What are the most effective water filter and water purification remedy methods utilized by backpackers? That basically is dependent upon the standard of the water it’s worthwhile to filter or purify, the variety of folks it’s worthwhile to deal with water for, and your private preferences. For instance, squeeze-style water filters, UV purification, and filter bottles are typically good for solo customers and clear water sources, whereas chemical purification and pump filters/purifiers are good for bigger teams and riskier or murkier water sources. Value and filter longevity are additionally value contemplating.
Listed here are the ten greatest backpacking water filters and water purification methods we suggest for backpacking, mountaineering, and tenting.
1. Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
The Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter System contains the Sawyer Squeeze Filter, two 32 fl. oz. pouches, a cleansing coupling, and extra equipment for gravity and inline use. Just like the Sawyer Mini, you may drink instantly from the Sawyer Squeeze however most individuals squeeze untreated water by way of it from a comfortable bottle to a clear container. The filter makes use of a hollow-fiber membrane filter that removes 99.99999% of all micro organism, akin to salmonella, cholera, and E.coli, and removes 99.9999% of all protozoa, akin to giardia and cryptosporidium. The filter itself weighs 3 ounces.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
2. Platypus QuickDraw
The Platypus QuickDraw is a squeeze-style water filter that screws onto platypus bottles, reservoirs, and 28 mm pet bottles (together with SmartWater bottles). It’s offered with a 1L bottle proven right here however can be
bought by itself. The QuickDraw filter is a hole fiber filter that bodily removes, protozoa, 99.9999% of micro organism, and 99.9% of protozoa, with a circulate price of as much as 3L/minute. It may be backflushed or shaken clear. Each ends of the filter will be closed between makes use of, stopping water from dripping over your entire gear. The load of the filter and the bottle is 3.6 oz, whereas the load of the filter alone is 2.2 oz.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
3. Katadyn BeFree Water Filter
The Katadyn BeFree Water Filter can be utilized as a squeeze filter or hung for group use as a gravity filter if you are going to buy the 3L model. It has a 0.1-micron microfilter that’s EPA examined to take away protozoa (99.99%) and micro organism (99.9999%). It may well filter water as much as 2 liters per minute, which may be very quick for this fashion of filter. An built-in wide-mouth comfortable bottle, out there in three completely different sizes, 0.6L, 1 liter, and three liters, is simple to fill in streams and folds up compactly when not in use. Weighing 3.5 ouncestotal, the filter alone has a life expectancy of 1000 liters.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
4. Aquamira Water Purifications Drops
Aquamira Water Therapy Drops use chlorine dioxide (the identical stuff utilized in municipal water remedy vegetation) to kill 99.9% of micro organism, viruses, and cysts, together with cryptosporidium and giardia. Every bundle of Aquamira accommodates two bottles, Half A and Half B, which you combine collectively earlier than treating your water. The drops are efficient in clear, muddy, heat, and chilly water and have a shelf life of 5 years, making them a superb answer for worldwide journey, mountaineering, backpacking, and emergency preparedness. Every Aquamira bundle accommodates sufficient drops to deal with 30 gallons of water. Many individuals carry Aquamira as a backup in case their water filter breaks or for purifying a number of liters of water without delay.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
5. Platypus Gravity Works
The Platypus Gravity Works water remedy system is a gravity filter that features two x 4 liter water reservoirs, a water filter, and connecting hoses organized in a gravity filter configuration. It’s excellent for filtering water for {couples} or households when it’s worthwhile to filter a big amount of water rapidly. The Gravity Works filter bodily removes particles, protozoa, and micro organism right down to 0.2 microns in dimension, together with giardia, salmonella, and cryptosporidium. Fast-disconnect valves and a hose clamp make cleansing simple. Filtration velocity is over 1 liter per minute and requires no effort as soon as the “soiled” bag is hung. The anticipated filter lifetime is 1500 liters of water. Your complete system weighs 10.75 ounces and stows smaller than most 1L bottles.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
6. Katadyn Hiker Water Filter
The Katadyn Hiker Water Filter is a pump-based filter that removes particulates, protozoa, and micro organism right down to 0.2 microns in dimension, together with giardia, salmonella, and cryptosporidium. It features a pre-filter on the hose outlet that filters to 150 microns, good to be used with cloudy or sediment-filled water, which removes massive contaminants earlier than they attain the primary filter and enhance its life span. Fast-connect fittings allow elimination of enter and output hoses: the hoses additionally join on to hydration reservoirs with 0.25 in. drink tubes. The anticipated filter life is 1150 liters earlier than substitute is required. The Hiker weighs 11 ounces.
