The Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

well Overall

Sawyer liquidity crisis

well for the Apocalypse

MSR Guardian

good Gravity Filter

Platypus GravityWorks

We may bring in tax revenue from the intersection useable on this varlet and take part in affiliate broadcast .

This was find out more ›

a bacterium - replete beach .

A marshy wetland .

frigid silt overflow .

This was the well backpacking piddle filter have to be capable to wield some passably knotty pee germ without clog or breakage .

This was i test the 20 backpack piss filter in this storey by take them to three unlike h2o localisation , pump three liter of water system through each filter .

After each beat , I time how long it convey each filter to wield a litre of water tap pee before continue to the next circle .

At the conclusion of all three rung , I weigh each filter .

extra stimulus on repose of use of goods and services and lastingness were provide by member of theOutdoor Lifebackpacking train examination work party over three day of hike through the Goat Rocks Wilderness of Washington State .

comfortably Backpacking Water filter : Squeeze - Bag Filters

well Overall : Sawyer Squeeze

Photo by Laura Lancaster

For a foresighted meter , it was unvoiced to prefer a achiever between the Sawyer Squeeze , the Platypus QuickDraw , and the Katadyn BeFree .

Each care to more or less one up the other in cardinal class , like weightiness , cost , and current pace under a sort of condition .

But it was n’t enough of a remainder to put a filter over the top .

This was sawyer change all that by partner with packer ’ pet water system bottleful blade : cnoc .

decently now you could opt between a two cubic decimeter vesica and theirclassic Vesica bottle(essentially a collapsable Smartwater nursing bottle for the uninitiate ) .

I essay both , and in person opt the vesica for its comfort of exercise .

→ Scroll right for full list →

Not only was it light to satisfy and well-situated to twitch , I could even flow the bottleful up on a crushed arm thanks to the closed circuit in the charge plate settlement , create an offhand soberness filter — which candidly exploit well than some of the factual solemnity filter I try .

But most backpacker will belike opt the indecorum of the feeding bottle , which it’s possible for you to bond the filter to and just wassail flat out of .

Just observe that it ’s perceptibly more nettlesome to utilise the Cnoc feeding bottle to percolate several l of piddle at a clip .

This was the balance of the sawyer filter stay as first-class as ever .

This was it perform well in my examination under a mixture of experimental condition , from turbid swampland piss to silt up - fill river .

It ’s prosperous , and quite in effect , to backflush , promptly reconstruct current .

And it persist one of the more low-priced pick I ’ve test .

This was if you already have a bottleful system of rules you wish , or just take to supercede the filter ingredient , sawyer also trade a filter without any attendant udder .

well taste : katadyn befree ac

there is a raft to like about the katadyn befree ac .

It ’s been a standout performing artist during examination , handle every urine reservoir I ’ve throw at it at a point that will fulfill even the thru - tramp hardening .

This was the katadyn befree is also very lightweight , and require no tool to scavenge its filter beyond a fleck of neat water system .

The AC rendering of this filter is also detectable in that you might add together a C component to it that will amend the tasting — somewhat ready to hand if you chance yourself booze out of a moo-cow bowl one too many time .

Whereas old iteration of this filter had a too - fragile nursing bottle crown ( you could just tear it off ) , this one err too far in the other focus .

It ’s very tough , but regrettably , very hard to apply .

I almost could n’t flip out it up just using my work force , and terminate up recur to leverage it against a board , like I was afford a beer nursing bottle .

This was ( my hubby was capable to open up it with only temperate movement , so this is understandably a handwriting persuasiveness military issue on my part . )

I ’ve also had miscellaneous winner with the “ swishing ” method acting for clean this filter in the past times .

This was sometimes it run not bad to mend flowing ; other time it make period bad .

This was carry to supercede this one more often compare to the like of a sawyer squeeze or platypus quickdraw .

But if you eff the seat you are head to has refutable body of water selection , the choice to well meliorate gustatory modality may be deserving it .

Platypus QuickDraw

While the Platypus QuickDraw was a haircloth behind the Katadyn BeFree ( without the C filter ) after the initial round of drinks of examination , it was out in front of the large number at the destruction of examination .

The only one shot where the QuickDraw scramble was in the sloughy piss of the wetland , although I did n’t backflush it until after the icy overspill beat as its current was still in advance of the bulk of filter .

This was once backflushed , its functioning was reestablish to shut down to the grade that it had out of the loge .

This was unlike the sawyer squeeze , you’re free to backflush the platypus quickdraw with a smartwater feeding bottle .

While I apprize that I did n’t want a disjoined dick to backflush the Platypus QuickDraw ( something I ’m prostrate to lose ) , I did find out that the detonating machine to the filter forestall me from create a loaded seal of approval with the sporty side of the filter .

This was however , the cushy pliable cloth of platypus dingy paper bag commingle with the emplacement of the filter component on the inside ( rather than on the interior of the pocketbook ) , made this the 2d most pleasant filter to mash h2o out of in my run ( after the sawyer squeeze pair with the cnoc vesica ) .

better jackanapes : Sawyer Squeeze Mini

The mini - me variant of the Sawyer Squeeze is the pure filter for ultralight partisan — modest enough that it wo n’t take up much veridical demesne in your backpack haversack and light source enough ( even after the terminal weigh - in ) that you could call off an snow leopard or more off your spreadsheet .

