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Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

We tested filters from Sawyer, Katadyn, LifeStraw, MSR, and more to find the best option for every adventure.

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Last updated:
April 14, 2025
|  5 min read
A hand holding a Sawyer water filter.

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

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We tested filters from Sawyer, Katadyn, LifeStraw, MSR, and more to find the best option for every adventure.

Read more about the project

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

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The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Once upon a time, you didn't need such a newfangled contraption as a backpacking water filter. Getting a refreshing drink meant meant dipping your tin Sierra cup (or Nalgene) in any stream and taking a nice, cool, clear drink. Unfortunately, thanks to the prevalence of giardia and other fun protozoa and bacteria, that's now likely to have you running behind every tree.

Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple. Grab one of these water filters and put it between you and that ice cold stream. Many of the filters we've tested aren't much more complex in operation than dipping a cup in a stream. In fact, our first two picks allow you do pretty much just that, drinking clean, cool water almost as easily as John Muir did.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters for backpacking, written by Scott Gilbertson.

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Once upon a time, you didn't need such a newfangled contraption as a backpacking water filter. Getting a refreshing drink meant meant dipping your tin Sierra cup (or Nalgene) in any stream and taking a nice, cool, clear drink. Unfortunately, thanks to the prevalence of giardia and other fun protozoa and bacteria, that's now likely to have you running behind every tree.

Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple. Grab one of these water filters and put it between you and that ice cold stream. Many of the filters we've tested aren't much more complex in operation than dipping a cup in a stream. In fact, our first two picks allow you do pretty much just that, drinking clean, cool water almost as easily as John Muir did.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters for backpacking, written by Scott Gilbertson.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Senior Writer and Reviewer
Scott Gilbertson
Scott Gilbertson is Operations Manager for the WIRED Reviews Team.
Media Mentions

Wired: The Best Backpacking Water Filters

The Best Backpacking Water Filters

Once upon a time, you didn't need such a newfangled contraption as a backpacking water filter. Getting a refreshing drink meant meant dipping your tin Sierra cup (or Nalgene) in any stream and taking a nice, cool, clear drink. Unfortunately, thanks to the prevalence of giardia and other fun protozoa and bacteria, that's now likely to have you running behind every tree.

Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple. Grab one of these water filters and put it between you and that ice cold stream. Many of the filters we've tested aren't much more complex in operation than dipping a cup in a stream. In fact, our first two picks allow you do pretty much just that, drinking clean, cool water almost as easily as John Muir did.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters for backpacking, written by Scott Gilbertson.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Senior Writer and Reviewer
Scott Gilbertson
Scott Gilbertson is Operations Manager for the WIRED Reviews Team.
Media Mentions
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