Water filtering/purification – which to choose?

[hankbaker213]

Hi Guys,

I am all new to backpacking and would like to get some feedback on the water filters/purifiers I have chosen below as I need help choosing which will be the most ideal for my upcoming trips.

A little background, I am all new to backpacking and have next to no gear at this stage. I have been car camping for many moons (its how I grew up) and am looking to get into backpacking as a way to get some real exercise, travel more and overall a way to just "get away".

So here are the water filter systems I am primarily considering, however please do feel free to recommend other solutions!

In order of most interested to least.

1) LifeStraw Mission Gravity Water Purifier

While I realize this is one the more heavy systems on the market its also a purifier as opposed to just a filter from my understanding. It claims to filter down to 0.02 which would mean no viruses or other really small things that could make one sick. As I will be primarily in the US to start its likely overkill, however I am looking to head outside the US next year which I believe it would be well worth it.

2) Platypus Gravityworks Water Filter System – 4 Liter


Basic gravity filter, gets good reviews and overall seems to be a good solution.

3) Sawyer Mini Water Filter


Sawyer Mini appears to be everyone's favorite, however I would then need to carry my "dirty" water in my bladder and have this inline. While that doesn't sound too bad I am concerned that after a week or two my bladder could be rather disgusting.

Using my bladder + Sawyer I believe it should work as a gravity filter as well which I could use for cooking or filling my Nalgene bottle, but I have read a few reviews noting it is slow to filter water when doing it this way.

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Notes:

– I need to filter water for 1-2 people.
– I am not looking to get into ultralight backpacking, I am looking for gear that is flexible and can meet my needs no matter where I roam (within reason ofc) and am willing to carry a little more weight to meet that requirement.

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Thanks in advance!

 

[fmyth]

I carried a Sawyer mini and 2 Smart water bottles in my pack all last year and it worked well. I did screw up during rifle season and left my Sawyer in my pack outside the tent where it was below freezing which possibly ruined it. I just picked up a new Sawyer mini and a Steripen as back up. Sierra Trading post has a Steripen for $49 right now. I got a 25% off coupon here on Rokslide which brought the price down to $37. I use a Katadyn Hiker Pro at basecamp to filter larger quantities of water for use around camp. You can find a Katadyn Pro for under $50.

 

[Jardo]

Sawyer mini goes everywhere with me. Just don’t let it freeze.

Stay away from life straw. I know a guy on another board who works in water treatment for a municipality and he says life straws should be banned. They are not effective and do not work as advertised... according to him.

I have a lot of filters but for backcountry hiking, a sawyer mini is adequate. I also have a few katadyns. Just remember you need charcoal to remove chemical contaminants. Sawyer mini is good for bacteria but not chemicals which may be present.




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[P Y Buck]

I have used the Sawyer Mini for years in Colorado and Idaho back country. It has never failed me. Extremely small and lite weight. Highly recommend

 

[Cdroot89]

I use the sawyer squeeze. From what I have read, the sawyer mini and squeeze will cover you for any pathogens that you would like encounter from backpacking in the US. If you are concerned about the ability to filter chemicals and heavy metals sawyer does make the S1 and S3. The S3 has a limited number of treatments (400) but is supposedly filter heavy metals, chemicals, and viruses. I used the steri pen for a few years and it was easy but always had me a little nervous about the water on the rim of my Nalgene not being treated. For me the two bag system works great. The things you need to worry about are the filter freezing, getting clogged, or air locked. The airlock problem is an easy fix, you just need to open the hose leading into the filter and let the air out. My hunting partner was complaining that his was filtering slowly and we fixed it by doing this. Also, debris can clog your filter. Take the syringe with you that it comes with and back flush it if it starts to slow. A plus is, you can use the syringe to irrigate wounds/lacerations but use potable water to do this.

 

[prm]

I carry a Steripen and a Sawyer.

Using the Sawyer you can use their squeeze bags to filter the water immediately into a clean container such as a Nalgene so no dirty water is left in a bag. The larger Sawyer is much faster and easier to squeeze than the mini, but they each work well.

As long as the water doesn’t have too much debris in it I typically just use a Steripen with
water in a largemouth Nalgene bottle. The only reason I have the Sayer too is I don’t fully trust electronic devices.

 

[Luziana Feller]

between me and my buddy last year we carried aquamira, sawyer, and steripen. we ditched our bladders and ran nalgenes and smartwater bottles after day 1. the threads on the sawyer attach to the smartwater bottles and you can be creative with that combo to either drink from it directly or fill clean bottles. i left my sawyer out overnight on day 3 or 4 and i know it froze which rendered it useless, so be cautious of that. i probably used the aquamira more than anything just because of simplicity and we never really ran into water with sediment to filter out. they're nice for camp water too- just fill the container, add drops and you have several liters of water ready to go in 30 minutes.

 

[thesloppy1]

I us the Katadyn BeFree. I have both the sawyer and the BeFree and the BeFree is much better. Easier to fill, easier to clean and much, much faster flow rate. Definitely give them a look before purchasing a Sawyer.

