare and review compare. Some stuff may be better elsewhere but it's what I went with regardless.

There are some products that I already have from camping so I didn't feel the need to double up. I also plan on supplementing the packs with more food and obviously water as well as medicine, change of clothes and a few other things. I also plan on adding a few things to the medkit, more aspirin, some more realistic materials as well. So all in all I felt this was a pretty solid starter survival kit for most situations. Just something to grab for a few days if shit hits the fan. It's going in my truck where some other camping gear already is (Axe, shovel, wd-40, lighters, mace, knives)

Only product I would buy differently would be the backpack. I didn't realize it ships from China, I'd only buy somewhere else due to the 1 month shipping time. (I didn't catch that initially) there's some decent similarly priced backpacks available elsewhere that will be at your door within a few days.


$13 - S.O.S. Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bar - 2 Pack - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFOF2DG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$3 SE 6-in-1 Survival Whistle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C31AGC/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 ER Emergency Ready Thermal Mylar Blankets, Pack of 4 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008DEYGJQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Digital Radio, Flashlight, Cell Phone Charger http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9HRJI4/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$8 Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001949TKS/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 8' X 10' Blue Multi-Purpose 6-mil Waterproof Poly Tarp Cover 8x10 Tent Shelter Camping Tarpaulin by Grizzly Tarps http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053QUAAG/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 Survivor HK-106320 Outdoor Fixed Blade Knife 7 Overall WITH FIRE STARTER http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00178CS4K/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 5038-3 PK Fix-It DUCTape 1.87-Inches x 60-Yards, 7-Mil, 3-Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KQ6682/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Outt(TM) Sport Outdoor Military Rucksacks Compact Assault Pack Camping Hiking Trekking Bag http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Military-Rucksacks-Compact-Trekking/dp/B00HWR37KE/ref=sr_1_4?m=A15PKGU8PFZ6QO&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1396882222&sr=1-4&keywords=Sport+Outdoor+Military+Rucksacks+Compact+Assault+Pack+Camping+Hiking+Trekking+Bag

$32 Fully Stocked MOLLE Tactical Trauma Kit First Aid Pouch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TL2NX4/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$5 550lbs. Military Paracord Type III Rope 100' Foliage Green http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B6LFWE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Total price for everything: $171 Probably spend another 30 or less on food/water/extras

I have placed an order with everyone's suggestions in mind for a starter BOB. Thank you everyone for your input.

Here is what it is looking like so far:

Bag: I'm just going to use a northface bag I have that still appears new after 4+ years of use. Was my college bag originally so was used everyday. Very well built.
Here it is for reference

Knife: Since I freed up some money, I went ahead and picked up the Kabar also grabbed a leather sheath. Hopefully I don't get flack for it having a USMC logo on it. It is their knife anyway after-all.

Multitool Decided I probably would need a multitool of some sort.

Nalgene bottle and cup Thanks for alerting me to the cup, I didn't know these exist and should come in handy.

First aid kit based on suggestions.

Sawyer mini water filter

Saw chain was questioned but after watching the user video of him sawing through a tree in like 5 seconds I'm sold. I've tried cutting wood with machetes and hatchets and it is a PITA.

Emergency Blankets can't be too warm I feel.

Rations I will be taking at least 6 days worth.

Emergency Tent Will need to see how big this is. I might just get a tarp for my eno.

Compass

Cordage

Water treatment tablets

Headlamp

Emergency Bivvy

I also have a Ruger LCP with ~100 rounds I will toss in. I need to make copies of all of my documents to include. I already have a tactical flashlight to put in but will need some extra batteries. I have extra glasses to include. Have some flint and steel and bic lighters to include. Considering some sort of magnifying lense. The eno hammock, some jeans, a sweatshirt, rain jacket, and cap will be included. Also some sunglasses. I need to grab some duct tape, charger/radio, some sort of ereader or survival book, and probably a dozen other things I can't think of right now.

I will also need to make one for my 100lb black lab since I realized I wouldn't be able to leave him behind. Going to start training him to hike and carry a pack etc to have him ready. Ultimately he could become a major asset.