Traveling abroad, especially outside of North America, Australia and Europe, often means we can’t drink the local tap-water. This often translates to having to buy water which usually comes in single-use plastic bottles. Since many vegans tend to be eco-conscious in all aspects of their lives, this can often pose a bit of a dilemma!
There are many cons to plastic water bottles. For one. they’re very expensive compared to water from the tap. There’s also evidence to suggest that the plastic in the bottles poses health risks and we all know by now that single use plastic is a scourge for nature and creates many unfavorable environmental hazards.
So, what other choices does the traveler have when traveling to destinations where the tap water isn’t so clean? Here are a few options:
SteriPEN
SteriPEN uses a short-wave germicidal UV light to purify water. The UV light disrupts the DNA within bacteria, viruses and protozoa, rendering them unable to reproduce, and therefore harmless. In clear water, the SteriPEN will destroy over 99.9999% of bacteria, 99.99% of viruses and 99.9% of protozoa.The SteriPEN is effective in cold or freezing weather and doesn’t affect the taste at all. It’s super easy to use, and works quite quickly. Just fill your bottle with tap water, swirl the pen in it for 90 seconds, and voilà! It’s rechargeable through a USB and lasts quite a while before needing a recharge.
It should be used with wide-mouthed bottles and do note that it does not neutralize larger organisms (i.e. worm eggs). (Read more about the pros and cons of the SteriPen purifier).We’ve personally used the Steripen for a few years now with no issues. Defintely a must-have!
LifeStraw
The LifeStraw makes contaminated water safe to drink by removing bacteria and parasites, which prevent the majority of waterborne diseases. It’s basically a straw and can be used as such. You can drink directly from streams and lakes, or you can fill up a container and use LifeStraw to enjoy clean water on the go. The microbiological, hollow fiber membrane filters to 0.2 microns and removes 99.99% of bacteria, 99.99% of parasites and 99.99% of microplastics.The LifeStraw water filter device is easy to use, reliable, cost-effective, travel-friendly and tastes like purified drinking water. However, the device does not filter everything such as heavy metals, chemicals and viruses. In the case of sewage-contaminated or saltwater, the filter would not be able to serve the purpose.
This is a great addition to your daypack where you could fill up your water bottle at restaurants or shopping malls and then use the LifeStraw from there.
Larq
source: The Larq Bottle
LARQ Bottle is the world’s first self-cleaning water bottle and is the new shiny product on the market. It uses UV-C technology which is actually built into the lid, and eradicates up to 99.99% of bacteria and 99.99% of viruses. The bottle also intelligently turns on every 2 hours to purify the water as well as the bottle surface itself. The LARQ water bottle is highly effective, saves money in the long-term, and works to clean non-potable water in 180 seconds. Besides that, it also has long battery life and it provides a high level of insulation. On the other hand, the bottle is not the cheapest and currently only comes in one size.
A good workaround to the small size is to bring an extra bottle of water and just refill the Larq bottle when you need to have purified water. Super simple.
If you’re heading into the wilderness though, we do recommend that you carry an alternative method of water purification so you don’t rely exclusively on the Larq’s battery power. As such, this is a product best reserved for urban travel.
AquaTabs
Aquatabs are one of the world’s top-selling water purification tablets. The tablets are renowned for their ability to kill microorganisms, Giardia cysts, bacteria, and viruses in water to prevent water-borne diseases. Aquatabs is the only brand to have both NSF 60 certification and WHO approval.
These are super easy to use, lightweight, cheap in comparison to other filters, and it will take a packet of Aquatabs only 40 minutes to work. However, do note that they do have a bit of a chlorinated taste, and does not kill Crypto. You can read more about the pros and cons of Aquatabs from Here. We do recommend that you always carry some Aquatabs in case the batteries run out of Larq or Steripen, or if there is a fault in your other water filter. This is only really important if you are heading to the wilderness where you can’t get purified water. Again, these are lightweight and cheap so there’s no reason not to stock them into your first aid kit!
All of the options above are really easy to use and excellent alternatives to those darn plastic bottles! While there is an introductory cost to them, they’ll quickly pay for themselves if you tend to travel to remote locations a lot. Plus the planet will thank you for it!
Let’s Discuss!
Now, we’d love to hear from you! Do you have any questions? Ideas? Do you agree? Which of these devices appeals to you and why?
Let’s have a discussion in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!
