Jungle Survival Gadgets: Steripen Sidewinder

by Bernard Sinai · Published October 23, 2013 · Updated October 30, 2019

The Steripen Sidewinder is a portable UV water purifier that allows you to sterilize dirty water from a puddle or mud creek into safe drinking water for human consumption. The great thing about this unit is that it does not need batteries.

The Steripen Sidewinder can kill waterborne nasties like giardia and cryptosporidium and can purify a litre of water in 90 seconds, and is good for around 8000 uses.

The unit comes with a BPA-free water bottle and filter for straining water before treatment.

The Steripen Sidewinder retails on Amazon.com for $75 but is a great investment if you are an avid trekker and adventurer.