Stabilized Oxygen

[♠SARKID♠]

Has anybody used stabilized oxygen as a water purifier?  I've been looking for something that I can use to purify the water in my Camelbak for long time storage (months), won't eat the plastic, is tasteless, and will also work as a purifier in the field.  It seems to fit the bill nicely but its dual advertised as a water purifier and health supplement, the later of which is shrouded in quackery.  The science behind its purification abilities seems sketchy but logical.  Anybody have experience with it?

[Eclipse]

Why would you need to store water in the pack for months?

[JC004]

Umm...you know that you shouldn't store water in it for months at a time, right?

[♠SARKID♠]

Why would you need to store water in the pack for months?

The ops tempo is slow in WI and it doesn't get much turnaround.  Keep in mind, I want it for field purification too.

Umm...you know that you shouldn't store water in it for months at a time, right?

If its pure it wouldn't be an issue.

[♠SARKID♠]

I should note that I do rotate the water every few months.  Its when I need it for a mission half way between rotations that I'm concerned about it.

[JC004]

Bacteria is the issue.  Also, algae will build up in it. Your CamelBak would need to be sterilized and sealed air-tight.  Even if you could accomplish this, it is not worth the effort.  Either fill it before the mission or carry bottles of unopened water equivalent to the capacity of the CamelBak and fill it in the car.

[JC004]

Look for other ways to save time instead.  As I said, you can do bottled water if you do not want to take the time to fill it before you leave.  But here are some things that I do:

• Keep all mission gear in a large plastic container, sealed, marked, and not buried under crap.  If there are things that you would take that you cannot afford to have dedicated to your mission kit (laptop, GPS, etc.), keep a list of those things in the box on top so that you can grab them and not forget them.
• Hang your completed uniform (pants, shirt).  In a plastic bag with that uniform, place your necessary accessories - a pair of socks, authorized shirt (black/brown), BDU belt, hat, etc. That way, all you need is your bag and the contents of your box.  The bagged items are cheap enough that you can keep them for missions ONLY and use another set for regular CAP activities
• Regularly check the status of your equipment and make sure that it is ready.  Make sure food items aren't past the expiration date, etc.  Make sure that you have all the little extras like extra batteries so you won't have to look for anything or buy anything on the way.

Do not, however, compromise your health/safety by trying to cut corners with things that go into your mouth.  That would be like leaving all your granola bars unwrapped in your pack to save the time of unwrapping them.

[N Harmon]

Your camelbak is for times when you're going to be in the field for extended amounts of time. Given the way our missions flow, the chances of you getting a call out and going directly to the field for extended amounts of time is so low it isn't worth going through the hassle of keeping water in your gear.

Besides, your team leader is responsible for ensuring water is available.  It's even listed in the task guide.

[lordmonar]

In the case of potable water.....there is no need to keep a go pack at that level of readiness.

If you really need to do it....then you should develope a routine of switching out the water atleast weekly.

Anything else and you are looking at getting a nasty case of food poisoning.

[Eclipse]

As mentioned, if you're that concerned, throw a $5 case of bottled water in with the rest of your gear. 

We don't slide down a fire pole and roll on an 5 minutes notice.  Even the most aggressive deployed mission I've ever been on
(2 hours notice to KY for a week) left plenty of time enroute for water and other supplies, and those missions are pretty rare.

Usually you can grab water and other needed items at the gas station when you tank up.

[ketseyowyow]

I have been on many missions and the least amount of time of notification I have had is 2hrs. So just keep your camel back clean (if you really want to use it) or canteen, etc. and just fill it up before you go. I mean it takes what maybe 5mins. to fill them up? If you really want to, just keep bottel water in your kitchen somewhere and use that, it all has the same effect. dont keep water stuck in a camel back or canteen over a long period of time, you will get really really sick  if you use it...

[Al Sayre]

Bottled water has expiration dates too.  Just clean your camelback or canteen and dry it out after use.  Fill it at the kitchen sink on the way out the door.

[N Harmon]

Bottled water has expiration dates too.  Just clean your camelback or canteen and dry it out after use.  Fill it at the kitchen sink on the way out the door.

From: U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

What is the shelf life for bottled water?
Bottled water is considered to have an indefinite safety shelf life if it is produced in accordance with CGMP and quality standard regulations and is stored in an unopened, properly sealed container. Therefore, FDA does not require an expiration date for bottled water. However, long-term storage of bottled water may result in aesthetic defects, such as off-odor and taste. Bottlers may voluntarily put expiration dates on their labels.

[Eclipse]

The FDA doesn't require a date, but most bottles have them anyway - usually about a year or so.

Interestingly there have been studies recently that show most tap water is cleaner than bottled (though when the tap is
dry because of a disaster, that doesn't mean much).

[Rotorhead]

I have been on many missions and the least amount of time of notification I have had is 2hrs. So just keep your camel back clean (if you really want to use it) or canteen, etc. and just fill it up before you go. I mean it takes what maybe 5mins. to fill them up?

More like one minute--or less.
Cheaper, easier and faster than purifying it.

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^^^
Rotorhead lives at 6000 ft in Colorado Springs. There is no oxygen there, stabilized or otherwise... so you can take the advice of a chronically hypoxic man or not. Signed - Rotorhead's former squadron mate and friend.

[GroundPounder73]

In the case of potable water.....there is no need to keep a go pack at that level of readiness.

If you really need to do it....then you should develope a routine of switching out the water atleast weekly.

Anything else and you are looking at getting a nasty case of food poisoning.

Food poisoning to put it mildy. There's the possibility of taking in black mold or black mold spores, bacteria that could cause pneumonia and other respiratory infections. Just a bad idea to store potable water in a contained that is not perfectly air tight when sealed.

I just cant imagine a mission (though Im still an outsider) where the need for speed would be so great that one couldnt stop and fill you camelbak with tap or bottled water.

[Smithsonia]

Imagine the loss of all civic water sources! Earthquakes, floods, war, civil insurrection, hurricanes, terrorism, industrial accidents, these could all require an emergency assignment without tap water available. Some of these events are predictable and some are not. FEMA keeps emergency water supplies ready. FEMA Mission bases are stocked, although delivery can be delayed.

TO some this may sound crazy but I've done it more than once: I fill up a bath tub full of water - when predictable events are approaching. So, I've got 40 gallons of tap water ready incase the city water fails. I figure if this is bleached I've got a minimum of 2 to 3 weeks before I'd need resupply. This is slightly off topic... but an idea along the same line.

[♠SARKID♠]

The topic of this thread has nothing to do with what any of you are talking about.  I asked if anyone had used a particular product, not about the need or non-need of it.

[davidsinn]

The topic of this thread has nothing to do with what any of you are talking about.  I asked if anyone had used a particular product, not about the need or non-need of it.

It is on topic because you stated why you want to use it and we're saying that it's a profoundly bad idea to use it in that manner because it could kill you.