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Pure Health Water SolarBag
Initial Report
by Joe Schaffer
May 20, 2015
TESTER INFORMATION:
NAME: Joe Schaffer
EMAIL: never2muchstuff(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
AGE: 67
GENDER: Male
HEIGHT: 5'9" (1.75 m)
WEIGHT: 175 lb (79.4 kg)
HOME: Hayward, California USA
I frequent Califorauthornia's central Sierras, camping every month with a goal to match my age in nights out each year; about half the time solo. As a comfort camper I lug tent, mattress, chair, etc. Summer trips last typically a week to 10 days; 40 lbs (18 kg), about half food related; about 5 miles (8 km) per hiking day. I winter camp most often at 6,000' to 7,000' (1,800 to 2,000 m); 2 to 3 nights; 50 lbs (23 kg); 1 to 4 miles (1.6 to 6.4 km) on snowshoes.
The Product:
Manufacturer: Puralytics SolarBag
Distributor's web site: www.purehealthwater.com
Product: Puralytics SolarBag
Received: 5/16/2015
MSRP: $99.99 US
My measures:
weight: DRY 3 7/8 oz (111 g)
weight: WET not wet yet
height: 15 1/4" ( 38.74 cm)
width: 9 9/16" (24.25 cm)
min. thickness: 2 5/8" (6.67 cm)
MANUFACTURER’S:
weight: DRY: 4 oz (105g)
capacity: 3.5 L
KEY FEATURES: The product claims sunlight activates a "nanotechnology mesh" removing all viruses, bacteria, protozoa and toxins without batteries, chemicals or filtering. This is the only product I have that claims to remove--as opposed to neutralizing--everything but the wet.
MY DESCRIPTION:
Puralytics bagThis is a nearly-clear non-BPH plastic bag with a common water bottle-type mouth and closure; containing a somewhat-honeycomb-looking flat mesh occupying most of the flat dimension. The 2 5/8" (6.7 cm) screw cap affixes to the bag via a plastic retainer strap. The product includes a 4 1/4" x 4 1/2" (10.8 x 11.4. cm) white bag with an elastic hem at the open mouth to serve as a pre-filter. It looks much like a heavy duty coffee filter; with the elastic gripping the mouth of the bag--well thought, I think. The bag's flat seams are about 3/8" (10 mm). The top corner opposite the mouth is bonded in a triangle of about 4" x 4 3/4" (10.2 x 12.1 cm) and holds a large plastic grommet with a 1 1/2" (3.8 cm) hole.
CONTEXT:
I've tried many types of treatments, including wishing, filters, chemicals and UV. I don't tolerate chemicals. Filters can clog, requiring avoidance of water with algae or suspended particles (muddy). UV doesn't work in cloudy water, and I don't trust batteries. Wishing worked for so long I fear the odds of that continuing to be effective have grown dangerously long. I find no perfect treatment for the types of circumstances I routinely encounter.
IMPRESSIONS:
Here is a product that doesn't pump, drain, ask the user to consume noxious chemicals or require technology involving batteries. How can I sleep knowing I've gone so many years without it! Perhaps the answer will be that I can take a long nap waiting for it to work. The manufacturer claims 2 hours in bright sunlight; up to 6 hours if cloudy water or sky. There's supposed to be some kind of indicator that the treatment is done, but I don't know what it is. Thirst?
Having no way to assess the technical merits, I can only say the bag appears to be well constructed. I wonder how long the pre-filter will last, and testing may tell. The manufacturer notes an unused shelf life of 7 years for the system, but makes no mention of how long it may last wet. The claim is that it is reusable hundreds of times. If that works out, a bit of math suggests 200 uses of 3.5 L (3.5 qt) = 700 L (700 qt) of purified water for $100 = 7 cents a liter (quart). That's incredibly cheap. One presumes the claim shall prove out. I doubt the bag will survive hundreds of roll-ups and a couple thousand hours of exposure to sunlight, but that in itself does not dispute the output claim.
Though I'm not going to read any directions, I did accept the manufacturer's invitation to wallow through the scientific reports on the product. I accept without reservation that the product is effective when used as directed (which I'm not going to know).
At a quarter-pound (113 g) for a treatment system I have to be impressed. Waiting for it to work may require a protocol adjustment, during which time I will suffer the weight of a UV product. Wait time should be no issue on slackdays. Perhaps if I can remember to position the bag when I get up for a morning nature call, all will be well by the time my alarm clock goes off (too hot in the tent to stay any longer). It doesn't rain in California anymore; and I prefer camping at the alpine fringe, so adequate sunlight should not be an issue. On days that it is, I'll write the next review.
It could be mechanically possible to affix the bag to the back of my pack, thereby exposing it to sunlight for the hours I hike. I will never do that.
An extended family all-nights-in-the-same-spot campout looms on the holiday horizon, a perfect opportunity for the initial wet-test.
Quick shot impressions:
a) light
b) cheap
c) thorough
d) slow
Thank you Pure Health Water and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product. Field Test and Long Term Report to follow in 2 and 4 months.