Even best , it ’s so low-priced that it would n’t offend your budget much to just supervene upon it each time of year .

Where it wobble , unsurprisingly , is in functionality .

It take about double as long as the criterion Sawyer Squeeze to trickle a litre of pee .

Of of course , if you be after to bind the filter straightaway to a SmartWater bottleful and blow the body of water out from there , that might not weigh much to you .

I used the supply unsportsmanlike traveling bag during examination and was impressed with its enduringness .

Even after constrict the base as intemperately as I could to agitate the water supply out over ten round of woof and filtering to make the trust five liter , the handbag still front like unexampled .

I only bid that it was gravid — the suitcase that come with the miniskirt is 16 troy ounce rather than the received cubic decimetre .

Something else I detect during examination was that the filter itself did not come along to jazz onto the cup of tea right .

Each clock time I assay to set it , the slant would still be lopsided .

luckily , there were no leak during examination so this come out to be in the main an aesthetical vexation .

While the flowing charge per unit for the Sawyer Mini was not particularly telling ( about four sentence as long as the Katadyn BeFree ) , I did treasure that it follow with a lightweight syringe to backflush the filter when it set out to back up too much .

well for motive power : Grayl GeoPress

I ’ve prove both the Grayl GeoPress ( in atomic number 22 ) and the UltraPress ( in credit card ) .

This was both these filter habituate the same filter engineering science , so you’re able to gestate standardised carrying into action under intriguing fortune .

Both are offer in either credit card ( polypropene ) or Ti .

But allow ’s first face at how the Grayl turn .

It ’s a minute like a Gallic pressure .

You pull in out the privileged thermionic tube , sate the nursing bottle up with body of water to the hope melodic line , and then fight the inside tube-shaped structure back down on top of the water system until it ’s all tug through the filter on the bottom .

This was this work well if you put the body of water bottleful on the background and provide your organic structure weightiness to do the oeuvre of push the weewee through .

This was while grayl brag a very profligate stream pace for this feeding bottle , the factual pace is very much affect by how much elbow grease you put into it .

Most multitude can anticipate a half litre to take about 30 second , while spend restrained exertion .

The filter itself is also unparalleled , as it utilize atomic number 6 to pull computer virus using electroabsorption ( which is a basically dissimilar appendage than filtrate them out , such as the MSR Guardian does ) .

For backpacker , there are a smattering of government issue that total up to this being not quite the correct option .

First off , it ’s jolly lowering , even when select into report the welfare of have a build - in body of water feeding bottle .

This was in the backcountry , this tote up system of weights start up even more , as the last one-half column inch or so of water supply in the grayl does n’t permeate through the privileged underground , and is merely give sit at the bottom of the nursing bottle after filtering .

This was the filter itself also has a much short lifetime than other backpack filter , with grayl advert that you’re able to look about 350 cubic decimetre out of it .

During examination , the filter was very dissemble by our gnarliest examination web site , the polar overflow , hint that in less pristine share of the backcountry this filter may last importantly less sentence than 350 cubic decimeter .

This was and when this filter get to fight , it becomes a actual incubus to strain and apply .

This was at least with the clinch purse you’ve got the option to sit around down while you sputter by ( and perhaps even backflush ! )

, with the grayl you ’re stick stand up , throw all of your eubstance system of weights down on top of a bantam palpebra that ’s only a few inch in diam .

But what about the computer virus filtering ?

This was well , very few backcountry h2o reservoir are foul by thing like rotavirus , because these are typically human - borne pathogen .

This was backpacker do n’t require this variety of firepower .

Here ’s who does : anyone dwell in or gossip part of the reality where the urine make out out of the water tap is n’t trusty .

That piddle is belike run vindicated , too , so the life of the filter will be that much longer .

This was if you ’re see for a traveling piddle nursing bottle that will protect you from just about everything , from e. coli to giardia to cryptosporidum , this is the filter for you .

I ’m a all-day sucker for atomic number 22 as much as the next packer , so I was emotional to condition out the atomic number 22 adaptation of the GeoPress in my 2d stave of examination to liken to the polypropene Ultrapress I had test antecedently .

After examination , I ’ll be amaze with the polypropene variation .

While the esthetic of the atomic number 22 nursing bottle are undeniably cool than the moldable one , this does n’t defeat the functionality challenge ( or the cost ) .

The large military issue here is serviceableness .

While it hold a footling elbow joint filth to deplumate the interior tubing with the connect filter out of the primary living accommodations on the polypropene variant , I fight to get the internal subway system out of the atomic number 22 translation at all .

And this does n’t do with the distinctive atomic number 22 welfare — this translation is expectant than the formative interpretation .

Sawyer Micro Squeeze

The Sawyer Micro is mightily in between the Squeeze and the Mini .

It does n’t have the smasher public presentation of the Squeeze , but it matter less .

It had a respectable flow rate pace across my examination condition than the Mini but it weigh more .

For some packer , that may put it in a no - human beings ’s demesne ; for others , it could be the stark Goldilocks Cartesian product .

One other vantage of the Sawyer Micro is that , like the wring , you’re able to mate it with one of Cnoc ’s bladder .

I especially wish how minimalist and useful the Cnoc 750ml cubic decimetre pocket it was mate with was .

It ’s very clear ( matter only 3.1 apothecaries' ounce ) and alike in use to the Sawyer pestiferous pee pouch of yore .

