SteriPEN Adventurer Opti Handheld UV Water Purifier

The SteriPEN took top honors in the 2011 Backpacker Magazine Editor's Choice Awards.

The Adventurer Opti is extremely efficient, with a design that purifies a half-liter of water in 48 seconds and 1 liter in just 90 seconds. Plus, the optical sensor can double as a convenient LED flashlight. Activated by pressing and holding the single button down for three seconds, the flashlight makes a great backup light when camping or taking a nighttime walk to refill your water bottle. Bundled with two disposable CR123 batteries and a neoprene case with a belt loop, the Adventurer Opti works with containers with a minimum 1.75-inch diameter opening, including Nalgene wide-mouth bottles.

About UV Purification
The UV water purification method is more than 100 years old, and is currently used to purify drinking water by some of the largest cities in the world, including Seattle, New York, and many others in North America, Europe, and Asia. Several leading bottled water manufacturers also use UV purification to purify their source water. During the UV purification method, the ultraviolet energy emitted by the light is absorbed by the cells of the microbe, preventing the cell enzymes from "reading" its DNA. Without intact DNA, microbes can't reproduce to make you sick. The process is simple but effective, destroying more than 99.9 percent of harmful microorganisms.

Purifying water with UV light offers many advantages. In addition to being safe and effective, UV light does not alter the taste, pH, or other properties of the water, and works without introducing chemicals into the water. SteriPen UV purifiers have also been tested by the Water Quality Association (WQA) against the U.S. EPA Microbiological Water Purifier Standard, and have received the WQA's Gold Seal, signifying that the products purify water safely and effectively.

Specifications:

• Weight: 3.6 ounces with batteries
• Size: 6.1 by 1.5 by 1 inches (H x W x D)
• Battery: Uses two CR132 batteries (included)
• Batttery Life: Disposable lasts 100 treatments; rechargeable lasts 40-80 treatments
• UV Lamp Life: 8,000 treatments

About Hydro-Photon
Miles Maiden, the founder of Hydro-Photon and a dedicated outdoorsmen, thought there were better ways to purify water in the wild than filters or chemicals. After years of research, he dedicated himself to the development of ultraviolet technology--the same technology used in municipal water treatment plants--for use in a personal, portable device that would provide the user with safe drinking water anywhere. Hydro-Photon received its first SteriPen patent in 1999, followed by patents in 2000 and 2003. In 1999, the first SteriPen was sold through REI, and in 2001 Time magazine named the SteriPen one of the best inventions of the year. The SteriPen's speed, effectiveness, and portability have impressed end users and media alike, leading to profiles in Backpacker magazine and Newsweek and on the Today show as a powerful, user-friendly alternative to pumps, chemicals, and filters.