AQUASAFESTRAW COMPARED TO GENERAL ECOLOGY (FIRST NEED PRODUCTS) FRONTIER, FRONTIER PRO AND WATER BOTTLE

 Introduction

The General Ecology,  www.GeneralEcology.com, have a range of water filtration and purification devices for a range of needs, from at home, marine, aircraft and portable.   

There are no direct comparable products between General Ecology and the AquaSafeStraw.  The closest product are part of their portable range.

AquaSafeStraw that has been specifically designed for travelling, hiking and disaster situations.  There product that is safe for all to use, irrespective of health conditions, known and unknown, due to its chemical free filtration system.

For the purpose of comparison, we are looking at AquaSafeStraw against the following General Ecology (First Need products) products

• XL Portable Water Purifier
• Base Camp Portable Purifier
• Travel-L-Pure Portable Purifier
• Travel-L-Pure Canister 

Filtration Methods

All General Ecology’s First Need product range filters and purifies water in the same manner.  They use three mechanisms;  a micro-filtration down to 0.1 micron (0.4 micron nominal);  a broad spectrum molecular capture that removes chemicals and pesticides and herbicides and finally Electrostatic removal.

The AquaSafeStraw uses a polyethylene membrane that filters down to 0.2 micron, exceeding the US CDC recommendation of 1 micron to effectively remove Giardia and Cryptosporidium.  AquaSafeStraw is free of potentially harmful chemicals. The AquaSafeStraw will not allow water to pass through the device when the filter is no longer effective; this is a safe guard for you, ensuring that you know when to replace the straw.

The AquaSafeStraw is safe for all to use.

Product Safety

Both the General Ecology’s First Need product range and the AquaSafeStraw are both very reliable and safe products exceeding the US CDC’s recommendation of 1 micron for the effective removal of Giardia and Cryptosporidium.  Both will not pass water once the filters are block.

Reliability and state of mind

Both the General Ecology (First Need products) and AquaSafeStraw have past extensive testing to verify their specification when the product is in prime condition.  Both product ranges stops working once the filter is congested. In addition both do not use potentially harmful chemicals

Cost per gallon/litre

The unit cost for each of the General Ecology First Need product range is more expensive than AquaSafeStraw.

When comparing cost per litre inclusive of the dispensing device, the costs per litre ranges from 18.7c/litre to 49.5 c/l.  Compared to 7 cents a litre or 26.5 cents per gallon for the AquaSafeStraw.

Portability

AquaSafeStraw is light weight (24g), 21cm long unit, 1.8cm diameter. The product can fit in your pocket.

General Ecology’s First Need product range is large and not designed to be as portable as the AquaSafeStraw or the upcoming AquaSafeBottle.   The products can be carried in a backpack or carry bag.

 

XL Portable Water Purifier

Water container to pump water into

Base Camp Portable Purifier

Water container to pump water into

Travel-L-Pure Portable  

Purifier Water pouring device

Travel-L-Pure Canister

Requires hose and fitting & water container

AquaSafeStraw

Nil

Multi-part

The General Ecology’s, First Need products range require some type of assemble and/or preparation then dismantling.  Some tools are also required to be used to assemble and disassemble the products during each of use

There is no assembly or disassembly with the AquaSafeStraw.

Ease of Use

Below is the assessment of the time required and ease of use of the compared products 
 

XL Portable Water Purifier

2-5 minutes

Simple

Base Camp Portable Purifier

2-5 minutes

Simple

Travel-L-Pure Portable Purifier

2-5 minutes

Simple

Travel-L-Pure Canister 

10 plus minutes

Difficult

AquaSafeStraw

5 sec

Extremely Easy

Speed to access of water

The time to have drinkable water from all the General Ecology’s First Need products range varies from several minutes to in excess of 10 minutes by the time you connect hose connections and the like.

The AquaSafeStraw is immediate for both usage and storage without the use of chemicals

Longevity 

The General Ecology’s First Need product range  filters/purifies between 400 to 1900 litres (204 to 500 gallons) whereas the AquaSafeStraw 500 litre(132g)  (equating to approximately 250 days at the recommended level of water intake is 2 litres/3 pints of water per day).  That’s a significant difference.

Bacteria and Virus removal properties

General Ecology, First Need product range and the AquaSafeStraw filters out all Bacteria as well as Cryptosporidium and Giardia above to 0.2 microns exceeding the America’s Centre of Disease Control and prevention (www.cdc.gov) recommendation of filters to a minimum of 1 micron.  The AquaSafeStraw exceed this by a factor of 5.

AquaSafeCorp is about to release two new products, AquaSafeBottle and  AquaSafeStraw+, that filters down to 0.01 micron below the size of viruses. 

How can AquaSafeStraw be so cost effective and be an effective water filtration system?

How does AquaSafeStraw be technologically advanced and be so price competitive? 
AquaSafeCorp have taken state of the art materials and technologies, along with advanced manufacturing techniques (patented) to produce a cost effective advanced product.

Product Characteristics

First Need
XL Portable Water Purifier 

 First Need Trav-L
 Portable  Purifier

 Trav-L Camper Canister

AquaSafeStraw

Price (RRP)

$ 109 US

$ 658 US

$ 198 US

$ 88.50 US

$44.95 US

Replacement

$ 49 US

$ 88.50 US

$ 88.50 US

$ -

$-

Capacity Volume of water

568 Litres/  150 gallon

1900 Litres/  500 gallon

400 Litres/  104 gallon

473 Litres/  125gallon

500 litres /132 gallon

Volume cost of filtered water

8.6 c/l
(19.1c/l including device)

4.6 c/l
(34.6c/l including device)

22.1 c/l
(99.5c/l including device)

18.7 c/l

500 litres /132 gallon

Filtration methods

Ultra fine Micro straining,
Broad Spectrum Milecular capture,
Electrstatic removal

 Ultra fine Micro straining,
Broad Spectrum Milecular capture,
Electrstatic removal

 Ultra fine Micro straining,
Broad Spectrum Milecular capture,
Electrstatic remova

 Ultra fine Micro straining,
Broad Spectrum Milecular capture,
Electrstatic removal

Micro filtration capillary membrane

Flow rate

1.9 l/min

Not available

1.25 l/min
(water container)

1.8 l/min using 25 psi

0.4 l/min

Filtration Levels

0.1µm
(nom 4µm)

0.1µm
(nom 4µm

0.1µm
(nom 4µm

0.1µm
(nom 4µm

0.2µm

Exceeds CDC recommendations

Yes   

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Approved by relevant authorities

Yes

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

Yes

Chemicals

Yes

 Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Satisfies US Army recommendation for water filtration

Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes

Yes

Ease of Use

Easy

Simple

 Easy

Easy

Very Easy

Reputable manufacturing standards

Yes

 Yes

 Yes

Yes

Yes

Longevity

Yes

Yes

 Yes

Yes

Yes

Stop working once filtration stops working

Yes

Yes

Yes

 Yes

Yes

Portability/size

8.8 x 4.12 x 10.5 inches

3200 g / 5.5 lbs oz

 16.8 x 11.2 x 8.4 cm
6.6 x 4.4 x 3.3 inchs
625 g / 22 oz

 12 oz

21 cm long x 1.8 cm diameter
24 grams