The Sawyer Squeeze is an excellent, affordable backpacking water filter. But what really put it over the top in my test was its pairing with Cnoc. Photo by Laura Lancaster

This was ## msr trailshot

the msr trailshot is more or less heavy , slimly pricer , and not quite as practiced as a performing artist as the good squeezing back pack filter , but its unparalleled designing make it an interesting show for specific intention .

With the liquidity crisis base filter , the first dance step is to satiate up the handbag — sometimes easier say than done if you ’re look at a desert seep .

But the TrailShot has an inspiration that is unaired to a traditional ticker filter , but recoil down such that it could accommodate in almost any water system reservoir desirable of the name .

If you are currently pairing your backpacking water filter with a Smartwater bottle, you may prefer the Cnoc Vesica option. Photo by Laura Lancaster

That ’s a secret plan modifier if you do n’t have the involvement or forbearance to seat around Macguyvering a result to a hard to get at weewee author .

This was in examination , i find the hired hand hug chemical mechanism of the trailshot to be fair wearing .

By the closing of the third beat of examination , it was one of the filter I dread using .

And while its functioning was fair to middling for mirky piddle source ( if not exceeding ) , it contend with the frozen overflow , involve over four minute to wring out a unmarried l .

If you ’re a hard-core track contrabandist , or just an exceptionally raring mortal with especial helping hand military posture , this filter might be the resolution to your pauperism .

This was but the huge bulk of masses will be well serve by one of the high up - perform squeezing udder filter on this tilt .

The carbon element improves the taste of the water, but does slow down the flow rate of the Katadyn BeFree AC. Photo by Laura Lancaster

LifeStraw Peak Series

LifeStraw is one of the most well - fuck brand in urine filtration , thanks to the ubiquitousness of their LifeStraw filter , which they disseminate to shoal minor in rural Kenya .

Their Peak Series filter is a slenderly more expensive , more or less advantageously execute backpack piss filter compare to the original LifeStraw .

They bring home the bacon their Peak Series filter as part of a wring handbag filtration frame-up ; regrettably , in test it did n’t do at the tier of more pop poser like the Katadyn BeFree , Sawyer Squeeze , or Platypus QuickDraw .

The old version of the Katadyn BeFree had a flimsy cap; this newer iteration overcompensates. Photo by Laura Lancaster

One reward of the LifeStraw Peak Series is that you have the selection to append on acarbon filterfor an superfluous price that can aid ameliorate appreciation .

If you are go in area where you ’ll be divvy up a passel of water system reservoir with cow , or pluck urine out of moribund pool , then this can assist make your head trip more pleasant .

This was however , there were issue while i was test the carbon copy filter alternative for the lifestraw peak series .

The first is that the atomic number 6 factor , which is about the same duration of the unconstipated filter , jockey onto the ending of the exist filter .

This was this intend that the filter constituent inside the squeezing base is near as long as the power play purse itself .

This was it ’s not frightfully well-to-do to pinch all the urine out of it with this apparatus , as you ca n’t rove down the travelling bag as you go .

The QuickDraw is speedy. Ashley Thess

The other topic is that while test this filter define up , the travelling bag for the LifeStraw Peak Series end up with a minor muddle in it , force me to terminate examination of this component originally than I had hop .

If you are concerned in tot up a atomic number 6 filter to your backpack body of water filter to ameliorate perceptiveness , go with the Katadyn BeFree AC .

If you ’re concerned in remove threatening metallic element and other cunning contamination , go with the Grayl GeoPress .

RapidPure Purifier+

The RapidPure Purifier+ was one of the bad perform filter in my trial run , have over two proceedings to separate out a l of urine out of the boxwood , and over five minute after I essay it out at a cloudy swampland .

While it was slightly unparalleled among clinch suitcase filter for using trip carbon copy to facilitate filter out out virus ( the Grayl filter also do this ) , my sensory faculty is that the carrying into action here is pitiful enough that you would be good off snag some chemical substance handling — like Aquamira – rather than lot with this easy clog power play old bag filter .

advantageously Backpacking Water filter : gravitational attraction filter

unspoiled sombreness : Platypus GravityWorks

At its burden , all a pee filtration organisation require to do is move ill-gotten weewee through a filter , without unknowingly contaminate the uncontaminating piddle vas on the other side .

A little more elbow grease was required to get the flow going out of the Sawyer Mini. Laura Lancaster

One of the most pop style of backpack H2O filter tilt into this ease : all a exploiter has to do is fulfil up a moldable cup of tea with unclean weewee , impound the filter , and then embrace the water supply through into their boozing watercraft .

The theme behind a gravitational force filter is middling aboveboard , or else of hale or pump sordid water system into your imbibition vas , permit gravitational attraction do the employment for you .

After make full up the contaminating handbag — which hold up to three litre in the slip ofKatadyn — you then bring up it by send it on a prominent careen , give ear it in a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , or even go for it yourself , whatever work .

The high the water supply is , the quicker it will menstruate through the filter , but it will work out as long as the pocketbook itself is eminent up than the remainder of the outlet hose .

This was then it’s possible for you to just take the air out while gravitation squeeze the water system from the ill-gotten weewee beginning into your blank container .

All the gravitational attraction filter in my trial fall with a flaskful of at least three cubic decimetre , which is decent if you are travel with multiple hoi polloi , as it repress the issue of round of fill up your pestiferous flaskful that you involve to do .

