MiraPure--Works?

[potatopete]

Hello, I'm looking for a definitive answer on Mira Pure water treatment.
Does anyone have any experience using this product? I hate diareeah--so much so that I can't even spell it correctly.
Last time in Khumbu I ordered boiled water and bought bottled water but I'd like to be a little more eco-responsible this trip and treat my drinking water myself. I don't have a filtering system and don't want to mess with it in February because of freezing issues. Oh, the info on the MiraPure bottles is somewhat non-committal so I'd rather trust someone who's actually used the product in Nepal. Any help appreciated,
Pete O.

[Escher]

Is that the same as Aqua Mira? If so, I've used it a lot, it is my preferred treatment. It's really good, never had any problems. Tastes much better than iodine and easy to use, especially when you get clear water from standpipes and tea house kitchens (i.e. no particulates like you might get in river water - although it is fine for that too - just requires more and longer treatment times). Certainly buying bottled water is not good, especially as some is tampered with and might not be safe anyway. If you are worried about stomach upsets look into getting some Dukoral, that will give you some protection.

[James]

We had a laugh one day after lunch in Tengbouche. Before eating I had chastised my kids for not using hand gel before eating. You know the usual blah blah blah wash your hands stuff. After eating we walked out just to find the freshly washed plates, cups and silverware lying all about on the ground, the stones and fence with all the other lovely stuff on the ground... The next day it wasn't so funny as we stopped in Pangboche I was the first to get sick (and eventually we all got sick). It probably wasn't caused in Tengbouche, but the timing was classic!

While Aqua Mira seems to work it will not protect you against dishes, cups and silverware washed in untreated water or served or eaten with dirty hands. However, Dukoral worked on my last trek. So until proven otherwise Dukoral is my favorite med and now just need to find a vaccine against the respiratory bugs.

[potatopete]

Yes, I would like to retitle the thread with the correct product name. Thanks for reading beyond my senility and providing the info I needed! I have the iodine tabs but will bring the AQUAMIRA with me and give it a shot.
Thanks again.
Pete

[nigelpass]

I like the cheapness, simplicity and effectiveness of the Pristine chemical treatment: http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444177 6661&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302861415
which I double pack in a tough plastic container to prevent spillage. I used crystal iodine treatment for decades but I understand this treatment is safer.
I still shake the water bottle, turn it upside down, let a bit of water drip out to clean the rim.
On my last trip to Nepal, I also brought a ultra violet Steri-Pen. It is expensive and needs best in class batteries. This works well with clear water, including big city hotel sink water where you have easy access to charge re-chargeables. I also used on the trail because the water is ready in minutes - but I would never really solely on this in case it breaks or the batteries run out.
Years ago, I was mad at seeing Euro hikers litter Thorung La with empty disposable bottles so I resolved to never to go that route. Interestingly, I might be better off for it since I have since learned off bottled water failing safety tests in Nepal (for water bottled in Namche)!
Safety Note: On my last trip to Nepal, I noticed huge differences in hotel/food safety standards and many trekkers got sick at one tea house... Check out the kitchens and the washing water and look for SOAP. I checked out one place that was really disgusting so I moved across the street. From a distance, I saw that the family that ran the disgusting place had a clean family only kitchen at the other side of the complex. It was clear from this that they did not care about the health of trekkers, only their money!

[rangi-changi]

I am very hesitant to buy bottled water after what happened to me a couple of years ago. My better half and I had a nice lunch at our favorite hole in the wall in Jamal and drank bottled water - later that night we were watching Kantipur news at our hotel and they showed a bottle of the same brand water we had drank at lunch with mosquitoes floating in it:eek: It looked fine at lunch, clear, sealed bottle etc. but obviously they weren't filtering out bacteria if bugs were in some bottles - sure enough the next morning I was puking and sh%^&ing my guts out - my Nepali husband didn't get sick. It might have been something else, but I am almost sure it was that dodgy bottled water.