SteriPEN Adventurer Opti
Owner Review By Bob Dorenfeld
September 8 , 2013
Tester Information |
NAME:
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Bob Dorenfeld
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EMAIL:
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geartest(at)sageandspruce(dot)net
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AGE:
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55
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LOCATION:
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Salida, Colorado, USA
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GENDER:
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M
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HEIGHT:
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5' 6" (1.7 m)
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WEIGHT:
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135 lb (61 kg)
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I'm an active hiker,
snowshoer, skier, backpacker, amateur geographer and naturalist. Home
base is the Southern Colorado Rockies, where I usually journey from
7000 ft (2100 m) to above treeline, with occasional desert trips to
lower altitudes. Six to 12 miles (10 to 20 km) hiking in a day is my
norm, including elevation change of as much as 4000 ft (1200 m) in a
day. Most of my backpack trips are two or three nights, sometimes
longer. Often I hike off-trail on challenging talus, snowfields, or
willow brakes, with occasional bouldering.
Product Information & Specifications
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Photo: SteriPEN |
Manufacturer | Hydro-Photon
| Year of Manufacture | 2013 | Manufacturer's Website | www.steripen.com | MSRP | US$89.95 | Listed Weight | 3.8 oz (108 g) | Measured Weight | 3.8 oz (108 g) | Color | Black/Green | Material | Plastic, Glass, Metal | Listed Dimensions | (LxWxH): 6.1" (15.5cm) x 1.5" (3.3cm) x 1" (2.2cm) | Batteries Included | Yes | Treatment Volume | 1 L or 0.5 L | Stated Battery Life | Disposable - 50 treatments of 1 L Rechargeable - 30 treatments of 1 L | UV Lamp Life | 8,000 Treatments | Minimum Bottle Diameter | 1.4 inches (35mm) | Battery Type | CR123 or RCR123 | Carry Case Included | Yes |
Overview The
SteriPEN Adventurer Opti is a tool for purifying water in the field, or
anywhere a hiker or traveler wants to ensure his water is safe to
drink. It uses UV (ultraviolet) light to kill most potentially
dangerous microorganisms in the water sample. According to
SteriPEN's website, it destroys "more than 99.9 percent of bacteria,
viruses and protozoan cysts such as giardia and cryptosporidia"
(detailed descriptions of the microorganisms can be found at the
site). UV technology has been used for many years in municipal
water treatment systems, and is recognized by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency as a proven, effective means of
treating water. (However, see caveats below in the Verifying
Purification section). This handheld tool is portable and lightweight,
with a built-in flashlight for use when not using the purifying
feature. The business end of the Opti has two lights - the
long one emits both UV and visible light when used to purify water, and
the small short lamp is the flashlight. Designed for either 0.5 L
or 1 L per use, a verifying circuit ensures that the Opti is immersed
correctly in the water during use, and an indicator lamp verifies that
treatment completes successfully. One pair of CR123 batteries is
claimed to treat about 50 L; CR123s are a readily-available
higher-voltage battery used in many types of portable electronic
equipment, similar to but shorter than an AA battery. The Opti
comes with a complete set of instructions on use, care, battery
replacement, and precautions, which I found both informative and easy
to follow.
Field Use I
have had my SteriPEN Adventurer Opti for about a year, and have used it
to treat 30 L, at air temperatures from about 40 to 85 F (4 to 29 C),
water temperatures from about 35 to 50 F (2 to 10 C), and at altitudes
from 6000 to 12900 ft (1830 to 3930 m). My main motivation for
purchasing this tool was to have a reliable backup for water
purification on day hikes without carrying my usual larger and heavier
ceramic-filter pump. Although at first skeptical about relying on
batteries, I have used the Opti enough to feel confident that it works
as SteriPEN claims.
| | Edge view of Opti showing brief instructions, control button, indicator light below button | The Opti in operation on 1 L of water |
Using the Adventurer Opti Just
about any shape or type of container will work - clear, translucent, or
colored plastic, metal, or fabric such as nylon. Make sure to
estimate either 0.5 or 1 L before you start (if I'm not sure about
measuring the smaller amount I'll just use the tool's 1 L setting).
First remove the clear plastic cover from the head of the Opti
(can leave on when using flashlight only). Firmly press the
handle's button once to treat 1 L or twice to treat 0.5 L. The
handle's indicator lamp will flash green for about 15 seconds during
which time I'll insert the tool's head into the water container to
about 1 in (2.5 cm) above the light tube. A subtle blue visible light
from the long tube will indicate that the UV is operating. Gently
stir the tool in the water, helping to distribute the UV
light around it. SteriPEN says that much UV reflects off the top surface
of the water, which not only helps purify the water but keeps the UV
out of my eyes. There is a continuity circuit where the lamp
connects to the tool's handle that will notify the user if the tool is
pulled out of the water too soon - the indicator light will flash red,
meaning an unsuccessful treatment. In that case, just wait a few
seconds for the Opti to reset, then start over and retreat the water.
When the treatment is finished, the immersed tube's light will go
out, and the indicator lamp will turn to steady green.
For a
treatment container I usually use a soft nylon collapsible bowl, like
those sold for dog water (see photo). It's lightweight, and the
black interior has the advantage of providing some shade to let me see
the Opti's pale-blue operation light even in direct sun. I have
also used clear and translucent plastic containers like water bottles
and bladders, but in bright sun both the immersed lamp's light and the
handle's indicator lamp are very difficult to see. One precaution
to be aware of is that the inside areas of the water container above the water line will not
be purified by the UV light, so I like to fill my containers almost to
the brim, and while operating I swirl the Opti enough to so that the
water will contact that upper inside surface, ensuring that when I pour
off the water into my larger water bladder (or cooking pot) the water I
use is not contaminated by the untreated container edge.
