Water | Evolving Consumer

Interbike 2013: Water is Essential

At this year’s Outdoor Demo Days at the Interbike trade show in Las Vegas there was no shortage of fitness drinks on hand, but on a hot and very windy day what really stood out most to us was something quite basic. It was just good tasting water from Essentia.

The brand is the top dog in the natural channel and the fastest growing top 10 brand in grocery, and possibly for good reason! The water line was created by Ken Uptain in 1998 but unlike a lot of bottled waters doesn’t need to come from a particular source. Instead Essentia Water is a non-source-dependent water that goes back to the basics.

This is accomplished by removing the acidic ions to produce water that is 9.5 pH. The company claims that the charged ions help the water permeate the body instantly, meaning instant hydration. We certainly felt refreshed after a few hours on bikes in the desert! And we certainly liked the taste.

Essentia Super Hydrating Water Official Website

Give Me Shelter… and Water to Drink

A rain tarp is ideal for keeping you dry while out in the wilds. But the KAMMOK Team, which is looking to Kickstarter to raise funds for its Kammok Glider Rain Tarp and Weather Relief Shelter, think it can do a little more.

The Glider features rainwater retention and heat reflective technology. What does this mean exactly? Well for one this tarp features patent-pending built-in rain retention technology that can actually collect rain water in both light and heavy rain conditions. This water is funneled to special bottles and thus can provide drinking water where it might not otherwise be available.

When it isn’t raining, the Glider can also be pitched with the reflective side facing the sky to help those underneath stay cool. Video after the jump

Filter With WaterFiller

There’s a few bottles out there that offer a filter to clean tap water. WaterFiller is one of the newer ones. This bottle comes with a foam filter that cleans water from chlorine, bad tastes and odors from water before you drink it. The bottle has a new shape that takes one hand to operate, leaving the other free for tasks, such as keeping a hand on your handlebars. Video after the Jump

Water of Life

We all know that water is life, but there are times when finding clean water isn’t always that easy. This is where the Lifesaver Jerrycan or Lifesaver Bottle can come in handy. Ideal for a long hiking trip or where clean water just isn’t available, these feature filtration technology that can transform germ-ridden and just plain dirty water into clean H2O. This can be used for drinking, cleaning and as the video below suggests even for showering while on the go.

The Bottle is ideal for those times when you might not be able to carry enough water on a camping trip, while the Jerrycan can filter enough water to help a family of four survive for a year Video after the jump

Weekend Reading List (6.9.2012): Surf Exhibit, Take a Drink, Powered Skateboard

Surf is Art

From PNJ.com: Surf’s up at the Pensacola Museum of Art
The start of summer is still two weeks away, but if you can’t wait that long, consider attending “The Beach Ball,” an outdoor party from 5 to 7:30 p.m. today at the Pensacola Museum of Art, 407 S. Jefferson St. With live music and refreshments, it celebrates the museum’s new exhibit “Surfing Florida: A Photographic History.” Continue reading Weekend Reading List (6.9.2012): Surf Exhibit, Take a Drink, Powered Skateboard

Sanitize Before You Drink It

Don’t drink the water – a warning that often goes unheeded. But if there is no better source of water, and you’re traveling to foreign lands or doing the camping thing than the Portable Water and Surface Sanitizer from Hammacher Schlemmer might be a good thing to have with you. It is a pocket sized device that reportedly can eliminate 99.9 percent of germs from water and surfaces.

It emits UV-A and UV-C light to penetrate bacterial membranes, destroy their DNA, and kill harmful microorganisms like E. coli, Staphylococcus, and Salmonella. So while it can’t remove everything from water, if the locals are drinking it, this will help make it safer for you.

It is also quick. It can sanitize surfaces in 10 seconds and make two cups of water “safe” to drink in just 40 seconds. It is available now for under $100, and it runs on four AAA batteries, so it can go just about anywhere and help you enjoy some water with less worry.

[Via Hammacher Schlemmer: The Portable Water and Surface Sanitizer]

CES 2012: Turning Water into Power

There is something to be said to turning water into wine, and a whole industry exists to do just that (with a little help from grapes and time), but Swedish fuel cell pioneers myFC has introduced the world’s first portable fuel cell charger that runs on just ordinary water. With PowerTrekk just add water and you’ll never run out power again, making this an excellent way to juice over your mobile devices when an outlet isn’t available. And best of all it something you can use when the sun isn’t shining.

