The Best Water Filter For You

Picking a water filter for your next adventure can seem like a daunting task. With so many options on the market today you can often find yourself spending countless hours looking online or wandering through box stores finding the right filter to fit your specific needs. Waste no more time for we have put together the perfect water filter buying guide.

So what is the best water filter for you?

Today’s water filtration systems can be incredibly portable, efficient, and insanely effective. Water is essential for life don’t let it get in the way of your next backcountry adventure. With this how-to water filters buyer guide, you can confidently purchase your next filter knowing your next cup of H2O will not send you running to the toilet.

WHY YOU NEED A WATER FILTER

Many natural water sources contain microscopic organisms that can affect the human body. The effects of drinking contaminated water can cause diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and severe illness. Water filter systems designed for the backcountry will remove bacteria and protozoa keeping you happy and hydrated on your journey.

If you plan on exploring the backwoods having a water purification system will make all the difference and could save you from getting violently ill and suffering from stomach issues, which is the last thing you need while hitting the trails. Don’t let a sip of water wreck your time in the outdoors.

HOW THEY WORK

The diversity of backcountry water filter systems almost seems endless, with everything from pumps, straws, tablets, and drops, to gravity-feeds, the options are almost overwhelming. Whether the water is being chemically treated or is being passed through a filter all water filtration system have the same main objective, to purify your water reducing the chances of illness.

Water filtration systems protect against illness by removing protozoa, bacteria, viruses and heavy metals or chemicals. Some water filtration systems may not remove a certain type of virus so be sure to check your area for any contaminants that you may not be protected against.

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND

When shopping for a Backcountry water filtration system it´s important to keep in mind your available room, how much weight you can hold, your budget, and the type of system that best suits your needs. Super lightweight filtration systems such as Life straws, tablets, drops, and micro-filters, are great for lightweight backpackers who are tryting to be cautious of every ounce carried.

Having the option to store filtered water for later use may also influence your decision as some filtration systems may only allow you to clean a certain amount of water at a time while others will give you the option to fill up a water bottle with as much purified water as the bottle can hold.

Collecting the water for purification or filtration can sometimes be a tricky task so when shopping for your future system make sure you keep in mind how the water will be collected, as some of these systems require you to get extremely close to the water source, and sometimes that is just not the case as it may be too dangerous or inaccessible.

Water is a crucial part of the success and enjoyment of your backcountry adventure so be sure to pick one that fits your needs so that you’re not having any buyer’s remorse while you are trying to fill your water bottle in the middle of a backcountry outing.

Below are some of the top water filtration and purification systems for Backcountry Adventures:

GRAYL GEOPRESS WATER PURIFIER

The Grayl Geopress Water Purifier is an effective water purifying system that is great for international travel and backpacking. If water is easily accessible filtration will be a breeze, just place the Grayl Geopress in the water source filling up to the line located on the side of the cup, once you have filled the water use the filter to plunge down on the water inside the cup-like you would while making a pot of coffee using a French press. After the water is collected and filtered you are able to drink, making it fast and easy to hydrate no matter where you are.

The Grayl Geopress water purifier removes viruses, heavy metals, plastics, protozoa, and many more contaminants found in the backcountry or when traveling abroad. With its durable plastic and its discrete design, it is a definite favorite amongst Backpackers and Travelers. The Grayl Geopress does not allow storage of water for future use and with pressing the filter requiring a bit of strength to push down This water filtration system may not be for everyone

Life Straw

The LifeStraw is a water filter that requires the user to get down to face level with the water source and place the LifeStraw in the water sucking the what could be contaminated water through the straw and into the mouth of the user. This water filtration system can be dangerous if getting access to the water source is risky. Good for a thousand liters of water the LifeStraw gets rid of 99.999% of bacteria and 99.9%t of protozoa down 0.2 microns. Downsides with this filtration system is that it does not remove contaminants such as heavy metals, plastics, and chemicals.

The LifeStraw has a portable lightweight design that can fit into your pocket or in any travel bag. with all of these benefits and very few disadvantages, there is no question why the LifeStraw is a popular choice amongst Backpackers and travelers

MSR GUARDIAN PURIFIER PUMP

The MSR Guardian purifier pump Is a high-end high-priced water filter. With it’s fast and easy to use mechanics and the ability to filter out bacteria, viruses, and protozoan pathogens this effective and efficient water filtration system is an absolute favorite amongst travelers and Backcountry goers. Although the MSR Guardian purifier pump is bulky in size the self-cleaning filter will make any storage issues seem justifiable. with a long hose that goes directly into the water source, you minimize any risk of falling in while collecting water.

The MSR Guardian purifier pump allows you to fill up any wide mouth water bottle giving you the option to store as much water as possible, making it great for group camping or going to locations with minimal or restricted water sources. Another great feature of the MSR Guardian purifier pump Is that it can be used in a wide variety of water temperatures Making it a very well diverse water filtration system. This water pump truly backs up its price point if money is not an issue for you or you just want to high-quality filter the MSR Guardian purifier pump may be just what you’re looking for.

MSR MINI WORKS EX WATER FILTER

The MSR Miniworks EX water filter is another pump Style filtration system from MSR. This water filter is great at an even better price point, sitting at just 110 US dollars this thing has it all. Being able to filter out viruses, bacteria, protozoan pathogens, heavy metals, and chemicals This is probably the most diverse an effective water filter on this buyer’s guide. This water filtration system has a bulky body that thas some adventurers thinking twice before they purchase, but with a filter cartridge that can clean a whopping 2000 liters before a replacement one is needed carrying it seems completely justifiable.

Like the MSR Guardian purifier pump, the Mini Works is equipped with a long hose that goes directly into the water source allowing you to fill your water bottles from a safe and accessible distance. One of the only downsides to the MSR Miniworks is that the pump requires a bit of strength and it has a slow filtration rate. Other than that this durable and effective water filter is an absolute treasure.

PLATYPUS GRAVITY WORKS 4.L WATER FILTER.

The Platypus Gravity Works water filter is a fast and simple to use water filtration system which is a favorite amongst Backpackers. This water filter can clean and store up to 4 liters of water in under 5 minutes. One of the best things about the Platypus Gravity Works water filters that it can also be used as a shower or hand wash station. It works by filling the “dirty bag” directly at the water source, the water then runs through the filtration system filling up the 4L ‘clean bag’ giving you water tube hydrate and clean yourself with.

The Platypus Gravity Works water filter protects against bacteria and protozoan, however, it does not filter out viruses that you may find when traveling abroad. With its base camp design it is often overlooked for backpackers who are on the go, but with it only being two bags and a hose finding space for this beauty will not be a challenge. The Platypus Gravity Works water filter is one water filter that should ring high-interest when shopping for your new filtration system.

Conclusion

The great outdoors are amazing, getting outside enjoying some fresh air some wildlife and some serene scenery. The last thing you need while on a backcountry Adventure or when traveling to foreign countries is to get sick, not only can it be incredibly dangerous it will also ruin your time. In the 21st century, we have the technology to create compact and efficient water filtration systems that not only keep you hydrated but keep you safe.

Do you have any backpacking water horror stories? What is your favorite water filter system? leave a comment below.