Water Treatment

Recent Water Treatment Product Reviews

Sawyer MINI

Sawyer Mini Water Filter is a Must Have for every Hiker? - Full Review + Tips In this video we are going to review our one and only water filter that we have, the Sawyer Mini. We have used it from the very start of our backpacking and hiking journey and now we are ready to share all our thoughts about it. We are going to look at the general specs of it, its features, pros and cons, how we use it on the trail and some tips and tricks we found with it. Watch the full video here:   Disclaimer: we… Full review

Katadyn Pocket

Consistency in filtering is an issue. Weight is heavy and constant cleaning of filter, along with difficulty in usage, make this a "miss" for filter choice. I'm confident of the effectiveness in filtering—I have drank some poor quality water and never got sick. I have had lots of problems though. It sometimes clogs and is very difficult to pump. It requires scrubbing of the ceramic filter very often, meaning you have to take apart to clean, lose pressure, and risk having it not work properly. Full review

Grayl GeoPress

I was gifted a Grayl by someone who knows that I have occasionally taken risks with drinking stream water on hiking trips, so far so good but it drove them crazy. This filter is highly effective, durable, no parts to hunt around my pack for, will suffice for day hikes and longer hikes and acts like a great water bottle. I love it! Full review

Grayl GeoPress

I have been testing the Grayl GeoPress Purifier, a new, large capacity water filtration bottle, while canoeing, canoe camping, and day hiking this summer and fall. For the past three years, I have used a Grayl Ultralight Water Filter bottle, to provide clean and safe water for me and my dogs while canoeing and camping. I reviewed that bottle here on Trailspace on 10/14/18, and since then have continued to carry that bottle in my canoe bag, and occasionally, in my backpack side pockets. The new GeoPress… Full review

Sawyer Micro Squeeze

The Sawyer Micro Squeeze is a very lightweight, compact, and versatile water filtration system with a long lifespan that will help keep you safely hydrated on the trail. You can drink directly from the water source with the included straw or filter water from the included bladder using the squeeze method or from disposable water or soda bottles using the gravity method. Once filtered it's ready to drink or store in the vessel of your choice, and you can even direct line to hydration packs. Sawyer… Full review

Katadyn Drip Gravidyn

The Gold Standard. Okay, obviously this isn't something to be carried on the trail—with the possible exception of a large group hike. For base camp, car camping, cabins, remote outposts it cannot be beat.  The instructions must be read carefully. The units that incorporate activated charcoal internally of the ceramic have a "6 Month" lifespan. This is only a factor for continuous use. If the elements are cleaned and dried then their lifespan is practically unlimited, on the order of several thousand… Full review

MSR Thru-Link

The MSR Thru-Link inline filter is a two-stage water filter design that MSR has been providing to the U.S. military for more than a decade; it became available to the consumer market in spring 2020. The Thru-Link filter is unique in that it is configured to be used in-line with a reservoir/bladder that can be filled with unfiltered water on the go and then your water is filtered as you go along on your hike. In use, the Thru-Link Filter works well and has very good flow, but depending on how you… Full review

Katadyn BeFree 0.6L

This filter has been a literal lifesaver on my adventures. Its ease of use and modular bottle system allows it to adapt to various needs. Its flow-rate is top notch. I have been using this filtration system for over a year now. Although I have replaced the original filter cartridge due to the slowed flow-rate, it still technically works. Recently, I used this filter for all of my water over five weeks in Nepal. The Khumbu (Everest Region) is beautiful, but the water quality is very poor (many contaminants). Full review

HydroBlu Versa Flow

Lightweight water filter. This 2oz filter employs hollow fiber tubes with thousands of tiny holes (0.1 microns) that block 99.9999% of harmful bacteria, Giardia, E. coli, protozoan cysts, Cryptosporidium and more. Unlike other filters, which filter through their core, the VersaFlow filters water through the outside of these tubes by bending the hollow fiber. This dramatically increases the surface area and flow rate of the filter while protecting the filter integrity itself. I've not yet experienced… Full review