A look at the American Red Cross Steripen UltraLight UV Water Purifier for Backpacking, Camping & Survival.
The Steripen UltraLight is a compact, lightweight alternative to more traditional camping & backpacking water filters. Instead of using a filter, the Steripen uses ultraviolet light to kill any bacteria, cysts and other harmful microorganisms. Unlike most backpacking & survival water filters, Steripen also eliminates viruses.
In this video, we’ll go over the pros and cons of the Steripen UltraLight, versus traditional filter based water purification systems. I’ll also demonstrate how to use a Steripen, frequently asked questions, water bottle options, common myths and concerns, and what the various indicator lights mean.
Specs and Features, as per the Manufacturer
SteriPEN ultra-violet lamp destroys over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa
American red cross ultralight UV purifier quickly purifies 1.0L of water in only 90 seconds.
Easy to use, one-button operation provides 8,000 treatments producing up to 8,000 liters of purified water
Compact, lightweight at only 2.6 oz
American red cross ultralight UV purifier can be recharged using its USB port
My final thoughts and a detailed look at the pros and cons of the Renovo Trio water filtration system for backpacking and survival situations.
As discussed in the video, the Renovo Trio water filter is a solid and capable system for water filtration while in the field. Whether or not it’s the best filter for you depends on your personal needs and environment, which we discuss in the video.
It should be noted that this video wasn’t intended to be a “versus” between the Renovo Trio and the Sawyer Squeeze / Sawyer Mini water filter systems, but it would leave a pretty big void if those systems where ignored. As you’ll see, the Sawyer filters are the most similar, and yet different in many ways, systems to the Renovo Trio. Ultimately, I would say that if your in the market for either, you’d be cheating yourself not to investigate the merits of both and choose which is right for you. Hopefully, this video helps make that decision at least a little bit easier for someone out there who’s on the fence.
But hey, even if you could care less about these particular water filters, this video makes for a perfect excuse to nerd out about microns, viruses and bacteria along the way, so at the very least, we’ve got that going for us.
Specs and Water Filter Description as per Manufacturer:
UF Filter Pore Size: .05 Microns
Dimensions: 7.1″ x 1.4″
Weight: 3.5 oz.
Capacity: 1000L
Flow rate:= 200 ml/min
1. Pre-filter:
Similar to a coffee filter, the purpose of the pre-filter is to remove large particulates in the water. This enables the Trio to be used in turbid water sources. This filter element is rated at 5 microns. The Trio comes with 4 replacements of the pre-filter.
2. Renovo Trio UF hollow fiber membrane
The Ultra Filtration (UF) hollow fiber membrane is unique in a couple ways. First, it has a large surface area that enables a high flow rate. Second, the membrane has a smaller pore size than most other hollow fiber membrane filters. When the hollow fiber membrane has reduced flow, simply back flush the filter with clean water and continue use. It is recommended to back flush this element before putting in storage.
3. Renovo Trio Activated carbon tip
The last filter element is a carbon impregnated fiber. To be effective, water must be in contact with the carbon so the carbon can absorb the contaminates. Many water filters use a granular carbon that can develop pathways or channels through the medium which reduces exposure. Block carbon is by far the best method of exposing water to the medium but has a significantly low flow rate. Using a carbon impregnated fiber, the Trio is able to maximize exposure while minimizing the pathways or channels that can develop in other filters.
A note on the Packaging
The innovation does not stop with the filter technology. The Renovo Trio is packaged in a hermetically sealed bag that extends the life of the filter. Activated carbon, when exposed to air can begin the degrade and lose the effectiveness of the medium. Because of the unique packaging of the Trio, it can be stored for many years and retain the effectiveness of the filter. Each replacement filter elements come in a hermetically sealed bag as well.
Taking a first look at the Renovo TRIO Water Filtration System. Has the Sawyer Squeeze / Mini met it’s match? Time to do some testing…
UPDATE: Following a large amount of comments and feedback on the YouTube video, I reached out to my contact, Bastian, at Renovo to share some of the feedback and questions that everyone was sharing. In response, he created a FAQ page to address the most frequent questions at http://www.renovowater.com/pages/faq
Specs and Water Filter Description as per Manufacturer:
