I have been told that you have to ingest the water in order for the giardia to get into your system, so it would seem to me that washing your body, or swimming and not swallowing the water (especially if you don't swim with your face underwater) would present a minimal risk, if any.  The organism needs to get into your intestinal tract, not just get on your skin.

Tubing is a concern, and one I do worry about.  Since we wash dishes with either boiled or filtered water and air-dry them if possible, I hope we have taken adequate precautions.

We have been going for 40 years, nearly every year, and we used to drink from the lake.  Then we tried iodine tablets (ick), and boiling (works fine, takes a lot of time and fuel), and finally filtering. 

We look at filtering as just a bit of insurance, since we don't want to have our trip home, which is usually quite leisurely and takes several days, or our first few days at home after a trip spoiled by a severe illness.  And of course, in our case, now that my husband has had a kidney transplant, the nephrologist at University of Michigan hospital has told us that it is only common sense to filter the water for giardia, since it is a serious health threat for him and could be even life-threatening (as he is immune suppressed due to his medications.)  She also said to us that she feels it is necessary for anyone to do in the BWCA, and she is a person with BWCA experience, not one of those clueless doctors who has never been there. 

I know that a lot of people go to the BWCA and the Q for years, drink the water from the lake and don't get sick.  I also know, and have talked to some of them, that some people do contract giardia and they are very ill.

Personally, I would like to try to lessen my chances. I don't like raging diarrhea very much.   

Bearsfan (Go Lions)
There has been some talk on the site in reference to the Base Camp and the Platypus. I have both.......although only about 3 trips with the platypus and 2 trips with the Base camp so take my opinion for what it is worth.

So far I am in love with the Platypus and dislike the base camp. Not sure what the dif is in the filters. I picked up the base camp because of the additional capacity but found it unwieldy and slow. I disliked carrying two gallons up the side of the bank (I am old and weak). It was nice however to have the additional water once it completed however.

One Platypus is ideal per 2 people IMO. One thing to be aware of......when you are hanging your "dirty water" bag try and get into the habit of resealing the ziplock seal shut. My tendency was to leave it open and after hanging it from a limb pieces of bark would invariably find their way into the bag due to the strap rubbing against the bark. Any material dislodged falls straight down into your bag. No good. The flow rate BTW is very acceptable.

Pumping water is my least liked camp chore. The Platypus system makes life a breeze. Bada-bing......tent is up and ohhhh, look, there is a bag of water! Sweet!

mastertangler wrote: ".....when you are hanging your "dirty water" bag try and get into the habit of resealing the ziplock seal shut. My tendency was to leave it open and after hanging it from a limb pieces of bark would invariably find their way into the bag due to the strap rubbing against the bark. Any material dislodged falls straight down into your bag."

I've been using the Platypus system for four years now and much prefer to leave the "dirty water" bag open.  I backflush and dump regularly, so anything that might drop into the bag gets tossed.  But I do seal the "clean water" bag and leave it that way, specifically to keep debris out.

Gavia wrote on Mar 31^st, 2012 at 12:15am:


Your right. My natural inclination is to leave the bag open as well as I find it annoying to try and seal it.  Although I must admit to  becoming annoyed having debris fall in no matter how careful I try and be......I have also had bugs fall in. What might be slick is a "hanger system" where one avoids having to employ a limb in the first place. It would have to be quick, easy and weightless and be able to stash itself in the stuff sack the platypus resides in. Just a thought. No more looking for the right branch.............Just slap it around a trunk with its little arm and it is always the right height with no bark falling in. Gonna have to kick that around some...........Or maybe just a cloth type cover laid over the top? Or maybe just don't worry about it 

You have my attention but not my understanding. Sometimes I need to be spoon fed and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I have not set my mind to this yet but I am very interested in your set up........

1/2 inch rope around the tree........do you secure the rope first and if so how? Truckers hitch?.......is the loop in the tag end or is it a dropper made in the middle of the line?

How do you achieve the differing heights for the 2 bags or is one on the ground? I can't remember if there is a place to allow for a snap on the bag.......if so does it stay level? Double ended snap shackle? I am familiar with shackles for anchors......would this be similar to a double ended snap that would be on a dog leash? Actually I am completely confused but am determined to implement something. Maybe after my second cup my brain will start to function and I will say "Ohhh, that's easy" 

A picture would be worth a thousand words. It may be helpful to others as well........in fact your name just might be immortalized in camping lore........"The Gavia hanging system" (Patent Pending)