The Finest Backpacking Water Filters of 2023

You don’t want a lot to have a profitable backpacking journey. Sure, you’ll want some gear (like a tent, a sleeping bag, and a pack). However most significantly, you’ll want a strategy to get clear, protected water whereas on the path.

Earlier than we clarify in depth how every water filter works, right here are some things that may make it easier to by this information. There are numerous totally different strategies of filtering (or treating) water. The commonest strategies are by a cartridge or tube, with both activated carbon, UV mild, or chemical substances.

Filters additionally come in several types: straw-style, pump filters, gravity filters, and UV or pill remedies. All of them make water protected to drink however differ barely in dimension, sturdiness, and value.

We’ve spoken to thru-hikers, hunters, and mountaineers, and browse tons of of buyer critiques to search out out which water filters available on the market are actually the very best.

Our staff collectively examined a plethora of numerous filters for the creation of this information. Present writer and Senior Editor, Chris Carter, has been squeezing water by numerous tubes and dropping tablets in his Nalgene every season to carry you the streamlined number of 18 filters you see right now. From stagnant inexperienced swimming pools within the African savanna to effervescent alpine brooks within the Cascade Mountains, Chris has filtered water of all consistency and colour within the wild, and brings solely the very best filters on his excursions. Relaxation assured, we’d belief each mannequin on this information to maintain us protected and hydrated within the backcountry.

Make sure to try our water filter comparability chart on the backside, our complete purchaser’s information, or our FAQ part for assist in snagging the very best backpacking water filter to your journey.

Editor’s Be aware: We refreshed this text on November 24, 2023, including extra particulars about our testing practices, extra data relating to the distinction between purifiers and filters, and several other extra images. We additionally made positive our product listing is up-to-date with present fashions, expertise, and designs.

The Finest Backpacking Water Filters of 2023

Finest Water Filter Bottles

Water filters aren’t simply nice for backpacking and climbing, however can maintain you feeling wholesome and recent whereas road-tripping or touring overseas. A couple of of the choices under are nice for each!

Under are a few of our prime decisions for journey water filters, whether or not your adventures take you overlanding, RVing, on day journeys, or on worldwide adventures.

Backpacking Water Filters Comparability Chart

How We Examined Backpacking Water Filters

The GearJunkie staff is made up of adventurers from a plethora of various out of doors sports activities and actions, however every of their hobbies requires a central self-discipline: correct water filtration within the backcountry. It’s key to survival, and if completed poorly, can rapidly put you in a harmful scenario.

Managing editor Mary Murphy curated our preliminary number of 14 filters again in Might 2020. A prolific backpacker, Mary is aware of the worth of a dependable filter for fixed, reliable hydration within the backcountry. Creator and Senior Editor Chris Carter took over this information in August of 2022, and has been digging by his gear closet and scouring the web ever since to carry you probably the most present, deserving choice doable.

Chris has thru-hiked the Triple Crown of lengthy trails, (the Appalachian Path, Pacific Crest Path, and Continental Divide Path) and continues to pursue long-distance climbing all over the world. Vital time backpacking and hitchhiking round East Africa pressured him to purify water of the grimiest kinds, and made him religiously fastidious in his hydration practices. He’s suffered from his fair proportion of water-born pathogens, and can solely depend on the very best of the very best to filter his fluids on any journey.

For this information, we rigorously scrutinized probably the most dependable, practical water filters that out of doors fans from all ends of the spectrum rely on within the wild. We introduced every of those filters on adventures and made positive that we’d really feel snug with all of them as our major technique of accruing filtered water within the area.

Purchaser’s Information: The right way to Select a Water Filter

Filters vs. Purifiers

Water filters and water purifiers work in comparable methods, however it’s useful to know the distinction when selecting. Filters defend in opposition to protozoa or parasites (equivalent to cryptosporidium and giardia) in addition to micro organism (like E. coli or salmonella), microplastics, grime, and particles. Micro organism is the principle concern if you’re ingesting out of unsafe water sources within the backcountry or distant areas. Well-liked filters embody the Sawyer Squeeze, and the Katadyn BeFree Gravity filter.

Purifiers go an additional step by defending in opposition to and filtering out viruses. That is extra of a priority if you’re touring internationally or to rural locations the place clear water will not be accessible. Merchandise just like the MSR Guardian and GRAYL GEOPRESS Bottle will purify your water whereas additionally filtering out bigger particles, whereas purifiers just like the SteriPEN Adventurer use UV mild to purify water, however gained’t clear the water of seen grime and sediment. You possibly can run the water by a bandana or t-shirt first earlier than utilizing a majority of these purifiers to wash out the largest particles.