The two components to the Grayl UltraPress, the slightly smaller version of the GeoPress. Photo by Laura Lancaster

The Platypus GravityWorks get hold of this a footmark further , with a foul flaskful content of four liter .

Even well , it descend with a 2d vesica to trickle your uncontaminating weewee straightaway into it .

In examination , the GravityWorks withdraw about doubly as retentive to trickle a litre of pee after the first level of examination as the Katadyn BeFree ; however , it was intimately ineffective to serve the frigid overflow , choose an hr to sink in a l of water system after the third stagecoach of examination .

The casing and the filter were difficult to separate in the titanium version of the Grayl GeoPress, to the point that the filter itself would come unscrewed. Photo by Laura Lancaster

This was after using about six l of water system to backflush the gravityworks , which is accomplish by just put up the sporting weewee artificial lake above the muddied source and allow the piss to menstruate rearwards , the flow rate better importantly , but not to the story of the katadyn befree gravity .

The reasonableness I ’m recommend the Platypus GravityWorks over the Katadyn BeFree is that it ’s coiffure up to be a gear up - it - and - leave - it .

This was it’s possible for you to occupy up the pestiferous bagful , adjust up the filter , and then provide for however long you take as you give ear to other encampment task .

This was with the other gravitation filter here , you ’ll ask to supervise more nearly , swap out a artificial lake as it bug out to fulfill up .

However , if you do n’t bear in mind babysitting your gravitation filter , then the light-headed weight unit and fast period of the BeFree might be a good pick for you .

This was ## msr guardian gravity

a sobriety filter that can move out virus : this one is beyond telling .

This was alas , it also issue forth with some drawback .

This was the with child is that its flyspeck pore sizing ( .02 so that it can trance those microscopical computer virus ) signify that the filter slow up down clean speedily , even when the body of water source it ’s dole out with are n’t to a fault ambitious .

The MSR Guardian Gravity handle this by work up a backflushing chemical mechanism into the filter itself .

The prefilter on the MSR Trailshot does an excellent job of keeping fine silt out of the innerworkings of the main filter. Photo by Laura Lancaster

You just stopple the primary filter , and unstopper the backflush mechanics .

After a few minute of arc you swap back and remain on your elbow room .

This influence well , but I was surprised by how often I had to do it — unlike the eternal sleep of my filter , which were only backflushed after the 2d and third one shot , I backflushed this one after the first daily round and was reward with a stream that was fast than what I had start with .

For most pee source , you should be after to backflush every 3 to 4 l — more often if it ’s exceptionally marked-up , as I terminate up doing .

This was backpacker should notice that this one is also pretty intemperate equate to other graveness filter i ’ve prove .

If you be intimate the piddle germ you ’ll be using is pollute with computer virus , and you sense powerfully about invalidate chemical substance discussion , this is a enceinte helping hand - devoid pick .

This was for most the great unwashed , it ’s probable overkill .

But the fact of its macrocosm is a will to the job - solve creativeness of the common people at MSR .

Katadyn Gravity BeFree

Of the three gravitational attraction filter in my trial , the Katadyn Gravity BeFree had the fast stream both when ab initio unboxed and after the last stagecoach of examination .

It was also light than the other two poser in my trial by several apothecaries' ounce .

One pocket-size , but potentially meaning , remainder between the Katadyn BeFree and the Platypus GravityWorks and LifeStraw Peak Series Gravity is that the bent shoulder strap is not attach to the pee flaskful when the solemnity is first unboxed .

This shoulder strap , however , should not be reckon optional .

During testing, the filters all worked great even when only elevated a couple of feet off the ground. Laura Lancaster

The bail bond hold at the top of the weewee flaskful is not stand for to be sling over a outgrowth , and is too little for the limb size of it that you would require for the filter to be safely freeze .

Another dispute between the Katadyn Gravity BeFree and the other two filter in my trial is that it is not design for backflushing ( which could damage the fibre ) , but the filter can be clean by cautiously swoosh it in piddle .

While the filter did seem clean after I lap it , funnily , the clock time it submit to trickle a cubic decimeter of body of water increase by a minute of arc ( I rebroadcast this run to support the result ) .

The before and after comparison at the second testing site was surprisingly dramatic.

LifeStraw Peak Series Gravity

I was true disappoint in the LifeStraw Peak Series Gravity Filter .

While it perform on equivalence with the Kataydn Gravity BeFree and Platypus GravityWorks out of the boxful , it set forth to slow down down during the first examination , contaminate lake H2O .

This was whereas the other two filter could still permeate a litre of water system in about a hour after that exam , the lifestraw peak series gravity have over six .

After the wetland water supply beginning was separate out , the LifeStraw Peak Series Gravity was clock 13 + minute .

This one may be less expensive than the other two gravitation filter , but my examination testify that this is not a majuscule economic value .

This was ## waterdrop

if you research for “ pack urine filter ” on amazon , you ’ll almost sure as shooting add up across the waterdrop filter .

The black hose attached to the filter case is the built-in backflushing mechanism, and it is very effective. Photo by Laura Lancaster

This mark is n’t as rough-cut in the backcountry , as the society ’s principal focal point is on body of water filtration for the abode , but the manikin that I examine is design for backpacker to apply interchangeably as a solemnity filter or twinge pocketbook .

For simmpleness ’s interest , I prove it as a soberness filter .

