There are many ways to filter and purify water out in the wild, the MSR Guardian and Oasis being a couple of the most recent we've looked at. Since 1999, Hydro-Photon has gone with ultraviolet light, offering lightweight, compact SteriPen purifiers that quickly zap away microorganisms. With its new Ultraviolet Reflection (UVR) technology, it makes the UV purification process even faster, so outdoor enthusiasts can get clean water more efficiently than ever.
UVR kits pair SteriPen portable, battery operated purifiers with soft RapidUVR water bottles. The bottles feature a proprietary reflective coating that amplifies and contains the UV rays from the purifier, speeding the process enough to purify up to 4 liters of water in 90 seconds, compared to 1 liter/90 seconds when a SteriPen is used without a UVR bottle.
Like Vapur's Anti-Bottles, the RapidUVR bottles are collapsible, helping to conserve backpack space. They look plenty practical for backpackers and other backcountry explorers looking to keep things light and compact.
Hydro-Photon will offer two US$79.95 SteriPen UVR kits beginning in August 2016. The SteriPen Quantum UVR System will combine a Quantum purifier, 2-liter RapidUVR bottle, 40-micron pre-filter and neoprene carry case. It will purify those 2 liters in as little as 90 seconds. The Emergency+ system will pack an Emergency+ purifier, 2- and 4-liter RapidUVR water bottles, and a neoprene carrying case. It will purify 4 liters of water in 90 seconds.
Hydro-Photon says that you can expect 50 liters worth of purifying power from four alkaline AA batteries and 150 from lithium batteries. The UV lamps will last around 3,000 treatments. The company is still finalizing the design of the UVR bottles so it does not yet have specs such as weight.
Source: SteriPen