Except
in bright sunlight, I found the Opti to be very easy to use. Even
under conditions of bright sun, though, I can just time the treatment,
and on removal of the tool from the water I'll cup the handle to shade
the indicator lamp and check that it's not
flashing red (easier to see than the steady green). On timing the
treatments, it always took close to 90 seconds to treat 1 L (I rarely
treat less than that amount).
When done, I gently wipe off
excess water from the business end and replace the Opti in its
accompanying neoprene case. The case is fairly durable, and has
room for a folded-up copy of the operating instructions so that in the
field I can recall how it works or error codes if necessary. It
also has a hook-and-loop belt loop to easily attach to my belt.
Problems with the Adventurer Opti
I've
only had one problem so far with my Opti. I'm still using the
pair of batteries that came with it, but have been logging the amount
of water treated. At around 25 L, on a backpacking trip, I was
unable to finish any 1 L treatments because after about 15 seconds of
immersion the handle lamp would flash red. Since I always carry
iodine tablets as a final fallback, I disinfected my water and boiled
it for the rest of my trip. Consulting the instructions, the
flashing red lamp seemed to be a sign of failing batteries, which made
sense since I had no idea how old the included batteries were.
However, after returning home and removing/reinserting the batteries,
my Opti is working normally now, so I'll attribute the problem to
incorrectly-seated batteries. Even so, I'll be carrying a spare
set of batteries for now, especially since at 30 L I'm getting up
towards the maximum stated life of 50 L for a set of non-rechargeable
CR123 batteries.
Flashlight Function In
addition to purifying water, the Opti comes with a flashlight built
into the front next to the UV tube; no need to remove the clear plastic
cover. To operate, press and hold the activation button on the
handle for 3 seconds. The light will stay on for two minutes, or
press the button again to turn it off. The Opti UV will not
function to purify water when the flashlight is on. I've only
used the flashlight once when in the field, since I always have another
source of light at camp or when down at the creek getting water.
I prefer not to deplete the Opti's batteries with the flashlight,
but for an emergency I'm glad it's available.
Additional Battery Notes and Cost of Operation
I'm
using non-rechargeable batteries in my Opti, but SteriPEN advises that
if using rechargeable CR123s, the low-battery function may not work
because of the way rechargeable batteries monitor low-voltage
conditions; I will stay with non-rechargeable batteries for now.
I found that the price of CR123 batteries varies quite a lot:
from a high of US$16/pair at my local hardware store, to US$1
each from a web-based retailer (non-rechargeable), so the cost of one 1
L treatment varies from a high of US$0.32 to a low of US$0.04.
For comparison, a typical ceramic filter for a hand-held water
pump costs US$40, and is good for 200 L resulting in US$0.20 per
liter. Thus the Opti's cost of operation is right in league with
other comparable technologies.
Other Operation Notes
SteriPEN
suggests that batteries be warmed before use if exposed to below
freezing temperatures - a couple of minutes in my pocket would be
enough to warm them, depending on how cold they got. Gentle
agitation while immersed in the water is not strictly necessary but is
highly recommended to ensure that all water is exposed to enough UV
light to purify it. SteriPEN also suggests that if storing the
Adventurer Opti for long periods it's best to remove the batteries and
store them separately to avoid possible corrosion, internal contact
damage, and draining of the batteries - which is what I do for just
about any portable electronic device. It's also important to note
that like other types of water treatment methods, UV light works best
in clear and almost-clear water; thus turbid or cloudy water needs to
be either prefiltered mechanically or allowed to settle out first
before using the Opti. However, if murky water is unavoidable
SteriPEN suggests using two treatments for your volume of water.
The
Opti is not intended to be waterproof, only water resistant, especially
the battery case. I once dropped mine into my collapsible water
bowl, but there was no evidence of moisture inside the battery case.
However, if I had any doubt I'd want to open the case and
thoroughly air it out before storing or using again.
There is a
long list of warnings and precautions in the instructions - most are
common sense but some are not so obvious to the casual user and I've
found it's worth reading these warnings occasionally, as well as the
entire instruction set once in a while (especially if I haven't used
the Opti frequently through the season).
Verifying Purification
It
would be both time-consuming and expensive for me as an individual user
to verify that the Opti actually purifies my water samples to the level
that SteriPEN claims. However, I am reasonably confident
that it works as claimed, given that I use it as directed. The
following statement may be found on SteriPEN's website: "SteriPEN
products have been tested by the Water Quality Association
(WQA) against the US EPA Microbiological Water Purifier Standard.
SteriPEN has received the WQA’s Gold Seal, certifying that SteriPEN
purifies water safely and effectively". In addition, a useful
summary of water purification methods and effectiveness is published by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Drinking Water
Treatment and Sanitation for Backcountry & Travel Use". In
this document UV treatment is listed only as a general treatment and
not rated specifically for individual types of pathogens (protozoa,
bacteria, viruses), mainly because according to the CDC not enough
independent testing has been done for this method. If I wanted complete
confidence that my water was clean, I'd either combine filtration with
disinfection or UV, or boil my water: CDC recommends these treatments
for "very high effectiveness".
Final Thoughts I'm
satisfied with my Opti purifier where I use it primarily on hikes.
It's lightweight and easy to use, and its small size makes it
easy to store in either my daypack or backpack. Although I
haven't run out the original batteries yet, I'll keep a spare pair with
me just in case the expected battery lifetime is less than stated.
Both initial cost of the Opti and operating costs are comparable
to ceramic water filters, making it a good all-around choice for
camping and backpacking. Nonetheless, where water supplies are
really suspect, I believe combining treatment methods is a good idea.
Reviewed By Bob Dorenfeld Southern Colorado Rocky Mountains
Read more gear reviews by Bob Dorenfeld
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