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The Best Backpacking Water Filters To Take On Outdoor Adventurers

For outdoor enthusiasts, clean and safe drinking water isn’t something to be taken for granted. Whether you're spending the day trekking through remote wilderness, embarking on a multi-day hike or simply camping in the backcountry, it’s a good idea to bring along one of the best backpacking water filters to ensure access to potable water.

Packing your supply of water for longer trips adds significant weight to your backpack, which may be cumbersome at best and a challenge at worst. While natural water sources like rivers, streams and lakes might look pristine, they can harbor harmful microorganisms, parasites and contaminants that can cause gastrointestinal issues and ruin your adventure. That's where a good portable water filter comes into play. They are devices designed to remove harmful substances from water while preserving its taste and clarity.

Read on for some of the best backpacking water filters on the market to ensure you can quench your thirst anywhere there's a natural water source.

  • Best Backpacking Water Filter Overall: Sawyer Water Treatment Bottle
  • Best Backpacking Water Filter Straw: Lifestraw Peak Series Solo
  • Best Everyday Backpacking Water Filter Bottle: Larq Purevis Water Bottle
  • Best Backpacking Water Filter For Groups: Platypus Gravityworks Water Filter System
  • Best Backpacking Water Filter For Beginners: Hydros Water Filter Bottle
  • Best Ultraviolet Water Purifier: Katadyn Steripen Ultra Water Purifier

Learn more about the various backpacking water filters written by Bailey Berg here.

LAST UPDATED

September 27, 2023

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Bailey Berg

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Zenovia Stephens, ...told SELF it was her favorite bug spray for hikes and backpacking trips, and that she used it on herself as well as her kids.

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[Sawyer Picaridin] the best bottle of bug spray we found after testing over 25 repellents and talking to everyone from the EPA to the American Mosquito Control Association.

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We have found the most effective and long-lasting solution to be a portable hollow fibre membrane filter that eliminates 99.99999% of harmful bacteria, the most common form of contamination seen in fresh surface water, rainwater and wells.

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