Backpacking Water Filters

If you prioritize convenience and fast water flow rate the most when choosing water filters and purifiers, the Katadyn BeFree 1.0L Water Filter is certainly hard to beat in those aspects.

First, let’s talk about the size and design. 

This filter is small and easy to carry everywhere. It comes with a 1-liter Hydrapak Flask with a cap and mouthpiece, giving it the look of a sports bottle. Because the bottle is collapsible, you can easily fit it into small spaces like vest pockets or the side pockets of your backpack, and it won’t take up much space in your outdoor kit.  

We’ve used this on a week-long backpacking trip in Colorado, and we were so impressed at how easy it is to use— simply fill it with water, attach the cover, and be on your way! The wide mouth makes scooping water a breeze. And we love that we can either drink straight out of the bottle for on-the-go hydration or squeeze out the water into another water container! 

On top of that…

This water filter is equipped with 0.1-micron hollow fiber technology that eliminates 99.9999% bacteria and 99.9% protozoa for completely clean and filtered water. It’s very fast at filtering water, and the water flow rate is excellent, at two liters per minute. 

As we said, it’s a hollow fiber filter, so unlike other filters, this one is very easy to clean— no need for backflushing or any special cleaning tools. To clean it, just fill the bottle with water, screw the cover back on, give it a good shake, and that’s pretty much it! 

Overall… 

We love this filter’s simplicity and ease of use, and that’s why we choose it as our Editor’s Choice. It gets rid of the need for us to stop and take our backpacks off when on a hike just to get a separate water bottle and the need to carry cleaning tools. At 0.14 pounds, it weighs almost nothing, making it hassle-free to carry. 

This filter is not without its downsides, though…  

We’d say the biggest drawback is probably the lack of versatility. For one thing, it’s only compatible with the bottle it comes with, so if the bottle breaks, you can’t just go to a store and get a standard-size bottle as a replacement. The filter also has a shorter life span compared to others, capable of filtering only 1000 liters of water, so we wouldn’t say it’s the best choice for longer trips.

The Sawyer Products Squeeze Water Filtration System is one of the most popular filters among backpackers and hikers— and for good reasons. 

Weighing only 0.2 pounds, this compact filter isn’t bulky and fits nicely in our suitcase, backpack, pockets, and even our palms!  

Despite its size, this budget filter bottle packs a lot of punch. This is the one we brought to our trek in the beautiful Amazon Rainforest, and we had the easiest time clearing and filtering river and stream water. 

This filter boasts tiny, 0.1-micron filter pores that effectively remove all the nasty stuff from your water— it gets rid of 99.99999% of bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli, 99.9999% of all protozoa, and 100% of microplastics. 

And the best part?

The resulting filtered water always tastes great; no plastic or metallic taste whatsoever! It’s quite easy to use, as well. Just fill the included 32-ounce water bags, screw on the Squeeze filter, gently fold the bladders from the bottom, and voila, your water is clean! You can either drink directly from the filter or use it to pour water into your and your buddies’ bottles.  

If you’re wondering how this differs from the Katadyn BeFree Filter, we definitely find this one more versatile and modular. Aside from the pouches, it also comes with a drinking straw, syringe for backflushing, instructions, mesh storage, tubing and attachments if you prefer gravity filtering. That, and the fact that the cap fits standard-size bottles, make this more adaptable. 

Also, this bottle filter has a longer life span and can filter up to 100,000 gallons of water. Not to mention, this is budget-friendly. If you don’t mind doing a bit more work in exchange for versatility and affordability, get our Best Value awardee.

Granted… 

It can be challenging to fill the bags at first, but there are plenty of videos online for different tips and techniques, which we found helpful. We also recommend bringing some kind of cup for scooping water. 

This filter doesn’t have the fastest flow rate, but it’s still pretty decent if you consider how tiny the pores are.

On the more high-tech side of bottle filters and purifiers, we think the CrazyCap 2 Insulated Bottle with UV Water Purifier blows its competitors out of the water when it comes to value for money, quality, and features. 

