The squeeze bags that come with the filter are really cheap and will burst. Since it’s a squeeze type filter, your hands can get tired as you manually push the water through the filter. The main downside about the Sawyer Mini is its incredibly slow flow rate. It ends up costing less than 1 cent per liter treated. Since you never have to replace the cartridge, the long-term price of this is dirt cheap. The initial price of the Sawyer Mini is very cheap. So long as you don’t let the filter freeze after using it (which would cause the water inside the filter to expand and destroy the filter membrane), it will last you forever. The main reason that I love the Sawyer Mini is because it has an infinite filter life. I am a huge fan of the Sawyer Mini water filter and have been using the same one for 5+ years over dozens of trips. Sawyer Mini Water Filterīest For: Backpackers on a budget in places where viruses aren’t a concern. *I calculated the cost per liter of water treated based on current price at time of writing. MSR Trail Base and TrailShot (Gravity/Pump Filter) Get it at REI or Amazonīest Backpacking Water Filters and Purifiers Product It’s pricey but means you don’t have to buy bottled water. GRAYL GeoPress: For international travel or backpacking in contaminated areas, this purifier will remove all dangers from your water including chemicals.Sawyer Mini: In backcountry areas where viruses aren’t a concern, the Sawyer Mini is a cheap, lightweight solution for treating water.It treats up to 10,000 liters so pays off in the long run. The MSR Guardian: For serious backpackers because it treats pathogens including viruses.The choice of best backpacking filter/purifier really varies depending on your budget and where you are going. Price, weight, ease of use, and effectiveness have all been taken into consideration. In this article, I will go over these tradeoffs so you can pick the best water filter or purifier for your trip. Water filters that can remove chemicals have cartridges that have to be changed frequently, so end up costing a lot in the long run. For example, micro filters that remove viruses have low flow rates and clog easily.
There’s always going to be some tradeoff. Let me emphasize that no water treatment system is perfect. I usually just bring the Sawyer Mini, which is dirt cheap and weighs a mere 2oz. However, that doesn’t mean you have to bring an expensive, complex, or heavy water purifier on your trip. It’s simply not worth the risk to drink untreated water, even from clear mountain streams. The same applies to tap water when traveling in underdeveloped countries. At worst, you can end up seriously ill and stranded in the middle of the wilderness and hopefully have a SPOT device or other way to call for help.īecause of how serious waterborne illness can be, it is really important you treat water before drinking it. Speaking from experience, it’s hard to dig a cathole when you are vomiting and crapping every 15 minutes! At best, a waterborne disease can make for a miserable day hiking. On one hand, you’ve got people who say they drink directly from mountain streams and are “fine.” On the other, there’s the risk of getting gut-wrenching diarrhea in the middle of your trip.
of U.S.Figuring out which water filter or purifier to take backpacking is a confusing task.
Field-maintainable: Filter can be cleaned repeatedly for full flow recovery with no tools required.Reliable: Filter’s durable ceramic/carbon element ensures safe, taste-free water-even with frequent, heavy use.Each tablet treats up to 2 quarts of water depending on conditions. Includes 50 individually packaged tablets. Iodine-Free: Aquatabs tablets inactivate viruses without bad-tasting iodine.EPA drinking water standards* and NSF protocol P231 testing standard.
Together they provide the most reliable water possible in a compact, lightweight system that’s great for backpacking and international travel. When viruses are a concern, the chlorine-based Aquatabs® purification tablets add viral defense. The MiniWorks® Microfilter-our best-selling filter for demanding conditions-utilizes a ceramic/carbon element to filter out waterborne bacteria and protozoa, as well as particulate, taste and odors at 1 liter per minute. Get the added viral protection that’s critical in popular wilderness areas and developing countries with this comprehensive purifier and microfilter system. Our most versatile and comprehensive water treatment system.