7. Steripen Extremely UV Water Air purifier
The Steripen Extremely is a water air purifier that makes use of ultraviolet mild to neutralize micro organism, protozoa, and viruses that may make you sick. The Extremely is USB rechargeable and suits in slender or wide-necked bottles. It’s additionally among the best options for purifying chilly water, which is able to create tiny holes in most filters if it freezes when the filter aspect is damp in chilly climate, thereby destroying them. To make use of it, you merely dip it in a container of water and stir, till an indicator lamp alerts that the water is purified, after about 90 seconds. Weighing simply 4.94 ounces, the Steripen Extremely has a UV lamp lifetime of 8000 makes use of.
Store at REI
8. Grayl GeoPress Water Air purifier Bottle
The Grayl GeoPress is a bottle-based water air purifier that removes Protozoa, Micro organism, and Viruses from water sources. The GeoPress has an outer bottle and an inside bottle, with a filter at one finish and a ingesting spout with a screw-on prime on the different. To make use of it, you pull the inside bottle out of the outer bottle, fill the outer bottle up with suspect water, after which push the inside bottle into the outer bottle such as you would a french press. When completed, you may carry your purified water and sip it instantly from the bottle for added comfort or decant it to a unique container.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
9. HydroBlu Versa Stream Water Filter
The HydroBlu Versa Stream Water Filter can be utilized as an inline, gravity, squeeze, or straw filter with out requiring the acquisition of extra syringes, connectors, adapters, or substitute gaskets; it’s appropriate with all commonplace 28mm soda bottles and reservoirs together with the
CNOC Vecto; it comes with color-coded finish caps to maintain the consumption and output spouts clear; it doesn’t leak between makes use of, and it has a clear inspection window so you may decide when it must be cleaned. The Versa Stream 99.9999% of waterborne micro organism akin to salmonella, cholera, and E.col and 99.9% of protozoa together with Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
Store at Amazon
10. MSR Guardian Air purifier
The MSR Guardian is essentially the most refined and efficient water air purifier out there right this moment. Self-cleaning, it has a excessive circulate price and generates remarkably good-tasting water. Whereas it is a superb software for backcountry use and worldwide journey to international locations with suspect water, it’s additionally fairly a pleasant product to have available for emergency preparedness at house. The Guardian bodily removes viruses, micro organism, protozoa, and particulates, together with hepatitis A, E. coli, giardia, and cryptosporidium, and has a pore dimension of 0.02 microns. Weighing simply 17.3 ounces, the Guardian has a self-cleaning filter that continually purges itself when you filter water so that you by no means must backflush or scrub the filter aspect. It additionally has an exceptionally excessive circulate price of two.5L per minute, making it excellent for particular person or small-group use.
Learn the SectionHiker evaluation.
Find out how to Select a Backpacking Water Filter or Air purifier
Many pure water sources comprise microscopic organisms that may trigger sickness in people. Most water filters meant for backcountry use will take away micro organism and protozoa, together with giardia and cryptosporidium from these water sources. That is normally ample in the USA, Canada, and the UK.
- Viruses, usually present in worldwide water sources, are laborious to take away as a result of they’re so small. Finer-grained filters known as water purifiers are wanted to take away them. Additionally they will be neutralized with chemical purification brokers akin to chlorine dioxide or ultraviolet mild.