This innovative UV light water purifier uses powerful UV-C LED light to kill 99.9996% of bacteria in your water with a simple press of a button. For everyday use, tap the cap twice to activate Normal Mode, and five times for Crazy Mode, which you want to use when purifying water from rivers, streams, lakes, and other questionable water sources. 

The purifying process is quick, too; you’ll get clean water in less than 60 seconds using Normal Mode and less than two minutes with Crazy Mode. We find this bottle perfect not just for our outdoor trips but also for home and office use.

Another cool thing about this bottle is that it auto-cleans itself for about twenty seconds every four hours, so you can be sure that your water stays clean and fresh while the interior of the bottle remains free of funky smell throughout the day. 

What’s more… 

This bottle has top-notch insulation, so you can use it for coffee, tea, juice, soda, or any beverage you want to keep either hot or cold for 24 hours. Because who doesn’t want a warm serving of coffee on a cold morning after a night of camping? It’s sturdy, too, and didn’t get damaged even after we accidentally dropped it several times. Plus, you can use the cap to sanitize other things, such as your phone, computer keyboard, or door knob!

Our Top Pick is also eco-friendly, which always gets plus points in our book. We like the sleek, ergonomic design and that it comes in multiple colors and designs. It’s packaged in a nice-looking box, making it awesome for gift gifting.  

Just keep in mind… 

This bottle is battery-operated, so you always need to carry the charging unit. The battery life does last up to seven days, in our experience, but for longer trips, you definitely want the charger with you.

If you’re not a fan of pump filters or squeeze filters, you might like the Platypus GravityWorks Group Camping Water Filter System, a gravity filtration system. 

This is a great option for basecamps, if you’re backpacking with your family or buddies, or for emergency preparedness. In fact, this filtration unit is our go-to whenever we go on backpacking trips as a group of ten. 

Each kit contains two 4-liter reservoirs (one for dirty water and one for clean water), a hollow fiber microfilter, high-quality hoses with a shutoff clamp, and a storage sack where you can store everything once you’re done filtering.  

What we like about this is that it doesn’t require any battery or chemical, and you won’t have to pump or squeeze; all you have to do is hang the dirty water reservoir from a tree branch and let gravity do all the work for you!  

It’s great because we can do other tasks while waiting for it to filter water— and we never have to wait long! With a flow rate of 1.75 liters per minute, we can have four liters of clean, filtered water in less than five minutes. The hoses are long, so it was easy to put the clean water reservoir on the ground, which makes the whole filtering process even quicker. 

Moreover… 

Because of the reservoirs’ high capacity, we don’t have to lug water around anymore, as it filters a large amount of water in a short amount of time. No more frequent refilling! The bags have straps too, so they’re easy to transport. We never run out of water for cooking, washing, and other activities.  

The filter itself is impressive. We once got some brown water from a river, and after running it through the filter, it came out crystal-clear and tasted like it was fresh out of a commercially bought bottle!  

But there’s a catch… 

It’s quite pricey. However, it’s understandable for us as the quality is definitely there, and it includes many components. Besides, we think the fact that you’re getting a large amount of filtered water in no time alone makes this product worth the price. Keep in mind also that the filter can freeze up if you leave it outside of your tent, with below freezing temperature, which we had to learn the hard way. If you’re camping during cold weather, make sure to store it inside your sleeping bag with you.

The Waterdrop Gravity Water Filter Straw is an excellent user-friendly option that won’t break the bank. 

This filter consists of coconut shell activated carbon, multiple internal filtration filters, and 0.1-micron filter pores for maximum absorption. It uses a 5-stage filtration process to minimize harmful substances such as sediments, dirt, chlorine, sand, and any unpleasant odor and taste. 

We love how multi-purpose and versatile it is— you can drink the filtered water directly from the mouthpiece, connect it to a different drinking vessel and water bag, or use the included water bag to create a gravity filtration system. 

Initially, we were hesitant to bring it on our 5-day backcountry hike at Grand Canyon, but it turned out to be a piece of cake to carry, as the combined weight of the filter and the water bags is only 0.48 pounds. Oh, and the water bag can hold up to 1.5 gallons, equal to about eleven 500-ml bottles, so we didn’t have to go back and forth to the river.   

