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Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

We tested backpacking water filters and treatment systems to find the best option for your adventures.

Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Last updated:
March 3, 2025
|  5 min read

Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

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We tested backpacking water filters and treatment systems to find the best option for your adventures.

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Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

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The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

The Best Backpacking Water Treatment
Our filtration gurus have bought and tested 23 of the best water filters and treatment systems designed for backpacking. We brought these filters along on various adventures, from climbing trips in Peru to running expeditions across the USA to fastpacking adventures in Iceland. We evaluated portability and ease of maintenance in the field while also investigating critical aspects such as what each model removes from the water and how long it takes to process one potable liter of water.

For a party of one, the Sawyer Squeeze is a perfect companion. This fast and light filtration system produces some of the highest quality water in our testing. However, if you're out with a group of friends, you're going to need something with a little more volume. In this case, the Platypus GravityWorks is a great option with a 4-liter capacity and a relatively fast filter rate.

Continue reading to learn more about the best backpacking water filters, written by Amber King, Jessica Haist, and Trish Matheny.

Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

The Best Backpacking Water Treatment
Our filtration gurus have bought and tested 23 of the best water filters and treatment systems designed for backpacking. We brought these filters along on various adventures, from climbing trips in Peru to running expeditions across the USA to fastpacking adventures in Iceland. We evaluated portability and ease of maintenance in the field while also investigating critical aspects such as what each model removes from the water and how long it takes to process one potable liter of water.

For a party of one, the Sawyer Squeeze is a perfect companion. This fast and light filtration system produces some of the highest quality water in our testing. However, if you're out with a group of friends, you're going to need something with a little more volume. In this case, the Platypus GravityWorks is a great option with a 4-liter capacity and a relatively fast filter rate.

Continue reading to learn more about the best backpacking water filters, written by Amber King, Jessica Haist, and Trish Matheny.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Contributing Writers
Amber King, Jessica Haist, and Trish Matheny
After finishing up her B.Sc and B.Ed in 2009, Amber moved to the U.S.A from Canada.
Media Mentions

Gear Lab: The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

The 5 Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

The Best Backpacking Water Treatment
Our filtration gurus have bought and tested 23 of the best water filters and treatment systems designed for backpacking. We brought these filters along on various adventures, from climbing trips in Peru to running expeditions across the USA to fastpacking adventures in Iceland. We evaluated portability and ease of maintenance in the field while also investigating critical aspects such as what each model removes from the water and how long it takes to process one potable liter of water.

For a party of one, the Sawyer Squeeze is a perfect companion. This fast and light filtration system produces some of the highest quality water in our testing. However, if you're out with a group of friends, you're going to need something with a little more volume. In this case, the Platypus GravityWorks is a great option with a 4-liter capacity and a relatively fast filter rate.

Continue reading to learn more about the best backpacking water filters, written by Amber King, Jessica Haist, and Trish Matheny.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Contributing Writers
Amber King, Jessica Haist, and Trish Matheny
After finishing up her B.Sc and B.Ed in 2009, Amber moved to the U.S.A from Canada.
Media Mentions
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Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L is responsible for all water filtration while packs are off, and the large reservoir enables cameling up.

Jaeger Shaw
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The Sawyer Mini is the cheapest and one of the most lightweight water purifiers on this list.

Steph Dyson
Freelance Travel Writer

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Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter – Ultralight, lifetime-warranty filter that removes bacteria and parasites.

Himiway Bike
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