Shop some of our faves
SHOP PRODUCTSCurated: How to Purify Water While Hiking
Camping & Hiking Expert Kate Wilson breaks down the difference between water purifiers and water filters.
Curated: How to Purify Water While Hiking
Last updated:
September 16, 2021
| 5 min read
YouTube video highlight
Camping & Hiking Expert Kate Wilson breaks down the difference between water purifiers and water filters.
Watch videoCurated: How to Purify Water While Hiking
No items found.
No items found.
Purify Water While Hiking
Camping & Hiking Expert Kate Wilson breaks down the difference between water purifiers and water filters and shares the best ones to bring on your next adventure.
When I first started hiking +20 years ago, it was in the desert near Las Vegas, of all places. I would fill the Camelbak to the brim and limit myself to small sips of water along the trail to ensure there was enough to last the entire hike. As the trails grew longer I almost certainly ran out of clean water every time, especially in the summer months.
Those hot, dry adventures were a good lesson in planning for hydration needs but after a few trips outside of the desert, I learned that carrying a water filtration system nearly eliminates the need to limit my intake. Today, I own three that are used regularly depending on the circumstance, and the question I love to answer most as a Curated Expert is: “Are water filters necessary?” Yes. Pretty much.
Not only do they allow you to refill a bottle or hydration bladder from natural springs, creeks, or lakes, many solve the problem of water tasting dirty or having sediment. They also lighten your load overall since you won’t be carrying large quantities of water on the trail. Most importantly though, filters are effective in providing safety from viruses, contaminants, or any natural water source where bacteria is a concern.
Interested in learning more from Kate Wilson? Head here.
Curated
Curated provides free expert advice to help you shop gear online.
Purify Water While Hiking
Camping & Hiking Expert Kate Wilson breaks down the difference between water purifiers and water filters and shares the best ones to bring on your next adventure.
When I first started hiking +20 years ago, it was in the desert near Las Vegas, of all places. I would fill the Camelbak to the brim and limit myself to small sips of water along the trail to ensure there was enough to last the entire hike. As the trails grew longer I almost certainly ran out of clean water every time, especially in the summer months.
Those hot, dry adventures were a good lesson in planning for hydration needs but after a few trips outside of the desert, I learned that carrying a water filtration system nearly eliminates the need to limit my intake. Today, I own three that are used regularly depending on the circumstance, and the question I love to answer most as a Curated Expert is: “Are water filters necessary?” Yes. Pretty much.
Not only do they allow you to refill a bottle or hydration bladder from natural springs, creeks, or lakes, many solve the problem of water tasting dirty or having sediment. They also lighten your load overall since you won’t be carrying large quantities of water on the trail. Most importantly though, filters are effective in providing safety from viruses, contaminants, or any natural water source where bacteria is a concern.
Interested in learning more from Kate Wilson? Head here.
Curated
Curated provides free expert advice to help you shop gear online.
Purify Water While Hiking
Camping & Hiking Expert Kate Wilson breaks down the difference between water purifiers and water filters and shares the best ones to bring on your next adventure.
When I first started hiking +20 years ago, it was in the desert near Las Vegas, of all places. I would fill the Camelbak to the brim and limit myself to small sips of water along the trail to ensure there was enough to last the entire hike. As the trails grew longer I almost certainly ran out of clean water every time, especially in the summer months.
Those hot, dry adventures were a good lesson in planning for hydration needs but after a few trips outside of the desert, I learned that carrying a water filtration system nearly eliminates the need to limit my intake. Today, I own three that are used regularly depending on the circumstance, and the question I love to answer most as a Curated Expert is: “Are water filters necessary?” Yes. Pretty much.
Not only do they allow you to refill a bottle or hydration bladder from natural springs, creeks, or lakes, many solve the problem of water tasting dirty or having sediment. They also lighten your load overall since you won’t be carrying large quantities of water on the trail. Most importantly though, filters are effective in providing safety from viruses, contaminants, or any natural water source where bacteria is a concern.
Interested in learning more from Kate Wilson? Head here.
Curated
Curated provides free expert advice to help you shop gear online.
Media Mentions
browse all articlesDown East: Ultra-Athlete Katie Spotz Bikes 360 Miles Across Maine
Read MoreRecent articles
Other categories
You might also like
Media Mentions
We’ve used this filter for over 800 miles in the backcountry and it’s still the best option for clean drinking water.
Brett Kretzer
Adventurer. Writer. Creator.
Media Mentions
Squeeze Water Filtration System by Sawyer
Garage Grown Gear
Media Mentions from Garage Grown Gear
Media Mentions
This popular repellent from Sawyer has 20% Picaridin, which protects against a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, gnats, chiggers and sand flies.
Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
Explore All Sawyer has to Offer
Built for the Outdoors
see ALL PRODUCTS
Follow us on Instagram
More Than an Outdoor Company.
@sawyerproducts
Follow Us
From the trail
Meet our ambassadors. They’re experts on the trail who love the way our products stand up to the elements and delight us with stories from their next-level adventures.
meet our ambassadors