- Hazardous minerals and chemical compounds, together with fertilizers and heavy metals, are tough to take away utilizing a lot of the options listed beneath which specialise in eradicating organic contaminants. Should you want water in locations the place such contaminants are current, your greatest guess is to modify to bottled water or to solely drink from secure sources primarily based on native data.
There are a large variety of completely different water filter and air purifier varieties out there. Sadly, none of them are foolproof or completely suited to all types of journeys and locales. Additionally they differ in ease of use, the size of time it takes for them to course of water, and whether or not they’re good for solo or group use.
Right here’s a abstract of the various kinds of water filters and purifiers and their strengths and weaknesses, with a number of examples for instance the out there merchandise in every class.
Squeeze Water Filters
Squeeze filters are single-stage filters which might be good for eradicating micro organism and protozoa, however not viruses. They’re greatest used with clear water sources which might be low in particulates and suspended natural matter to stop clogging. Processing velocity is dependent upon the dimensions of the “soiled” water bottle coupled with the filter and the way a lot stress the person exerts to push water by way of it. Nonetheless, squeeze filters usually decelerate with use and should be back-flushed with a cleansing syringe commonly to take care of their circulate price. Some examples:
Gravity and Inline Water Filters
Gravity water filters make it attainable to course of bigger portions of water without delay utilizing the ability of gravity. A big water reservoir, known as “the soiled bag” is hung from a tree with a hose resulting in a water filter. The output of the filter flows out one other hose to a clear reservoir, known as the “clear bag.” A squeeze-style, single-stage filter is usually used. Gravity filters are good for {couples} and small teams. An inline water filter makes use of an analogous setup, however the person sucks on the output hose moderately than working it to a clear bag. Some examples:
Bottle and Straw Water Filters
Bottle and straw filters normally use the identical single-stage, hole fiber filters utilized by squeeze, gravity, and inline water filter methods. The person sucks water saved in a bottle or instantly from the water supply by way of the filter, moderately than transferring it to secondary storage. They’re greatest utilized by people in locations the place water is plentiful. Some examples:
Pump Water Filters and Purifiers
Pump water filters filter out micro organism and protozoa, whereas pump water purifiers also can take away viruses. They’ve hand pumps that power water by way of the filter and out to secondary storage for future use. Whereas pump filters do require some elbow grease to function, they normally filter water fairly rapidly and are appropriate to be used by {couples} in addition to people. Most have a pre-filter on the finish of the hose that you simply drop into the water supply to take away particulates and natural matter. This may be very helpful when you may’t really attain the water supply, like down a steep embankment. They can be cleaned and substitute filters are normally out there. Some examples:
Chemical Water Purification
Chemical water purifiers can be found in pill or liquid type. One of the best chemical ingredient is chlorine dioxide, which has nearly no style or colour and kills micro organism, protozoa, and viruses. Chemical purification is greatest utilized by people moderately than {couples} or teams as a result of it takes anyplace from quarter-hour to 4 hours to totally purify water, far longer than different strategies. Whereas it is extremely light-weight, it’s comparatively costly when in comparison with different strategies. Many hikers carry chlorine dioxide as a backup to a second main filter or purification technique, in consequence. Some examples:
Ultraviolet Mild Water Purification
Ultraviolet Mild is an efficient type of water purification that neutralizes micro organism, protozoa, and viruses. It’s best used with clear water because it doesn’t take away any particulates or natural matter. Whereas UV purification is comparatively quick, it’s not good for processing massive portions of water. It additionally is dependent upon working batteries, which may run out of energy. Nonetheless, it’s one of many few choices that works effectively for chilly water when there’s a threat of freezing a filter or air purifier and ruining it.
Some examples:
Examine Out All of SectionHiker’s Gear Guides!
SectionHiker is reader-supported. We solely generate income if you are going to buy a product by way of our affiliate hyperlinks. Assist us proceed to check and write unsponsored and impartial gear evaluations, newbie FAQs, and free mountaineering guides.