For actually heinous soiled/stagnant water, it may be sensible to make use of numerous totally different strategies to make sure you don’t get sick. Some will filter their water with one thing just like the Platypus QuickDraw, after which boil it, add a purification pill like Katadyn’s Micropur M1 tablets, or add a few drops of bleach to make sure all the things is killed. This may be time-consuming, and make the water style attention-grabbing, however it’s much better than catching a trip-ending illness within the wilderness.

Sorts of Water Filters

There are a number of various kinds of backpacking water filters, and we cowl a broad vary of them on this information. Every one has its place within the backcountry, and which kind you select will rely on how clear the water will probably be in your journey, how light-weight you are attempting to go, and in case you are touring internationally.

Gravity and Inline Filters

These filters use gravity to drag water from a grimy bag, by a filter, and right into a clear bag or immediately into your mouth. These are sometimes the best filters to make use of as you merely hook it as much as a tree department or tent and wait. These are normally heavier and take a while to arrange, so aren’t the very best choices for quick and lightweight missions. They have a tendency to work finest for giant teams or to maintain round a base camp.

Gravity filters permit you to maintain a considerable amount of water useful, however they are often tough to refill in shallow water sources, so maintain that in thoughts when selecting a campsite. We discovered the Katadyn BeFree Gravity filter to be among the finest choices for giant group journeys.

Inline filters are sometimes utilized in gravity programs, however they will also be paired with a hydration pouch or water bottle for fast use. Filters equivalent to the ever present Sawyer Squeeze or the Platypus QuickDraw can be utilized on this means. These usually depend on the person sucking the water from a pouch or water bottle, by the filter, immediately into their mouth. With the proper adapters, a number of fashions of inline filters can be utilized with a hydration pack you could already be carrying, providing simple filtration with out including a lot weight.

Straw Filters

Whereas we don’t suggest them as your major technique of water filtration within the wild, straw filters are undeniably one of many best methods of procuring recent water quick. Our favourite finances filter, the LifeStraw Private, matches this invoice. These are nice for path operating, mountain biking, or as a backup to your major filter. These filters permit you to get down and soiled by a stream or lake and drink immediately from the supply by sipping the water by the filter like a straw.

The primary draw back to straw filters is that they don’t supply any strategy to carry filtered water with you, except you may match the straw right into a water bottle of soiled water you’re carrying with you, which could be actually annoying. It could possibly additionally get irritating having to virtually lie down on muddy or rocky banks to get a drink any time you get thirsty. These filters suffice for day hikes, however you’ll most likely need one thing totally different for any prolonged backpacking journey.

Pump Filters

Pump filters, such because the MSR MiniWorks, work nice for pulling water out of shallow swimming pools or creeks and generally is a stable selection for small backpacking teams. They have a tendency to run on the heavy aspect, take a bit extra effort to make use of, and could be fairly sophisticated to wash. For these causes, you don’t see as many pump filters within the backcountry as you used to, however they do nonetheless have their place.

In some instances, as with the MSR Guardian, pump filters do a greater job at purifying actually nasty water, by eradicating viruses, micro organism, and protozoa, equivalent to E. coli, giardia, and cryptosporidium. One thing to think about a bit extra significantly whereas adventuring internationally.

Water Filter Bottles

Water filter bottles are useful to have for touring, road-tripping, or mild climbing, however are sometimes on the heavy aspect for devoted light-weight backpacking journeys. A few of these bottles, just like the LifeStraw Go Filter Bottle, filter water with a easy hollow-fiber straw that extends from the nozzle into the water, whereas others use fancier expertise to ship a pure, recent swig.

The GRAYL GEOPRESS makes use of electroabsorption and activated carbon to purify water by merely urgent it firmly on the bottom, whereas the CrazyCap bottle makes use of UVC mild to take away viruses and micro organism. These aren’t your common Nalgenes! Try our in-depth assessment of the GEOPRESS if you wish to nerd out a bit extra.

Chemical/UV Purifiers

Lastly, purifying your water chemically, or with UV mild, is one other easy strategy to goal viruses which may be current in a water supply, versus simply micro organism and protozoa. Chemical purifiers use iodine or chlorine dioxide to take care of contaminated water, whereas UV purifiers make use of ultraviolet rays. Some backpackers may even use bleach to deal with their water (two drops per liter, then wait half-hour). It is a tremendous easy answer however does go away your water tasting, nicely, considerably like a pool.

We like Katadyn’s Micropur M1 tablets for chemical therapy, as they have a tendency to go away a extra refined aftertaste in comparison with different manufacturers. The SteriPEN Adventurer has been our go-to UV filter for its lengthy lifespan and lightweight weight.

It is a nice strategy to purify your water extra successfully, however since these don’t have filters with them, it’s vital to make use of them with clear water that doesn’t have quite a lot of particles in it. Chemical or UV purifiers are light-weight and easy, however ought to most likely not be used as your major technique of filtration on a backpacking journey. It’s laborious to get filtered water quick, they will go away an unsavory aftertaste, and typically depend on batteries and electronics (within the case of UV purifiers). Since they’re so mild, nonetheless, it’s at all times a good suggestion to have them as a backup.

