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Backpackers have many water purification options to choose from now. They can be broadly classified in four categories.

1. Water Filters.
2. Chemical treatments.
3. Boiling the water.
4. No treatment at all.

 "safe" natural springs versus contaminated water sources.. I don't really recommend this as a way to obtain good drinking water, but it can't hurt to learn how to find the natural sources that are most likely pure. A filter can clog or your water tablets get lost.

Rainwater collected in clean containers or in plants is usually safe for drinking. This is just something to remember for emergencies, though. Always purify water from lakes, ponds, swamps, springs, or streams. Even deep in the wilderness, most water sources now have Giardia or other unhealthy bacteria and viruses.

Water purification by boiling works fine. Just boil for a minute or two and you are usually okay. The problem is that it is just too much trouble for backpacking. Do you want to stop several times daily to set up your stove and boil enough water to fill your water bottles? Do you want to always need a good fire to do the same, or to carry the extra fuel for that stove?

For regular use, there are just two convenient ways to purify water when backpacking. They are water filters and chemical water treatments.

There are more water filters than I can keep track of out there. Some have ceramic filter cores, some use other materials. Some add a carbon filter to improve taste. Some combine chemical treatment with filtering. Pore size is another feature you'll see advertised, with some saying they will filter down to .3 microns. How do you choose?

- They weigh too much. Many weigh a pound or more, and even more after the first time you use them, because of the water trapped inside.

- They are complicated. Many require assembly
- They are expensive. I'm not just talking about the initial cost of the device
- They don't work as promised.
- They are a hassle.
- They can break.
Despite all these problems, you may need a good water filter for water purification.

- Light weight. Try for 12 ounces or less.
- Easy to use. Ask others about their water filters.
- Tough. Does the pump handle look or feel like it will break when you pump it?
- Easy to find replacement filters. Don't buy model closeouts that won't have filters available.
- Low cost per gallon of treated water. Divide the cost of a filter by the number of gallons it is good for. This may matter more than the initial cost of the device if you plan to use it much. I think that more than 60 cents per gallon of treated water is too much.

There are other water purification devices being invented all the time. There are water filtering "straws," for example. They weigh less than an ounce and will purify enough water for a week-long trip. There are UV light purifiers. There are combination filters that also use chemical treatment. In other words, this a quickly developing area.

Note: When you use a water filter, you should carry a separate plastic bag for the intake line. This is "contaminated" each time it goes into a stream or lake, and you don't want that water on it to drip onto the output line or other parts of the filter.

 Use iodine tablets. You can probably use any of the many other good water purification pills and liquids if they were as cheap.
Chemical water purification is simple. There are no pump parts to break, filters to clog, or extra filters to carry because one is about to reach its limit. It is also a matter of weight. A bottle of iodine pills weighs less than an ounce.
If you don't like the taste that iodine treatment gives to your water, try one of the products that includes "neutralizer tablets." These are added after the iodine treatment is complete, and they take away the bad taste. If you want to save the expense, use regular iodine and add vitamin C powder, or drink mixes that have Vitamin C in them. Always wait until the water is purified before adding anything.

General Procedure

Add the chemical treatment to the water. Shake it up. Let some water and chemical leak through the threads of the water bottle so they are treated too. Let the water sit for 30 minutes before drinking.
Effectiveness of chemical treatments is related to the temperature and clarity of water. In general, dirty water needs more chemicals, and cold water needs more time for purification. If water is particularly muddy or cloudy, let it settle and pour off the cleaner water for use. You can also try straining it through cloth before treating it.

In tests, at 50 degrees (10 Celsius), just 90 percent of Giardia cysts were inactivated after 30 minutes of chemical treatment. With water below 40 degrees (4 Celsius), double the treatment time before drinking. For best results, water should at least 60 degrees (16 Celsius) before treating. Warming water in the sun can speed up the purification process.

Other Considerations

- Iodine should be stored in dark bottles.
- Iodine is better than chlorine-based treatments in inactivating Giardia cysts.
- Some people are allergic to or sensitive to iodine.
Key Points

1. Water purification using filters and chemical treatments are the most convenient ways.

2. Look for light, easy-to-use, tough water filters.

3. Chemical water purification may be simpler, and is certainly lighter for backpacking.

4. Use filters and chemical treatments carefully, or they may not work.

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Does alcohol lead to hypothermia? "Experts" make it seem like a beer in the wilderness is a terrible thing. The truth is more complicated. Alcohol dilates capillaries and sends blood to extremities, causing you to lose heat more quickly, thus possibly contributing to hypothermia. However, the same effects can prevent frostbite in fingers and toes - a good option if you know you'll be in a warm place before hypothermia set in. Experts try to protect you with simple rules, assuming that the one thing you won't do is THINK.

Thistles  have seed-fluff that can be used as insulation. Pull it loose as you walk, fill a couple bread bags with it, and you have simple mittens. Remove any seeds for maximum loft.

Keep your stove clean to make it last longer and burn most efficiently. In particular, watch to see if the flame is coming from all jets. If not, clean out these tiny holes with a pin.