Water filter straws from Harbor Freight?

Discussion in 'General Survival and Preparedness' started by survivalmonkey360, Jan 27, 2009.


  1. I got a couple of gifts from Harbor Freight (an airbrush and a flashlight) and promptly returned them since I don’t use junk.lol
    So anyways now I have Harbor Freight credit, and
    I saw they have Water filter straws for $8 http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=94544, do they actually work I’m kind of concerned it being at harbor freight and all.
     
  2. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    "Frontier" is a name brand and good at what they say, BUT, only 20 gallons is not a lot!
    Also, be safe and pre-boil the water, just for safety's sake.
    Note: they only go down to +2 microns....
    Not exactly great, but effective.
    For the cost, they'll work !
    For an emergency kit or bug-out bag, they'll suffice.
    Bill
     
  3. What is under 2 microns?

    If you boil it then there’s no reason to filter it.

    This is more of general water filter question but, since they have carbon in them will they degrade over time (like gas mask filters)?
     
  4. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    http://www.rangerjoes.com/aquamira-frontier-pro-emergency-water-filter-p-4447.html
    The Frontier Pro is an excellent example of simplicity and ease of use. It can filter up to 50 Gal. or more. It has a bite valve and a cover and a threaded end to attach to a bottle. Ideal for backpacking.

    http://www.rangerjoes.com/emergency-water-filter-system-aquamira-frontier-p-3669.html
    This is a slightly lighter, portable filter, and it can filter about 20 Gal.


    I really hate it when people try to cut-down the filter industry. The fact is, that it is safe to filter water, as micro-filtering has come a very long way in only a few years. Not to mention, BOILING takes a long time, because after you bring the water to a boil, you must then allow it to cool. This takes time in the outdoors. A lot of time. Using a filtering device IMPROVES your quality of life in the outdoors, and it helps save you TIME. Nobody says that you can't go out and boil water WHILE you take a sip out of your filtered water...Also -it isn't always tactically safe to start fires and boil water....
     
  5. Yeah that’s my main reason for wanting one, I have no problem boiling water but you can smell smoke from a long ways away, you can see it in the dark, and on thermal imaging it’s like a spotlight.
     
  6. sniper-66

    sniper-66 Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    There is a reason the military doesn't use survival straws, they almost guarantee that you will get whatever they say they will stop. An entire SF team tested survival straws in Panama, the test was cut short because everyone had a raging case of Giardial squirts.
    Spend the money and get a purifier. Boiling is guaranteed, if you don't want smoke, build a dakota fire hole. Stay away from straws, you get done with it, you handle it with your hands putting it away, bingo, you have whatever you were trying to filter out.
     
  7. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    That is certainly true enough for the particular cases in which they were used, but I know from personal experience that they have worked for me just fine. I have even drank from springs and streams without the use of any filtration or boiling when I was younger -not the best idea, granted...but it does show that not all water is contaminated. No matter what, boiling is tried and true but not always efficient enough or practical in a pinch. There are other methods, such as the Steripen, for sterilizing water.

    I guess it comes down to personal preference. I think that in a tough situation, on the run or in a chase, I would rather pull my straw out and siphon some fresh water from a creek than to stop and dig a hole, build a fire, set the pot on, wait for it to cool, and finally drink. Ideally, however....boiling is best, no argument there.
     
  8. mobilus

    mobilus Monkey++

    If the Harbor Freight straws are made in China, you'll probably get lead poisoning...seems it's in everything that comes from there.
     
  9. dragonfly

    dragonfly Monkey+++

    OUCH!
    Now that's NOT funny!
    But probably not lead, so,....maybe mercury?
    Yikes!
    2 nasties:
    Cryptosporidium and Giardia are the common bad guys...
    BUT, bad old "E-coli" slips thru 'some' marketed filtration straws!
    I gave up on the iodine, chlorine bleach and such treatments...
    I'd use the straws I have, which are the Frontier brand, if I had to....
    I'd much rather pre-filter then boil. (pre-filter to get it as clean as I can)
    But, it all takes time, and energy.
    Recently I tried a new "solis" method and was surprised at how well it works...IF you have 6-8 hours!
    Paint a 2 liter soda bottle halfway lengthwise, with flat black paint, and place it unpainted side up, on either a dark/black surface in full sun.
    Only fill the bottle with as clear as water you can obtain, and only 3/4 full.
    The UV light works to kill off all those bad nasties!
    It's been Tested and found it works even better with a box lined with aluminum foil, to reflect even more light into the bottles.....
    I think it was the University of Minnesota or ? That actually have a site on this...
    I did it at home, to see how it works...
    Supposedly, they deliberately "tainted the water" being tested with E-coli, and found that after 4-6 hours in full sunlight, there were NO critters left alive to cause any harm. (but, you have to 1/2 blacken the bottles! That's what they discovered!)
    It actually changed the taste of the tap water here in Az, and its a lot better than any bottled water I've ever tasted!
    (btw: the water gets warm here too!)
    Bill
     
  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Pix or link, please. UV is a good disinfectant, well understood. Ever wonder why eagles and buzzards have white collars and necks? Momma Nature is disinfecting her carrion eaters.
     
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