Hello @drwillwho I think its great getting this kind of info out to the masses. I am from the old school and had enough sense to tap my fathers knowledge when i was a kid. He was the type that could walk into the woods with nothing and come out a month later smiling and 10 lbs heavier lol
Heres another take on it without the items just a few small cheap ones
In a pinch if you do not have items like this what you can do is a pit or a tap.
Get 2 pieces of plastic about 6' x 6' and a small bag of Himalayen salt in your pack .
Dig a hole about 2' deep and 3' in diameter in the ground and line it with one of the plastic sheets. In the center bottom of the hole place a cup or bowl. Fill the bottom of the hole with anything with liquid in it, brook or river water or mud ect but do not go above the bowl or cup level wise. Place the 2nd sheet of plastic over the hole and hold it down with the dirt from digging the hole. Place a small rock in the middle of the plastic right over the cup or bowl in the bottom. And wait.. The water content in the bottom will evaporate, rise to the top plastic sheep and drip where you placed the rock on top into the cup or bowl.
This water is pure distilled water and has no minerals in it and you would need minerals if drinking a lot of it. In comes the Himalayen salt, mix a little in with the water to replace the mineral loss.
These can be set up at camps or on trails just about anywhere. Trees can also be tapped as in sugar maples and birch for fluid if in need.. Always water in them their hills...
Fantastic wisdom and can even be used with salt water in the bottom to create fresh potable water. Excellent thing to know. While tedious and slow, putting a plastic bag around living green leaves can allow the collection of the plants water loss through respiration. Thank you for your reply. Many of these tools or techniques are ready in a pinch, but some just haven't heard of them. Nice to meet you.