>>199074We had a thread about this recently.
Boiling doesn't kill prions nor fungal spores, nor does it kill all microbes or viruses unless you leave it boiling for a long time, at least 15 minutes. It doesn't remove various chemicals such as pesticides which have a higher boiling point than water and won't evaporate, and it won't remove various contaminates such as heavy metals.
Water will also boil at lower temperatures at high altitude, and even lower depending on weather, despite not reaching a high enough temperature to kill anything.
Boiling isn't the be all and end all of water purification. The best way is to filter, boil AND chemically treat it, seeing as filters won't remove everything either, and neither will chemical treatment.
If you only do one of those things, there's still a risk. And depending on where you go hiking, it could make a huge difference. I know I myself had to get a filter when I went to China considering how polluted the water is. People there all boil their water, but it doesn't prevent them from dying from lead poisoning.
If you only boil your water, that's great, but don't act like doing anything else is retarded.
