Field & Stream: Gear Rx: How to Clean and Flush a Backpacking Water Filter
Field & Stream: Gear Rx: How to Clean and Flush a Backpacking Water Filter
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Although there are several water purification methods, a water filter is one of the easiest and most commonly used.
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Gear Rx: How to Clean and Flush a Backpacking Water Filter
Backflushing and sanitizing your water filter ensures you have a fully functional system for your next adventure.
Proper gear care helps you prolong the life of that gear, and in the case of water filters, it can also increase the performance and flow rate. Something like a water filter or any water purification system is invaluable in the backcountry. Without fresh, clean water, any adventure can go sideways fast.
Although there are several water purification methods, a water filter is one of the easiest and most commonly used. We overview a few types of filters, but the main focus of this how-to guide is to walk you through the steps of backflushing and cleaning a water filter element.
Types of Water Filters
The first thing to note is that water filters and purifiers differ. The primary difference between these two is the size of the microorganisms they catch and remove from water.
Water filters remove protozoan cysts and bacteria. Protozoan cysts include Giardia lamblia. Bacteria include Salmonella and E. Coli, among many others. Water filters are great for travel within places like Canada and the United States, where biological pathogens like these are the primary concern.
Viruses are generally too small for a water filter to effectively catch and remove, which is where water purifiers come into play. Water purification methods are recommended when traveling in areas with higher cases of contaminated water or virus exposure through the water.
All water filters contain a filter element (or cartridge), but only some water purifiers have them. Many purifiers use chemicals (like iodine or bleach) to kill viruses. Any water filtration or purification system that contains an internal filtering element needs to be cleaned or backflushed occasionally for best results.
Continue learning more about backflushing your water filter, written by Meg Carney here.
Gear Rx: How to Clean and Flush a Backpacking Water Filter
Backflushing and sanitizing your water filter ensures you have a fully functional system for your next adventure.
Proper gear care helps you prolong the life of that gear, and in the case of water filters, it can also increase the performance and flow rate. Something like a water filter or any water purification system is invaluable in the backcountry. Without fresh, clean water, any adventure can go sideways fast.
Although there are several water purification methods, a water filter is one of the easiest and most commonly used. We overview a few types of filters, but the main focus of this how-to guide is to walk you through the steps of backflushing and cleaning a water filter element.
Types of Water Filters
The first thing to note is that water filters and purifiers differ. The primary difference between these two is the size of the microorganisms they catch and remove from water.
Water filters remove protozoan cysts and bacteria. Protozoan cysts include Giardia lamblia. Bacteria include Salmonella and E. Coli, among many others. Water filters are great for travel within places like Canada and the United States, where biological pathogens like these are the primary concern.
Viruses are generally too small for a water filter to effectively catch and remove, which is where water purifiers come into play. Water purification methods are recommended when traveling in areas with higher cases of contaminated water or virus exposure through the water.
All water filters contain a filter element (or cartridge), but only some water purifiers have them. Many purifiers use chemicals (like iodine or bleach) to kill viruses. Any water filtration or purification system that contains an internal filtering element needs to be cleaned or backflushed occasionally for best results.
Continue learning more about backflushing your water filter, written by Meg Carney here.
Gear Rx: How to Clean and Flush a Backpacking Water Filter
Backflushing and sanitizing your water filter ensures you have a fully functional system for your next adventure.
Proper gear care helps you prolong the life of that gear, and in the case of water filters, it can also increase the performance and flow rate. Something like a water filter or any water purification system is invaluable in the backcountry. Without fresh, clean water, any adventure can go sideways fast.
Although there are several water purification methods, a water filter is one of the easiest and most commonly used. We overview a few types of filters, but the main focus of this how-to guide is to walk you through the steps of backflushing and cleaning a water filter element.
Types of Water Filters
The first thing to note is that water filters and purifiers differ. The primary difference between these two is the size of the microorganisms they catch and remove from water.
Water filters remove protozoan cysts and bacteria. Protozoan cysts include Giardia lamblia. Bacteria include Salmonella and E. Coli, among many others. Water filters are great for travel within places like Canada and the United States, where biological pathogens like these are the primary concern.
Viruses are generally too small for a water filter to effectively catch and remove, which is where water purifiers come into play. Water purification methods are recommended when traveling in areas with higher cases of contaminated water or virus exposure through the water.
All water filters contain a filter element (or cartridge), but only some water purifiers have them. Many purifiers use chemicals (like iodine or bleach) to kill viruses. Any water filtration or purification system that contains an internal filtering element needs to be cleaned or backflushed occasionally for best results.
Continue learning more about backflushing your water filter, written by Meg Carney here.
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Media Mentions
https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/top-stoves-filters-rain-gear-and-more-on-the-appalachian-trail-2023-thru-hiker-survey/
Media Mentions
Weighing just 3oz the Sawyer Squeeze is the perfect water filter and trusted by countless thru-hikers year after year. With the ability to be screwed on a bottle, run as an inline filter on a hydration pack, or rigged up as a gravity filter (my prefernce), this simple filter will be a hit this holiday.
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Sawyer Permethrin is the most effective method we’ve found for dealing with ticks and mosquitos on trail. It’s a natural product derived from chrysanthemum flowers that kills ticks after they come in contact with it, so you’re protected from terrible issues like Lyme disease.
