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Spoke with a thru-hiker who ditched their water filter halfway through the PCT
Ran into this guy at a gear shop in Portland last month who said he stopped carrying a water filter after 200 miles and just drank straight from springs. He claimed he never got sick and the weight savings made his knees feel way better. Makes me wonder if we are all just carrying extra gear out of fear or if he was just lucky.
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marywilson1d ago
Thru-hiker who ditched their water filter" reminds me of my buddy Dave who did the AT last year. He swore by drinking straight from springs too, even after catching giardia on day three. He said the next week of misery was worth not carrying a filter though, wouldn't change a thing.
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ray3561d ago
Man, I gotta ask - did Dave ever say what made the giardia worth it? Like was there a specific spring that tasted better than the rest or was he just that committed to shaving ounces? I've heard people talk about ditching camp shoes or leaving a spare shirt behind but catching a parasite and calling it a good trade is next level. Was it one of those "now I've got immunity" things or just pure stubbornness?
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