 

[Doghed]

If you have a camp you're in for days at a time then I use the Platypus 4 liter. Pretty fast compared to some of the others I've used. Lots better than pumping liter after liter like we used to do. easy to stay organized with the clearly marked clean/dirty bags. Lite and compact enough for me. I like to filter 4 at the waters edge then refill the dirty bag and have 8 liters hanging at camp.

Don't let the filter freeze (mentioned above)! It really slows down flow. I learned the hard way.

Also mentioned above is back flushing to keep flow rates at their best. Its mostly to clear the air in the micro filter (you'll see lots of bubbles going back into the dirty bag. When they stop continue filtering.), but obviously it would clear particulates as well. The older the filter gets the more back flushing becomes part of the routine. With my current filter I briefly back flush a few times per 4 liters. Platypus website and youtube have lots of content on this. Very important techniques to be aware of to avoid some frustrations.

If you are constantly on the move then some of the others mentioned could be a better option, but I would still use the platypus and just leave the clean bag at home. I use platypus bladders in my packs so I would filter directly into my pack at the waters edge.

 

[Clovis]

Aquamira drops are light and effective for me. I have used a variety of filters in the past, but unless I need to pull water from a source too small to dip a bottle in don't use them these days and because of effectiveness/ease of use not just the lightness.

 

[joestrow]

I’ve used both the sawyer mini and the squeeze. When it’s cold out, it’s really nice having the faster flow of the squeeze. Smartwater bottles have been great to me as well. I start my trip with two full bottles, use as my drinking water until I reach my destination, and then designate one as my “dirty” that I use to filter into the other “clean” bottle.

Only downfall I’ve seen with the sawyers is their longevity. They are great for the initial trip, but seems like the flow is wayyyy slower the second time around. And that’s with a good cleaning.

 

[RazAlGhoul]

I've got a portable First Need XL water purifier (goes for $112 on rei.com). Weighs 1 pound. While I haven't used it extensively, my former Squad Leader said they had one on a previous deployment when a Squad plus would strap on their rucks and be out for 3 days. He told us once they couldn't find any running water whatsoever, and came across a large mud puddle. Everyone being on the verge of dehydration, they used that First Need to filter the mud puddle. Everyone drank, no one got sick. If that pump can make an Afghani mud puddle drinkable (considering all the microbes and bullshit that even a good Afghan river has in it that makes an American puke & shit himself for 3 days straight) then I'm convinced it'll work anywhere.

 

[Racethesunset]

Best I’ve used for any water type is this Katadyne. Combine with chlorine tablets and you are all set. It is my end of the world filter as well.

https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/470-8013618-katadyn-pocket_usa

 

[El Ruso]

I run a Sawyer. It and all others like it are FILTERS, not purifiers. You still run a risk of infection. You will probably be fine 99% of the time. If you are in the backcountry you don’t want to beat the odds. Boiling or other PURIFICATION methods are the safest way to survive.... food for thought.

 

[Apollo117]

Get a CNOC bladder for dirty water and a Sawyer Squeeze. I've used these two products for over 120 days. It's simple and fast.

Gravity filters, pump filters, and Steripens are all slow.

Some people thread the Sawyer filters onto the Smart water bottles, but it's difficult to pressurize the bottle enough to get the last 1/4 liter out of the bottle. Also, some water sources are easier to fill from with a CNOC type bladder than a Smart water bottle.

 

[Nickb_00]

I run the platapus 4 liter and carry a Sawyer squeeze. Reason being for me and my hunting buddy we both carry 4L water bladders. Both of us have quick connects in our lines so that we can stop and fill our bladders without taking them out. Also great because we have a 6L bladder for camp water. Now the Sawyer we use to fill nalgene bottles if we stop and add liquid IV, mountain ops etc. Both weights are minimal. Plus we always have some tablets just incase something happens. Never been into the steripen. Not that there is anything wrong with them alot of guys use them I'm just not a fan of waving a magic wand in my water to filter it.

 

[El Ruso]

Get a CNOC bladder for dirty water and a Sawyer Squeeze. I've used these two products for over 120 days. It's simple and fast.

Gravity filters, pump filters, and Steripens are all slow.

Some people thread the Sawyer filters onto the Smart water bottles, but it's difficult to pressurize the bottle enough to get the last 1/4 liter out of the bottle. Also, some water sources are easier to fill from with a CNOC type bladder than a Smart water bottle.

CNOC is a great bladder for dirty or clean water. I forgot to mention it.

 

[Gnatboy911]

I used a sawyer squeeze and 2 cnoc bags this year and it was awesome. One dirty bag, one clean, and a bunch of smart waterbottles as well.

 

[hikenhunt]

I primarily use a sawyer squeeze with chlorine dioxide tablets as a backup. I use a quick disconnect and backflow through my hose to fill my bladder so I don't have to remove it from my pack.

For a better flow rate, I'd look at the squeeze or micro over the mini.

 

[snowcamoman]

Sawyer Squeeze has been my go-to filter the past 5 season's. I have the Mini, but prefer the Squeeze.