SteriPEN Traveler Handheld UV Water Purifier

Avoid traveler's diarrhea with SteriPEN(R Traveler, a handheld germicidal UV water purifier that destroys waterborne bacteria, viruses and protozoa--in seconds (4 AA batteries not included.

Possibly the best insurance policy you can take out for your travel plans, the SteriPen Traveler handheld water purifier is compact and efficient, making it an ideal accessory for foreign travel. Water systems in many countries do not adequately purify drinking water to ensure its safety, and even bottled water can come from unknown and unregulated sources. More significantly, impure drinking water can have nasty consequences: the World Health Organization (WHO) attributes 80 percent of all travel diseases to contaminated drinking water. The chemical-free Traveler defends you against these waterborne illnesses by using ultraviolet light to destroy waterborne microbes, making it the fastest route to pure, safe drinking water on the market. With the Traveler, you can enjoy your travels without the fear of getting ill from unsafe tap water.

The Traveler is easy to use, with a design that fits perfectly in commercial water bottles. Just insert the Traveler securely into the mouth of the bottle, turn it upside down, and you'll have safe drinking water in less than a minute without having to remove the water from the original bottle. The Traveler is also the most efficient purifier in the SteriPen line, with a design that purifies 200 half-liter servings of water on four AA lithium batteries (not included). Most importantly for space-conscious travelers, the unit measures only 1.5 by 7.6 by 1.5 inches (W x H x D) and weighs only 5.7 ounces, helping it fit neatly into your checked luggage, carry-on bag, briefcase, or backpack.

About UV Purification
The UV water purification method is more than 100 years old, and is currently used to purify drinking water by some of the largest cities in the world, including Seattle, New York, and many others in North America, Europe, and Asia. Several leading bottled water manufacturers also use UV purification to purify their source water. During the UV purification method, the ultraviolet energy emitted by the light is absorbed by the cells of the microbe, preventing the cell enzymes from "reading" its DNA. Without intact DNA, microbes can't reproduce to make you sick. The process is simple but effective, destroying more than 99.9 percent of harmful microorganisms.

Purifying water with UV light offers many advantages. In addition to being safe and effective, UV light does not alter the taste, pH, or other properties of the water, and works without introducing chemicals into the water. SteriPen UV purifiers have also been tested by the Water Quality Association (WQA) against the U.S. EPA Microbiological Water Purifier Standard, and have received the WQA's Gold Seal, signifying that the products purify water safely and effectively.

About Hydro-Photon
Miles Maiden, the founder of Hydro-Photon and a dedicated outdoorsmen, thought there were better ways to purify water in the wild than filters or chemicals. After years of research, he dedicated himself to the development of ultraviolet technology--the same technology used in municipal water treatment plants--for use in a personal, portable device that would provide the user with safe drinking water anywhere. Hydro-Photon received its first SteriPen patent in 1999, followed by patents in 2000 and 2003. In 1999, the first SteriPen was sold through REI, and in 2001 Time magazine named the SteriPen one of the best inventions of the year. The SteriPen's speed, effectiveness, and portability have impressed end users and media alike, leading to profiles in Backpacker magazine and Newsweek and on the Today show as a powerful, user-friendly alternative to pumps, chemicals, and filters.