potable aquaWater Purification, Water Treatment Tablets - 50 count Bottle

There are two major approaches to purifying contaminated water: you can try to trap sediment and microorganisms via a filter, or you can use various methods to sterilize the water by killing anything living in it.For absolute safety, some recommend doing both, so I'm not going to sit and compare tablets to a pump filter, as they are different mechanisms of purification that aren't necessarily competitors. In fact, regardless of how you kill the bugs in your water, I recommend at the very least running the water through a cloth/bandana first as a first step in removing dirt and larger microorganisms.That gives these tablets three major competitors...The first, and cheapest, competitor is good old-fashioned boiling of water. In fact, boiling kills most things that some chemicals might not even get to. The downside, of course, is the need to start a fire, wait, and boil water. Good if you're camping overnight and prepping for the next day, but not so great if you need to fill up in the middle of a several-hour trek. If you're the kind of person who carries a mini-burner and a stove-top anyway, you probably don't need these tablets.The second, and most expensive, competitors are the UV light devices that sterilize using light. It sounds like nonsense, but it does in fact work. The problem is the cost and reliability. Sure, it can be argued that if you break down the cost per liter of water of a sterilizing pen is actually lower than using tablets, but that's only assuming that you actually get the maximum number of cycles that the manufacturer claims it is good for, and it ignores the cost of the batteries and the reliability of the products. From my experience (luckily, not with gear that I had to pay for), the SteriPEN is finicky from time to time. Unless you're doing light day-hikes, I wouldn't rely on batteries and electronics to hold up. Especially over years of hard use and being banged around in a backpack. It's nice having neat technology to show off, but nobody will be impressed when your magic light is broken and you're crapping your pants (literally).The third source of competition is other tablets/drops. There are several types, and while some tout better flavor, more effectiveness, etc, it really comes down to whether it'll kill the bugs in whatever area you're hiking. In other words: most of them are the same unless you're headed to an area with a very specific rare microorganism that certain tablets won't kill. These have held up for me through years of trekking on four different continents. That's quite good enough for me. The taste, sure, is a bit off, but it's nothing unbearable. Between tablets, I don't have much of a preference, but I do prefer tablets over liquid drops, as they're easier to carry and use.

Good for times when the drinking water is in question. Good value. Fast shipping.

I used the Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets, and they worked great. The tablets are easy to carry and simple to use — just drop them in your water bottle and wait. It’s a reliable solution when you’re unsure about the quality of the water source, even if it’s the sludge that comes out of my tap water!The water tasted fine, though there’s a slight iodine aftertaste. Not a dealbreaker, but something to keep in mind if you’re sensitive to it. The 50-count bottle is compact and perfect for emergency kits or everyday use.Overall, I’d recommend these tablets for anyone needing a lightweight and effective water purification solution. Just remember to wait the full time for the tablets to work properly.

Tastes just like water

I bought this to add to my hunting equipment as I do do some hunting where it could come in handy if you had to treat water. It's better to have and not need then need and not have. Being so light weight, it's been a worthwhile addition to my hunting equipment.

You need something like this just in case

I love these tablets. They are portable to carry around, and easy to use. 2 tablets to a Liter (32 fl oz) of water, or 1 tablet to 500mL (~16fl oz) of water. Theses were bought because the initial potable aqua treatment tablets I bought from Dick's Sporting goods were running low. These are perfect to use during the winter where water will freeze in my filtration system and becomes a hassle to use. They are also nice to carry around in small kits, especially on vacations where you are limited in space and weight as to what you can bring with you. They'll also breeze through TSA without causing any issues.Just a friendly warning to those who decide to purchase these: Water Purification tablets are made with Iodine, therefore after you use these tablets in untreated water, it'll turn the water a light yellowish-brown color. Don't fret, because it's the natural reaction Iodine takes in water. Also your water might taste funny/weird, it's most likely the taste of the iodine if you did it correctly. I'd recommend you drop a tablet in a bottle filled with regular sink water, have a couple of sips, and get used to the taste of it before you start using it out in the field or even for emergency uses.

As emergencies go, this is a must have item.I have a steripen that I can charge from my USB solar charger, but there may come a time when I need water, but have no charge and no sunlight. For this kind of scenario, a manual water cleaning process is a must have. And for that, a water purifier with a long shelf life is definitely the way to go.These tablet taste horrible, but get the job done, and when you need water, there's simply no faulting a product like this.The ones that were sent to me had an expiration date of 2020, and that's more than enough for me.