Chapter 50: How to Use the Steripen Adventurer Water Purifier

Backpackers like ultraviolet light water treatment because it is fast, light, easy, and effective. The UV light destroys bacteria, viruses, and protozoa in a few seconds.

The Steripen Adventurer Opti purifies a half liter of water in 48 seconds or a liter in 90 seconds. It weighs 3.6 ounces with batteries and costs about $90. It comes with a protective case and a nice set of instructions.

Just collect your water, and if it is cloudy or has a lot of particulate, pre-filter with a pre-filter that is available from Steripen, or use a shirt, or bandana, or coffee filter.

Press the only button on the Adventurer once for a liter of water or twice for a half liter. These instructions are even printed on the unit. The green LED will flash to indicate the unit is ready. You have 15 seconds to get it in the water. Immerse in the water, submerging the lamp and optical sensor. A visible blue light shows the UV light is working. Stir or agitate the whole treatment time. It’s best to stir and swirl the water up on the sides of your container a little because the Adventurer Opti is not meant to disinfect water above the surface of the water, such as droplets of water suspended on the side of the container.

When the process is complete, the blue UV light goes off and the green LED light appears. You don’t have to time the operation. The unit does it for you.

Wipe the unit dry for storage.

You can use the Steripen in glass, plastic, ceramic, or metal containers.

The Adventurer Opti can serve as a flashlight, too. To activate, press and hold the activation button for 3 seconds. The flashlight will automatically be on for 3 minutes. Reactivate as needed. To turn off the flashlight, push the activation button once. To protect the UV lamp when using the flashlight function, operate it with the lamp cover in place.

There is a low battery warning. You can use disposable batteries and get about 100 treatments or rechargeable batteries and get about 50 treatments. The batteries are CR123 and can be replaced by using a coin or screwdriver at the bottom of the unit. Cold temperatures may reduce the number of treatments you’ll get. To maximize battery power, keep your batteries in a warm place like your pocket when you’re in cold weather conditions.

The Steripen Adventurer Opti gives you another great ultralight choice for treating your water.