12 Benefits of SteriPen for Solo Female Travelers

What if you could erase a mile-long trail of plastic waste and save over $1,000 a year while traveling?

It sounds too good to be true, but it’s just one of the 12 Benefits of SteriPen for Solo Female Travelers.

If you’re tired of overpaying for bottled water and want a sustainable way to stay healthy, this is the gear shift you’ve been waiting for.

Here are the benefits..

• Easy to Use
• Cost Savings
• Eliminates Viruses
• Environmental Responsibility
• Health benefits
• Ultra-Lightweight Portability
• Reassuring Visual Feedback
• Discreet
• USB
• Emergency Flashlight
• Chemical Aftertaste
• Speed

Keep reading, and I’ll go over these benefits in more detail, my experience with a Steripen, and 1 nifty way a Solo Female traveler can be safe traveling.

How to Use a Steripen: Effortless UV Water Purification in 90 Seconds

I learned about a SteriPen while hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.

Initially, I used a Sawya water filter that would attach to a water bottle, and you would squeeze the water through the filter.

What a pain in the ass.

My hand got sore from squeezing it. Then, on a mosquito riden water hole, I met a couple. While I was squeezing hard, they put a wand into the water and just turned it a few times.

That was it.

I even remember the guy saying, “Oh, that is the iron grip device.”

I asked him what he was using, and he said it was a Steripen. A little UV light that kills all the bacteria and even viruses in the water.

I was in love.

The Steripen is easier to use than boiling water, squeezing water through a filter, or chemical tablets.

Plus, if you boil water for it to kill viruses, you have to boil it for up to 60 minutes if the water is very cold. So, it’s not very convenient.

Some women, like my friend or mom, don’t like to travel due to safety concerns.

What I recommend is a tactical pen.

Not only is it good for self-defense, it also has lots of uses such as breaking glass if your traped.

It has a whistle for emergencies, a flashlight, a screwdriver, a bottle opener, plus it writes too.

They can also be a great present too. They are durable and very inexpensive.

During the Pacific Coast Trail hike, I carried bear mace, and boy, did I feel like a dork. A tactical pen you can also take anywhere, and it’s more discreet.

It’s a nifty way to be safer traveling!

Is a Steripen Worth It? Cost Analysis vs. Buying Bottled Water Abroad

Since learning about the Steripen on the PCT hiking trail, I purchased one.

I used it on other backpacking trips, traveling through India, Southeast Asia, Europe, and even in the U.S.

I can’t imagine the amount of money I’ve saved (probably a few thousand dollars easy).

You use it a few times, and it easily pays for itself.

Buying water bottles when traveling can really add up. Just eliminating this 1 expensive can put a lot of money into your pocket.

The most expensive part of traveling is flights. Everywhere you look, prices are different.

What is crazy is that airlines and booking places change prices based on your search history.

What if there were a way to save hundreds of dollars on a flight? Someone created a guide that shares insider secrets on booking them.

This is why you know exactly what to do to get the cheapest flights available every time.

Best Water Purifier for International Travel: Why UV Light Kills Viruses Filters Miss

Another large reason I’m attracted to the Steripen is that it kills 99.99% of viruses.

Of course, boiling can also work, but it takes a lot of work and time, up to 60 minutes.

It only takes a tiny handful of particles for a virus to cause a full-scale infection, too. With bacteria, you need to ingest a ton of them to get sick.

Also, viruses can be more serious than bacteria.

A stomach virus can lead to rapid fluid loss; in a foreign country, this is not fun.

Also, you can transmit a virus to other people, like people you travel with.

Reduce Your Travel Footprint: How One Steripen Replaces 8,000 Plastic Bottles

It feels pretty damn good not buying plastic water bottles for the environment.

You know they usually end up in local landfills or oceans. This is especially important in remote regions with poor systems to manage waste.

A single Steripen is rated at around 8,000 treatments.

Say 1 treatment is 1 plastic water bottle (Even though it easily can be more), this is 8,000 plastic bottles. This is around 160 standard trash bags.

Lying those bottles end to end, it would go for over 1 mile.

The Steripen I use is USB rechargeable, which is a fraction of the energy required to manufacture, fill, and ship a heavy water bottle around the world.

It also takes 3 liters of water to manufacture a 1-liter bottle. Making the bottles in the U.S. requires 17 million barrels of oil annually.

But it gets recycled, right?

This is the line my mom uses all the time. Less than 10% of plastic actually gets recycled. The rest end up in landfills or in the ocean, where it can take 450 years to decompose.

Avoid Microplastics and BPA: The Health Benefits of UV Water Purification

There are very large health benefits to drinking from a Steripen compared to bottled plastic.

The problem with plastic water bottles is the container.

Some studies have shown that an average liter of bottled water contains 240,000 detectable plastic fragments.

These are fragments you can’t see.

These plastic fragments enter the bloodstream and lodge in tissues.

Another health risk with plastic water bottles is bacteria (believe it or not).

The water may have been sitting in plastic for months, allowing the growth of bacteria (you can’t see) on the interior walls of the bottle.

Next, a heavy metal is used to make the water bottles called Antimony. If it gets hot, it can leach into the water, causing stomach ulcers and blood sugar issues.

Finally is chemical leaching. Plastic bottles are mostly made of PET. If they get exposed to heat, then they can leach into the water and do bad stuff.

Stuff like affecting insulin resistance and even telling your body to make more fat cells, called (Adipogenesis).