Also… 

It has a great flow rate of 700 ml per minute and can filter an impressive 100000 gallons of water. This filter is well-designed and definitely filters more contaminants than most backpacking water filters we’ve tried in this price range. We brought some backup chemical treatments with us on the trip, but since we’ve had no stomach issues, we didn’t even need to use them. The strap and closure at the top of the water bag are very handy features, as well.

Now… 

The whole thing will take up some space, so we suggest looking up the product dimensions first to know if it will fit in your backpack or luggage.

Looking for a simple yet reliable filter device that won’t slow you down? The MSR TrailShot Pocket-Sized Backcountry Water Filter could just be what you need.  

This filter is small, compact, and ultra-lightweight, with a measurement of 6 x1.4 x 2.4 inches and weighing a mere five ounces. It’s tiny, takes only seconds to pull out or stow, and it’s a good option if you have limited space in your backpack or any other storage. 

In our opinion, the biggest advantage of this filter is how easy it is to get water from sources and filter it. It features an easy, one-handed mechanism and a quick-deploy design that lets you filter a water bottle in a minute.  

To use, just place the end of the tube, which has a pre-filter, into the water. The pre-filter will take care of the larger particles, and then the water goes through the tube up to the main filtration system, where the filter will remove bacteria and protozoa as you pump away. No need to lay down on the ground to consume water directly from the source, and no need for a gravity water bag, either— the quickness and simplicity make it perfect for trail runners and hikers. 

Furthermore…

This filter is a time-saver; we like that we don’t have to stop to pull out a water bag or bottle to take a drink. Cleaning is super easy, too; once you’re done, simply squeeze out the water left, put the cap back on, and store it. It doesn’t require any tools, such as syringes, which is nice. 

It meets NSF protocol P231 for removal of protozoa and bacteria, and the U.S. EPA drinking water standards. 

However, there are things you should consider before getting this… 

Because it’s a pumping type filtration system, filling multiple reservoirs can be a bit tiring. Switching hands helps a lot, though. Another thing to remember is that it’s not a water purification system, so don’t expect it to remove viruses from the water. If you’re planning to go on a trip where the water is very contaminated, we highly suggest bringing chemical treatment with you or boiling the water before use.

The GRAYL UltraPress 16.9 oz Water Purifier and Filter Bottle might look deceptively simple at first glance compared to other more complex filtration systems, but this is a solid product and is a must-have for any outdoor adventurer.  

The first thing we noticed when we first got this was the durable construction, and it’s also obvious that it’s made from high-quality materials. The design of this water filter bottle is minimalistic yet interesting nonetheless: There’s an external shell, an internal container that can be separated from the shell, and the purifying cartridge is attached at the bottom of the internal container. 

The way it works is pretty simple— you separate the outer shell from the inner container, fill the outer shell with the water you want to purify and apply steady pressure to push the inner container down into the shell. Then enjoy your purified water!  

We always take this with us during our week-long summer camping trips, and we love how it effectively cleans even the murkiest of waters. There’s no sign that the water came from sketchy water sources, either; it always ends up tasting so good! This filter removes just about everything from viruses and pathogens to protozoan cysts, volatile organic compounds, chemicals, and unwanted flavors and odors, thanks to the activated carbon in the filter— no need for backup filters. 

As if that’s not enough… 

The whole water treatment process is incredibly fast— as quick as ten seconds— and the bottle holds enough water so you have enough supply even when you’re away from a water source. It’s low-profile and not too heavy, so it fits nicely on vehicle cup holders and side pockets of our backpacks. For this reason, we also love bringing it when mountain biking and traveling.

It also has a flip-up carry handle for easy transport. The cartridge can be used up to 300 times, capable of treating up to 40 gallons of water, and is replaceable. The bottle comes in lovely muted colors to suit different tastes. 

We have to say, though… 

It’s a bit hard to disassemble the bottle for cleaning, but we also consider that a good thing, as that means the fit is tight. As for the cost, it’s on the pricey side, but you definitely get what you pay for with this product— it’s well-made, well-constructed, and will give you peace of mind that you’re drinking safe water wherever you are.