Unlike solar chargers – which do need the sun – fuel cells recharge quickly, and there is no power degradation as there are typically with batteries. The result is a reusable device. Just add water!

myFC Official Website

Press Release after the jump

Mini UV Magic Wand Makes Water Safe

Water that looks good enough to drink can still present a problem. As we noted back in October, there is a way to help make the water a little safer to think while on the go. The SteriPEN Freedom is a handy gadget that can be used to “zap” water and make it safe by killing bacteria or viruses. The battery-powered wand-like device emits UV light that will destroy bacteria, viruses and protozoa, and is actually just a scaled down version of what is used to treat mass quantities of water already.

A dedicated outdoors enthusiast Miles Maiden, had been studying the uses for solar power, and noted that UV technology had been used for more than 100 years. In 1997 he founded Hydro Photon Inc. and created the first SteriPEN. At $120 it isn’t cheap, until you realize how many bottles of water you might buy while traveling, and more importantly can be used when there is no convenience store in sight. We also bring it up again as it has been garnering lots of media attention this holiday season.

SteriPEN Official Website
[Via GearJunkie: Tiny UV Light ‘Wand’ Destroys Microbes in Bad Water]

Hands On: PUR One-Click Faucet Mount Water Filtration System

Everyone knows that the key to good health is to stay hydrated—they don’t call it the “source of life” for nothing. Recommendations vary, but you should drink at least 16 ounces of water an hour or two before an activity, and then drink more afterward. (Water is the best source for hydration. Experts will recommend a sports drink to replenish sodium and potassium after an intense workout, but that’s a story for another day. We are talking strictly water here.)

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re lucky enough to have water accessible at all times; if you want a drink, you can pour yourself a glass from the kitchen faucet. People who dislike the taste of tap water will hit bottled waters. More than $100 billion U.S. dollars is spent on bottled water worldwide and people consume around 50 billion bottles a year in the U.S. alone, but bottled water is environmentally unfriendly and a big expense to produce and consume. Despite having some of the cleanest tap water in the world here in the U.S., people still hit the bottle.

An alternative is to implement some sort of filtration system at home, either a water pitcher with filtration or a unit that can be attached to a faucet. They utilize filter cartridges that must be replaced every few months, and they aren’t inexpensive (think of it like razors or inkjet printer cartridges). (There are also even pricier units built into your sink or water cooler-style units). But compared to bottled water these systems are convenient, easily accessible and much more affordable. The folks at PUR recently sent us their One-Click Faucet Mount Water Filtration System to try out. PUR states that the One-Click filters out 99 percent of lead, trace pharmaceuticals, and microbial cysts, as well as reduces taste and odor of chlorine and other contaminants. Here’s our 3-month experience with it. Continue reading Hands On: PUR One-Click Faucet Mount Water Filtration System

Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Nalgene ATB Bottle with Black Closure

Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. That is unless you have a water bottle like the Nalgene with you.

As part of our round-up of water bottles, we’re starting with this the Nalgene All-Terrain Bottle. It says all-terrain but how does it really stand up?

Nalgene’s Product Description: You can rely on the NALGENE All-Terrain Bottle wherever you go. It’s great for carbohydrate/energy beverages, easy to use, and simple to clean. Your ATB fits standard bicycle cages

Except the 32oz. That does not fit in any cages, waist packs or backpack pockets. The hinged Co-polyester mud-cap keeps the drinking spout clean, and the slim profile and textured grip give you firm handling in virtually all conditions. The wide neck opening easily accommodates ice cubes for chilled drinks, and the neck configuration works with most major water purifiers and filters.

Bottle Sizes: 22oz and 32oz
Plastic: Low Density Polyethylene
Country of Manufacture: USA
Retail Price: $7.58 (22oz) & $6.83 (32oz) Continue reading Hands On: Water Bottle Round-up – Nalgene ATB Bottle with Black Closure

Synthetic Ice, Ice Baby

Given the recent heat waves that have gripped much of the country it is hard to think about ice – except for the kind used in a cool drink. But hockey season is just around the corner, and the ice that the skaters will do their thing on is evolving. On the surface – no pun intended – ice is pretty simple. Run some water; add some cold and you have a skating surface. Mother nature usually does a good job every winter, but for the artificial ice rinks it is another story. Continue reading Synthetic Ice, Ice Baby