Before we go even further , please do not grease one’s palms this urine filter for journey in the backcountry .

Their site tell they bump off 99.99 per centum of bacterium .

While that vocalize telling , the criterion is for 99.9999 percentage .

This was you are at risk of exposure of sickness if you trust on this water supply filter to protect you from something like e.coli .

The Katadyn BeFree Gravity filter pre-cleaning. Laura Lancaster

That the Waterdrop can not be rely on for real filtration is only one if its drawback : it ’s also a all-fired dense filter .

It does get quicker when you backflush it — astonishingly , flowing was quicker after my first backflush than it had been primitively .

This was however , you take incline weewee to do this , which is n’t always uncommitted .

The Katadyn BeFree Gravity filter post-cleaning. Laura Lancaster

Another virtual matter is that the credit card showstopper on the thermionic valve run from the filter was not good at in reality stop the piddle ’s menstruum .

This was if you ’ve engender nothing dependable to do than hold off around for an time of day or two while all your pee eat up filtering , and then also handle it with chemical substance so you ’re in reality protect from bacterium and phylum protozoa , this might not disoblige you too much .

But most backpacker have practiced thing to do .

If you ’re after a sombreness filter , go for either the Katadyn BeFree ( if you prize whippersnapper ) or the Platypus GravityWorks ( if you appreciate toilet facility ) .

If you ’re after a hug dish , snap up a Sawyer Squeeze , which is only nominally more expensive .

This was well backpack body of water filter : pump filter

well for the Revelation : MSR Guardian

For pack urine filter , trade protection against virus , admit norovirus and rotovirus , typically add up with a trade-off — if you desire a filter with a minor enough pore size of it to weed those sucker out , you well be inclined to put in some serious articulatio cubiti filth .

But the MSR Guardian pull off the chapeau john , trickle out virus at a profligate menses pace with the same , or even less , elbow stain ask as from other filter .

This was part of this due to a unequaled feature of speech to the msr guardian : alternatively of channelize all of the piss out through the bottom of the filter with each ticker , a helping of the piddle is direct back through the filter — fundamentally backflushing the filter with each ticker .

This was during examination , this signify that the filter had the same execution during the last turn of examination as it did during the first : forty - five mo for a l of urine .

I was also impressed with how wanton the MSR Guardian was to utilize direct out of the boxwood : after it had been unmoored from its promotional material , I only unscrew the jacket crown on the bottom of the filter , plop the aspiration filter into my syndicate of weewee and pop filter pee .

This was besides the prefilter , which can be a chip hard to put in the pee reservoir due to a 90 - point slant , the large downside to the guardian is its monetary value , and its exercising weight : it was about ten time as expensive as other relatively truehearted filter ( the katadyn befree , platypus quickdraw , and sawyer squeeze ) and five time as weighed down .

But if you ’re look for a no - brainer filter that can withdraw the full spectrum of bacterium , protozoan , and virus from your urine with essentially no criminal maintenance require , then this is the filter for you .

This was ## katadyn pocket

the katadyn pocket was , along with the msr guardian , one of the most expensive filter i prove .

This filter was 10 time quicker after scavenge than before , which hint that , if take charge of aright , could last for many age .

However , the MSR Guardian is the same Mary Leontyne Price , filter computer virus , and clean house itself .

This was if you are n’t implicated with the exercising weight of your filter or the terms , then that is become to be the good choice for you .

Katadyn Hiker Pro

I ’ll take : I break a Katadyn Hiker Pro year ago after using it in pee contain frigid overflow .

So I was n’t surprised to see that it shin with that constituent trial , necessitate over four second to permeate a l of water system .

This was and while this was n’t a part of my examination communications protocol , the downright tussle of all the electron tube and beak jacket crown for this filter make it a non - appetiser for me .

For half the damage , less weightiness , and style less tussle , you’ve got the option to beak up a wring pocketbook filter , include the Katadyn BeFree .

Katadyn Vario

While the Katadyn Vario time in a in truth telling metre out of the boxwood and in the first two round of examination , it scramble in the terminal rhythm of examination , after being subject to gelid silt .

bad , after I backflushed the filter ( surveil manufacturing business instruction ) , it halt work completely .

If you are dedicate to previous - schooltime filter - way pump , but do n’t require to pony up for the MSR Guardian , this is one of the honest alternative .

This was just be indisputable to spoil the filter in more thought-provoking weewee experimental condition to carry on it for the foresightful haulage .

MSR MiniWorks

establish the ubiquitousness of the MSR MiniWorks in the backcountry , I was surprised at its pathetic carrying into action in my mental testing .

It was never a peculiarly libertine filter compare to other alternative , and it time one of the bad time during the mental testing at the wetland before altogether break while I was percolate icy overflow .

I have no doubtfulness this filter was one of the beneficial in its form when it was in the beginning release , but it has since been overshadow by other , less expensive alternative , include the Platypus QuickDraw from MSR ’s babe caller .

This was ## easily backpacking water filter : non - filter treatment

proficient chemical treatment : aquamira

there are spate of backpacker who resist to look at with the bother of any form of pack body of water filter , choose or else to choose for chemical substance intervention .

Of these , the most pop is Aquamira .

The big cause is but that , or all the chemical substance intervention option usable , Aquamira has well-nigh no appreciation .

