Polar Pure Water Disinfectant
With all of our back country travel and off-road trips I was searching for a water purificaton solution. I looked at purification tablets and filter systems, then found out about Polar Pure.
The limitations on the filter systems were obvious: the filters wear out or get clogged over time and become ineffective. Tablets are fine, but they dont last for long and they expired once you opened them and exposed them to the air for the first time. I wanted something that I could leave in the truck and would be there when I needed it. Polar Pure fit the need exactly. I now have on in each of my trucks, one in my day pack and one in my camping gear.
Most of the information below is copied directly from the Polar Pure website. The product is simple in design and use, and I cannot write the instructions any better than they already have!
You can purchase Polar Pure directly from Polar Equipment, here is a link to their website with ordering information.
Polar Equipment utilizes a unique bottle design featuring a particle trap to prevent loss of iodine crystals during decanting for water treatment. Your bottle cap is used to measure the required amount of Polar Pure needed to disinfect each quart/liter bottle of water.
Polar Pure Water Disinfectant can be used for:
- Backpacking
- Camping
- Hiking
- Water Sports
- Bicycling
- Foreign Travel
- Hunting and Fishing
- Emergency Kits
The small size and easy use make Polar Pure Water Disinfectant the choice of many outdoors enthusiasts and those concerned with emergency preparedness.
Directions For Use
Step One:
PREPARE SOLUTION -- Fill your Polar Pure bottle with water. Set aside. Solution will be ready to use in one hour.
Step Two:
TREAT YOUR WATER -- When your Polar Pure solution is ready, pour the required capfuls of solution into your quart/liter container(s) of water. A green dot on the dosage table on the bottle of Polar Pure indicates the amount of solution required for treatment.
Let treated water stand (tightly sealed) for 20 minutes before use. Water to be treated that is colder than 68° F will take longer.
Step Three:
REFILL YOUR POLAR PURE BOTTLE -- Refill your Polar Pure bottle with water and tightly cap. The solution will be ready to use in one hour. It is best to keep your bottle filled and ready to use at all times.
Temperature and Dosage Table
Below is a conversion table for temperature of Polar Pure solution
and the number of capfuls required to treat your quart/liter bottle of water.
SOLUTION TEMPERATURE |
CAPFULS OF POLAR PURE PER QUART/LITER |
95° F (35° C) |
1.2 |
86° F (30° C) |
1.3 |
77° F (25° C) |
1.5 |
68° F (20° C) |
2 |
59° F (15° C) |
2.5 |
50° F (10° C) |
3.5 |
41° F (5° C) |
4 |
Helpful Hints
Maximizing the use of Polar Pure:
The iodine solution in your Polar Pure bottle is capable of disinfecting between two and six quarts/liters of water at one time before refilling. The amount of Polar Pure solution needed varies with the solution temperature. Warmer solution will have a higher concentration (saturation) of iodine, so, fewer capfuls will be required and more water can be treated before refilling the Polar Pure bottle. One way to increase the saturation of the solution is to warm the filled bottle of Polar Pure. This can be achieved by placing the bottle in a dry, sunny spot prior to use.
Holding a piece of fabric over the opening of your quart/liter container when filling with water will act as a pre-filter blocking large organic particles (bugs, leaves, etc.), thereby increasing the efficiency of Polar Pure.
Polar Equipment recommends that each person carry his or her own bottle of Polar Pure to ensure sufficient quantities of safe drinking water.
Eliminating iodine taste / smell:
Iodine taste (actually odor, sensed in the nose) is usually unnoticed below 2-3 ppm (parts per million). Any flavoring, sugar, or vitamin C can be added to the water AFTER the necessary disinfection time.
Protect filled bottle of Polar Pure from freezing:
Once your Polar Pure bottle is filled with water, it is important to avoid freezing. While the Polar Pure solution is not affected by freezing, the bottle could crack due to expansion of the liquid inside if frozen. If you are hiking in freezing conditions, keep the bottle in an inside pocket close to your body or with you in your sleeping bag.
When not in use, store your bottle of Polar Pure where it will not freeze between uses. You can empty the bottle between uses if you prefer. Emptying the bottle is not necessary in normal situations and it is best to have it filled and ready to use when needed. Some liquid will be retained in the bottle when emptied.
NOTE -- The effectiveness of Polar Pure is not altered by freezing.