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10 Best Water Filters for Backpacking

A guide to water filters for ultralight backpacking.

When you are thru-hiking, you just can't' stop at a nearby water fountain and grab something to drink. You may find water sources along the trail, but almost none are clean enough to drink without treating them first. Having some form of water treatment, and knowing how to use it is essential when hiking. Not only can untreated water taste foul, but it also can be loaded with waterborne pathogens that'll make you so sick you'll have to pause your hike or even stop it completely.

In this post, you will learn how to choose a water filter so that you can drink water from streams, ponds and puddles without risking your health. In fact, these are the very filtration systems used by thousands of thru-hikers who have to survive days, weeks and sometimes even months at a time in the wilderness without access to a potable water source. Let's start by looking at when and where water filters are a necessity.

See the full article on GreenBelly's website here.

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December 3, 2023

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Greenbelly

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Ready-to-eat backpacking meals that provide about 1/3 of your daily nutrition. All natural ingredients. Darn tasty.

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Personally, I use Sawyer’s Fabric Treatment–available in pump or spray–for my hunting and hiking clothes.

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Casserly’s favorite water treatment is a squeeze filter like the SAWYER SQUEEZE filtration system ($29, sawyer.com), which screws onto the included flasks or a plastic water bottle. Squeeze filters are ideal for individual use. They’re light and inexpensive, and you can drink the water immediately through the filter.

Scout Life
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While young babies should be protected with clothing and netting (not chemicals), older babies and children should use a suitable repellent to help avoid bites, discomfort, and insect-borne illnesses.

Molly Bradac