Filter Time and Stream Charge

Our picks for finest water filters differ broadly by way of how rapidly they will filter water, starting from 30 seconds to half-hour to 4 hours (chemical remedies). Sorts of filters and strategies of purifying will play a component, as will stream price.

Stream price is a unit that measures how rapidly a certain quantity of water could be filtered. Stream charges for gravity, pump, or squeeze filters listed right here differ wherever from 1-3 L per minute. In case you are encountering a gradual stream price along with your filter, it could require priming or backflushing.

Just like needing to prime a range, some water filters require priming earlier than preliminary use. Examine the directions (it varies by filter) on how to do that. Backflushing is a course of the place it’s essential to clear water out of the filter system after use. This primarily applies to filters with pumps, tubes, or tubing, and it ensures that the within of the filter stays dry and clear.

One other consideration right here is location: if you’ll be touring by a desert panorama, there could also be few to no timber (a necessity to hold some gravity filters correctly). For that kind of setting, a special model of filter could be finest.

And if you’ll be touring with a companion or group, the private LifeStraw filter clearly gained’t be the most suitable choice (though we like it as a backup!).

Packed Measurement

This is a crucial level for ultralight setups and light-weight backpackers. You’ll need to select a filter that works finest for you and the way a lot water you’ll want, however one that may additionally slot in your pack.

Filters just like the Sawyer Squeeze and Katadyn BeFree are widespread as a result of the precise filter unit is so small, and the burden is near nothing. The Sawyer Squeeze weighs simply a few ounces, whereas the Katadyn weighs 6.8 ounces (however bear in mind, it could filter as much as 3 L of water at a time).

Filter programs which have water reservoirs and tubing additionally roll and pack down pretty small. Our private desire on group journeys is a gravity filter system, whereas on solo journeys — although they weigh barely extra — our desire is a water bottle filter/air purifier, provided that we at all times carry a 1L bottle anyway.

Sturdiness and Longevity

The lifespan of a filter tremendously will depend on its filter technique (cartridge, hole membrane, chemical, or UV mild). Backpacking water filters can final wherever from 250 to 4,000 L. Cleansing your filter frequently utilizing the strategies that the producer recommends may even assist lengthen the lifetime of your filter.

Filters that use a cartridge are inclined to final wherever from 200 to 500 L earlier than it’s essential to substitute the cartridge. Then again, with different filters that last more, you could want to switch the complete unit on the finish of its life. The LifeStraw is an instance of this; it could filter round 4,000 L, after which it should cease working and must be changed.

For UV strategies just like the CrazyCap filter bottle and SteriPENs, they’ll final eternally so long as you cost or proceed to switch the batteries (barring any injury, after all).

FAQ

The easiest way to wash your water when backpacking is to make use of and discover the cleanest water supply doable. You’ll need to search for clear, operating water — someplace between a babbling brook and a dashing river.

Keep away from stagnant ponds or areas the place there may be runoff (from livestock, city areas, and so forth.) or particles. You’ll additionally need to discover a protected place to refill, pump, or hold your gravity filter.

With some filtering strategies, like chemical filters and tablets, you’ll need to wait longer to make sure that the water is clear if it’s under a sure temperature (or cloudy).

Filters mostly use a tube, pump, or gravity technique of filtering. Purifiers use a mix of a tube or chamber with activated carbon or one other chemical element to combat in opposition to one key distinction: viruses.

The entire decisions on this listing defend in opposition to not less than micro organism and protozoa, and lots of additionally defend in opposition to issues like toxins, chemical substances, and viruses. We suggest selecting the one that may work finest primarily based in your scenario, finances, and desire.

The lifespan of a filter largely will depend on the kind of filter. Most hole fiber or activated charcoal cartridges will must be changed each couple hundred makes use of, or after a sure variety of liters have been filtered. Some filters, just like the LifeStuncooked, can final for years, however when it’s run its course you’ll want to purchase a brand new one.

There are additionally some filters and purifiers that simply want new batteries or to be charged.

Sure! Purifiers just like the Grayl Geopress Air purifier are constructed particularly to filter and defend in opposition to all the things you possibly can encounter, whether or not within the backcountry or in a growing nation.

So long as you’re following the directions in your filter or air purifier, it should defend in opposition to no matter it’s rated for (normally one thing like 99.999999% of micro organism and 99.999% of parasites and microorganisms).

Our prime two issues when shopping for gear like this are at all times: (1) how usually we will probably be utilizing it, and (2) value. One other vital issue for a lot of is how lengthy a filter will final. In the event you backpack or hike 9-12 months out of the yr, you most likely need to drop more cash on a filter that has an extended lifespan.

When all else fails, you may boil water to be protected. However let’s be trustworthy, having a water filter readily available is significantly better.