When you drink bottled water, you are essentially “eating” microscopic bits of plastic that can enter the bloodstream and lodge in tissues.

If you’re traveling, it’s not a bad idea to have travel insurance.

It can cover Medical Emergencies like doctor visits and hospital stays that can cost tens of thousands of dollars out-of-pocket

Insurance covers emergency evacuation.

Insurance often covers lost or stolen gear. I used to live in a Southeast Asian country, and I had TONS of stuff stolen from me.

Insurance can also reimburse you for hotels, flights, and tours that are booked. With travel things just change, right?

The insurance I recommend is the most budget-friendly, it has no age limit, it’s valid in any country in the world, and get insurance in under 60 seconds.

Plus covers COVID-19 treatment and quarantine costs.

You can view this insurance and see if they still have a discount.

Ultralight Backpacking Gear: Why the Steripen is a Must-Have for Weight-Conscious Hikers

A steripen are super tiny and lightweight.

They weigh 3.6 to 5 ounces and take up less space than a pair of socks. It’s easy to slip into a daypack.

I know that with long-distance hikers, some are obsessed with weight. When I did the Pacific Crest Trail, I did not carry a stove.

Just ate Snickers bars and things with the most calories. That is the way to do it, no cooking or cleaning. I slept in a hammack and it was nice. Still, there is so much discomfort when long-distance hiking.

1 time I ran out of water on a mountain, and luckily some other hikers came by, and I had to beg for water.

Recently, I watched a video on the true story of a whole family who died hiking due to dehydration. They didn’t bring enough water.

Water is VERY important!

Safe Drinking Water Confirmation: Understanding Steripen LED Signals and the ‘Smiley Face

When a Steripen is done filtering water, it provides a green light or smiley face.

This is instant confirmation, providing the confidence that the water is safe to drink.

I guess it’s also psychological. If you boil water your always wondering if you boiled the water long enough.

Discreet Water Purification for Restaurants and Urban Travel: Stay Safe Without Making a Scene

If you’re traveling, you don’t want to pull out a large mechanical pump when you’re offered some water.

It might offend the host right?

If a host offers you some water and you don’t want to get sick, you can pull out the Steripen and treat the water under the table real quick to ensure it’s safe to drink.

This way, you don’t insult the person who gave you the water.

It can help you blend it, and you can treat water anywhere without pulling out a large filter that looks expensive.

Maybe you’re at a cafe, and a bottle of water looks like someone refilled it with tap water. Well, a Steripen is easy to use, and a Sawyer squeeze system wouldn’t work.

USB Rechargeable Water Purifiers: Why Lithium-Ion Steripens Are Better for the Environment

There is no need to buy batteries.

You also don’t need to worry about throwing the batteries away in landfills.

I use the same device that charges my phone to charge a Steripen.

If you’re backpacking, a battery pack is a MUST have. It can charge your phone and Steripen. Just recently, I was on a day trip, and I was taking photos, and my phone died.

I own a battery pack and just didn’t take it with me.

Plus, they are super inexpensive and can be a lifesaver. They charge up devices anywhere.

If you are backpacking multiple days in the backcounty then a solar charger might be better (which I also own). Plus, they are nice to have if you lose power.

A USB charger for the Steripen is better than batteries because you save money.

Batteries are also not good for the environment. 15 billion single-use batteries are still thrown in landfills every year. A single AA battery has enough toxic stuff to contaminate 400 liters of water for 50 years.

Using a USB Steripen ensures 400 liters stay clean.

Multi-Functional Survival Gear: Using the Steripen Built-in Emergency Flashlight

Wake up thirsty at 3 AM, and you reach for your water bottle, and it’s empty.

You need to fill it from a jug and treat it. Instead of fumbling around to find your headlamp, you can use your Steripen, which has a built-in light.

It can also work as a backup light.

If your primary headlamp dies or batteries fail, you are not left in the dark. What if you’re in a bathroom and the power goes out?

With a steripen you also have a flashlight.

Lastly, if you’re trying to filter water, the flashlight can help you determine if anything is floating in the water that you may not want to swallow. Somewhat important

Better Tasting Water: Steripen UV Purification vs. Iodine Tablets and Chlorine Drops

A Steripen doesn’t leave behind any residue or change the PH of water.

Some natural water just tastes great. You can enjoy it at it’s purest state.

I have used Iodine tablets to purify water when backpacking, and it makes the water taste funny. Even swampy or metallic.

There are Chlorine Dioxide tables that make the water like a swimming pool. Some of the older pump systems can also leave the water with a strange taste.

A UV light just keeps the water natural, but safe.

Fastest Water Treatment for Hiking: Comparing Steripen Speed to Boiling and Squeeze Filters

Lastly is speed it takes 90 seconds to filter water.

That is really fast, and time is important!

Closing: 12 Benefits of SteriPen for Solo Female Travelers

I hope this post on the Steripen and the benefits was helpful.

To fund my travels, I do affiliate marketing online. What’s great about it is you can do it anywhere in the world, anytime, around your schedule, in nearly any niche, even on travel, and have lots of fun.

I’m giving away a free cheat sheet on the system I use.

If you want immediate money, there are plenty of work-from-home jobs. Recetly I did 1 where I was giving small businesses a COVID tax credit, and I had so much fun doing it.

They are nice because you don’t have to commute, and I wrote a post that shares 9 benefits to a work-from-home job.

Have a wonderful day.