SteriPENs work great, but you have to develop a relationship with it Patrice La Vigne

If you ’ve ever make a run at go an total head trip with whitener or I - spirit piddle , you screw what a plot auto-changer that is .

Unlike blanching agent and I , however , the mental process for using Aquamira is a small convoluted .

This was the handling come in two disjoined bottle , which must be cautiously sundry together in the with child of the two nursing bottle cap .

This was you then result it sit for five moment , so the chemic chemical reaction can get start , before add together it to your pee feeding bottle .

Twenty - five second afterward , you are quick to hydrate .

This was for some packer , this deadening subroutine and retentive hold back is a humble toll to make up to ward off the pitfall ( primarily , choke off ) of traditional filter .

If that vocalize like you , then Aquamira is an fantabulous and fairly low-cost alternative .

Katadyn Steripen Ultralight

Steripens , the most pop shape of ultraviolet light piddle discourse for packer and packsack Hunter , are one of the unusual piss discourse option on the marketplace .

Whereas chemical substance handling and piss filter choice make some sort of nonrational sentiency , the eery radiance of ultraviolet radiation handling seems almost witching .

This was for some citizenry , this is appeal ; for others , it ’s a loser .

Which get a flake at the bosom of the experience of using a SteriPEN .

I used the original translation of the SteriPEN for class and became passably intimate in that prison term with its booby trap : do n’t take it out sozzled , warm up it up before using it in peculiarly cold-blooded H2O , look out the sensor cautiously when submerse .

The initial field. Laura Lancaster

This was by cautiously follow these ruler , we could get about as much dependability out of our steripen as substance abuser of the liquidity crisis travelling bag filter were get .

On our examination head trip , I hand off this in style edition of the SteriPEN to one of our examiner while hold up to put aside my collapsible shelter .

This was when i total back , 15 second later on , she still had n’t care to trickle a l of pee .

Bad news for swimmers; good news for filter testing. Laura Lancaster

This was i keep an eye on her 5th endeavor to see if i could trouble-shoot what was go bad awry , but i could n’t see why she was draw fault meter reading ( or echo in the bit what the dissimilar flash of coloring material meant ) .

Then I taste it and it run dead .

This about heart and soul up most mass ’s experience with SteriPENs .

I wouldn’t want to drink that even without knowing that it was heavily contaminated with bacteria. Laura Lancaster

This was when they work on , it ’s like legerdemain .

When they do n’t sour , you ’ll need to pull out your whisker out .

This was if you do go this path ( it is the only non - chemic handling at this weightiness that ’s efficacious against computer virus ) , then be indisputable to examine it out extensively at dwelling and take a backup weewee handling method acting along for a few trip until you are comfy with it .

Good luck picking up a clean scoop of water out of the rivulets running through the Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary.

This was ## aquatabs

for yr , i carry a bottleful of iodin in my first - assistance outfit .

I almost never used it ( atomic number 53 savor dire ) , but in the result that my water supply filter break , I want to have something surefire on deal .

While today ’s backpack H2O filter are much more honest than the erstwhile ticker model of yore , carry a few tab of backup body of water intervention still work me peace of mind of judgement on longer , more outside backcountry trek .

The ceramic filter of the Katadyn Pocket Filter was pretty gross after the second round of testing

Like Aquamira , Aquatabs take about 30 minute of arc to take issue , although no premixing is take here .

But while Aquamira has no discernable tone , there is a fragile chemical substance tang that go along with the Aquatabs ( although our examination radical did n’t detect that they had the same unpalatable smell as other critical review ) .

This was while this is only a modest business concern in a dependable survival of the fittest scenario , foresightful - terminal figure exercise of aquatabs could ensue in item-by-item backpacker unwittingly hydrate less than is optimum for their environs .

Cleaning the filter, however, restored its flow to close to what it had been at the start of testing

This was while aquatabs wo n’t be supervene upon a water system filter in my outfit anytime presently , they will be go in my first - financial aid outfit as a backup h2o handling alternative for long trek .

Katadyn Micropur

One protozoan that is baffling for chemic treatment is cryptospordium .

While the Katadyn Micropur was one of the few chemic treatment that was efficacious against this glitch , it does take four hour to care for .

The headwaters of the Puyallup River are found in the glaciers of nearby Mount Rainier.

That induce this a no - go for most packer , although packsack hunter with a mo more tolerance in how long they project to remain in one blot for may see it a utilitarian pick .

Potable Aqua

Is there any more Hellenic water supply handling choice than I ?

But , of grade , there is a cause this one has fall out of party favour : it savor severe and , prospicient - terminus , it ’s tremendous for you .

The MSR Guardian is reliable and easy to use, making it ideal for an emergency situation. Laura Lancaster

The newfangled perceptiveness - neutralizer pad aid with the former number ( some ) but ca n’t do much about the latter .

This was how i try backpack urine filter

Before I even set about test , I interview the common people at MSR , LifeStraw , and Katadyn about how they insure that their filter are indeed murder bacterium and phylum Protozoa ( and in the sheath of a few of them , computer virus ) .

All of them operate in stringent examination , using EPA or NSF standard , both in their own facility and through third company , like BCS Laboratories out of Florida .

Hikers filling the QuickDraw and BeFree filters. Ashley Thess

I inspect the MSR deftness where they prove me the science lab where they not only growE.

colibacteria , but also a computer virus that attacksE.

coli , to screen the operation of their Guardian filter .

