Motorcycle Explorer November 2016 Issue 14 | Page 34

In Focus: paul pitchfork
WATER
Platypus Plusbottle.
I’ve given up using water bottles. When travelling
and camping in the Atacama desert I routinely
carried 5 litres of water, but didn't want 4 litres of
empty water bottles to carry when later on I found
myself in the mountains. Collapsible bottles are the
solution - you can carry several and use however
many you need depending on conditions, with
those not used taking up virtually no space in your
panniers. I’ve long used Platypus bottles and on
this trip opted for the 1 litre Plusbottles. The 2 litre
Platybottle would also be a good option. A top tip:
take at least one with a sports top for drinking from
- the disadvantage of soft bottles is they are easy to
spill when you inadvertently squeeze them.
Gravityworks 2.0L Water Filter System .
For water purification, I decided to try something
different to my usual mini pump. The Gravityworks
Water Filter System from Platypus is essentially a
sealable 2 litre bag with an automatic shut-off valve
i
nto which plugs a tube and filter cartridge. The
other end of the tube then fits on to a Platypus soft
bottle. Fill up the reservoir, hang it up somewhere,
plug in your water bottle and away you go. It’s fast
(1.5 litres per minute), very simple and spill proof.
It’s also very lightweight, at only 310 grams. I liked
it, but the only downside if you are aiming for a very
compact packing system is the bulk - whilst not big,
it’s a little bulkier than a mini-pump. The trade off is
it is far easier to use than a mini-pump, which
requires a lot of pumping! A good and affordable
solution.