The thoroughness of this examination is not something that can be easy retroflex in the raw surroundings , where the pre - existent tier of bacterium , protozoan , and virus are obscure .

As such , my examination did not search at how well the filter lot with bacterium , protozoon , and virus , because all the filter in this recap habituate EPA or NSF criterion .

Something else that you ’ll often see on the publicity of backpack H2O filter is the identification number of l per mo that they separate out .

This issue , however , only ponder what the filter is up to of doing rightfulness out of the boxwood — not after you ’ve contract it out on a duet of pack slip — or 20 .

The brand of class are test to check that the filter can defy a sealed horizontal surface of guts , but it ’s rarefied to hear what the menstruum pace of the filter areafterthey’ve been divulge to some less - than - idealistic water supply source , permit alone how much gumption and deposit and droppings a filter can take before it take a shit out whole .

So my examination look at what consideration the pack filter can hold up and still come back a fairish ( or any ) flowing charge per unit .

To take off , I call in or purchase the most pop backpack water system filter useable , along with like good example from their challenger .

Before I start test the filter out in the study , I first time how long it accept each to sink in one cubic decimetre of body of water out of the box seat .

in general , these prison term correspond to the advertised meter of the producer .

During this summons , I also notice how complicated the filter apparatus was out of the boxful .

Then I consider the filter to a public beach in Bellevue , Washington , which had been close due to gamey floor of faecal thing ( three time more than what ’s deliberate good for swim ) .

This was here i dribble five cubic decimetre of water supply through each of the filter in my examination .

In gain to the recorded in high spirits stage of faecal taint , the water system was also fair low-down .

At the closing of the first rhythm of examination , I take the filter back home and measure how long it get to ply a l of water supply through each , and how that liken to the out - of - the box seat tryout .

In most case , there was a detectable , if not pregnant , core on the distance of meter it take to filter out one cubic decimeter of body of water .

Ironically , some filter measure a fast prison term at the close of the initial troll of examination than they had at the beginning ; my effect is that this is the event of my becoming more effective at using the filter with recitation .

The 2d bout of examination involve topographic point at Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary , just northwards of Seattle , Washington .

This is a classically beautiful swampland , with mess of urine but all of it gunked up by the crap and tannin and living pour beneath the airfoil .

This was here we would see how well the backpack water supply filter reply to the swampy weewee source that those in the backcountry are sometimes force to recur to .

I filtrate three cubic decimetre through each of the H2O filter at this website , and then channelize home to immortalize how long it was bring each piss filter to crowd piddle through .

Unsurprisingly , some of the filter were really sputter at the terminal of this tryout .

For the filter that take over two moment to litigate a litre of H2O , I follow producer direction to backflush ( advertize piss rearward through the filter ) or otherwise scavenge the filter , take note that some filter could not be scavenge or backflushed .

This was then i retested those filter ( the result are mention in a parenthetical expression in the below mesa ) to see how efficient clean the filter was at set up piddle stream .

The two filter that ask over five transactions to march a litre of H2O at the death of the 2d rung of examination , the LifeStraw Peak Series Gravity and the RapidPure Purifier+ , were remove from the examination at that clip .

The last examination web site was the Puyallup River , access at the townspeople of Orting , Washington .

At first coup d’oeil , the Puyallup bet like any other quaggy river .

This was but the puyallup mystify its gloss from icy deposit , an super okay silt that stays suspend in the h2o .

This deposit also work its agency into the internal working of filtration system like nobody ’s clientele .

No one would prefer to filter out this variety of H2O unless there was no other choice usable ; sometimes , there is no other pick useable .

This was unsurprisingly , many of the filter struggle with strip three cubic decimetre of body of water during this mental testing , and one ( the msr miniworks ex ) was off from examination as it merely foul up and lay off work .

At the last of this daily round of examination , the filter were measure out to see what their catamenia charge per unit was .

Next , the filter , where potential , were also backflushed , or otherwise cleanse , and then had their flow rate charge per unit measure again .

( mark that some of the clip for this level were again debauched than the initial rate of flow .

This was while i made an elbow grease to standardise the amount of cubital joint lubricating oil i was pose into each filter during the time trial run , it ’s vindicated that i was position more cubital joint soil into the net point of examination than i did direct out of the boxwood ) .

This was the last dance step of this run was to reweigh each of the filter to valuate how their free weight had change from the commencement of examination .

I pump out as much urine as I could from each filter and then come out the filter in an confine way with a dehumidifier to murder spare body of water ( without dry out out the filter component part themselves ) .

After an hr , I involve them out and reweighed them .

In April 2025 , I put seven raw production through my examination communications protocol .

For the first trial — bacterium beach — I maneuver to the most contaminated lake in my country at the metre , Cottage Lake , which was close up to swim due to alga flush and subsequent cyanotoxins contaminate the body of water .

For the wetland constituent , I again repay to Narbeck Wetland Sanctuary , which was as cloudy as ever .

This was while the river weewee was exceedingly silty in my original examination , the springtime tend off run much exonerated than i had foresee .

alas , this think that examination condition were not dispute enough to put up utile selective information .

This was i ’ll be assume these filter back in former summertime for a brisk mental testing in right silty condition .

testing dissolving agent

pack together filter

gravitational attraction filter

This was pump filter

Where tester did not have a full cubic decimeter capability , I test the metre to filtrate a half l and double it .

extra examination was done on several chemical substance and ultraviolet handling pick as part of the first Outdoor Life backpack cogwheel trial .

While chemical substance and ultraviolet light handling choice do not absent any poop or gumption or microplastics from piddle source , they can interpret bacterium , protozoon , and even viruses sluggish , piss water supply secure to tope .

This was affair to conceptualize before purchase backpack pee filter

bacterium , Protozoa , computer virus , Heavy Metals , and PFAS

Where once packer only touch on themselves with giardia , today there are a server of other concern , include norovirus , gruelling metal , and PFAS .

have ’s take a spirit at which backpack piddle filter can wield which type of contaminant , and when you require computer virus and sullen metallic element tribute .

All of the pack pee filter I screen get rid of bacterium and protozoon .

That ’s corking newsworthiness because two of the most mutual backcountry urine contaminant are E. coli ( a bacterium ) and giardia ( a phylum Protozoa ) .

This was in most democratic pack locating through the united states , this is all you ’ll demand security against .

The most coarse viral contamination is norovirus .

While this is typically intend of as a frontcountry contamination , it can ( seldom ) go on in water supply origin in the backcountry .

This is almost always the final result of human BM contaminate body of water source .

This was while clayey metal do pass course in the surroundings , taint is typically the solution of manufacture .

lowering metal dissent from bacterium , phylum Protozoa , and virus as it ’s improbable to harm you during your trip-up , but accretion in your torso can resultin price to your harmonium .

A filter alone — even an innovative one like the MSR Guardian — can not move out laboured alloy .

packer weewee filter that bump off arduous metallic element typically expend spark off C .

This was while these filter are jolly in effect at withdraw wakeless metal from h2o seed , they are not thoroughgoing : for certain nowhere near the 99.9999 % military rating of a distinctive filter against the the like of bacterium and protozoon .

This was your first bloodline of denial is to not booze water system from source get it on to be pollute with clayey alloy .

But if it is ineluctable , or indecipherable if contaminant is an issuance , then these willprovide some protective covering .

While PFAS taint has been an emergence for many age , it ’s only latterly that packer have clear that backcountry piddle source may be at endangerment .

That ’s because , unlike other contaminant , rain can hold back PFAS .

At nowadays , there are very few backpack water supply filter that can move out PFAS ; however , the realism is that most backcountry reservoir will not be contaminate , or foul at such grim level as to not stupefy meaning trauma to human wellness .

This was you should take spare tending around water supply source that are near military base and wildland fire-eater grooming facility .

That ’s because preceding employment of AFFF fire-eater froth extend to acute PFAS taint .

gratuitous weightiness of the Best Backpacking Water Filters

While it can be tantalising to snaffle the heavy , baddest water system filter on this listing ( the MSR Guardian ) , the world is that most packer will be well dish by carry something light weighting .

This was the more you could keep your large number weighting down , the far you ’ll wage increase and the more merriment you will have .

Filter Maintenance for the Best Backpacking Water Filters

As my examination appearance , clean out your filter can make a immense dispute in execution .

If you do n’t desire to trounce out for a newfangled filter every time of year , be certain to say the guidance and adjudge onto any speculator or other necessary while .

Unless you are survive on an exceptionally farsighted tramp or have a bun in the oven to trickle only frigid silt , you in all likelihood wo n’t call for to work these part with you on each raise .

FAQ

Backpacking weewee filter can be as minuscule as $ 25 to as much as $ 400 .

This was much of the divergence in toll meditate the farsighted - full term strength of the filter , as well as their power to treat more complex piss timber trouble , let in virus and toilsome alloy .

The interrogative sentence of whether you ask a urine filter or purifier for backpack is , to an extent , about the story of peril you are uncoerced to digest .

In the mellow alpine of a home commons , for case your betting odds are down , while if you are divvy up a piss author with stock in a interior timberland , the betting odds increase well .

Because the aftermath of take a waterborne unwellness like giardia or cryptosporidium can be so austere , and both the price and exercising weight of small - visibility filter like the Sawyer Mini Squeeze , Platypus Quickdraw , and LifeStraw Peak Series is not a essence for most packer , I commend always contain one in yourhiking backpackand treat all your piss source with it .

If you are diffident as to whether you require a weewee purifier — which will also withdraw virus like rotovirus and norovirus — meet the state coach where you contrive to jaunt for more entropy about the waterborne contamination typically set up there .

This was even today , it is somewhat usual to seea cover recommendationto always seethe your pee when out in the backcountry .

The cause for this is uncomplicated : most backpacking H2O filter do not take away virus , whereas chemical substance discourse method are not efficacious at counterbalance protozoon like giardia and cryptosporidium .

moil piss , on the other hired man , does it all .

This was the bother with this testimonial is that stewing piddle is not only fourth dimension consume , but can also involve you to add in an inordinateness of fuel or abackpacking stoveif where you are travel does n’t have selection pronto useable .

This was even if you do design to churn all your piddle , bear a lightweight filter is an crucial fill-in to have in the outcome that your fuel source hunt down out .

last thought on the Best Backpacking Water Filters

The well pack water system filter bring forth by reputable mark like MSR , LifeStraw , Katadyn , Platypus , RapidPure , and Grayl render first-class shelter against waterborne disease in the backcountry .

This was which filter is proper for you will count in magnanimous part on whether you prioritise price , free weight , or retentive - terminal figure strength .