Water Filters and Containers

While there will always be a heated debate about what the best water bottles or hydration system required for winter hiking are, I think we’d all agree that the minimum requirements for winter use are as follows: The water you bring on a hike can’t freeze The warmer the water …

I have used hand-pump water filters like the First Need or the Katadyn for years, believing them to be the only “real” option for filtering out cryptosporidium, giardia and other bacteria from the water sources in the Pacific Northwest where I hike. But I’ve been forced to consider other options in an effort …

I have been using the Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System for the past few years. Priced at $50, the Squeeze includes several different sized water reservoir bottles and a screw on filter threaded for a soda-bottle sized cap. The filter has a pop-up cap that you can drink directly from or …

The first time I tried filtering water from a stream, I knew that the distance I could hike in one day would never again be constrained by the amount of water I could carry. I remember the scene vividly: getting water out of a stream, surrounded by a sea of hobblebush, on …

The Aquamira Frontier Pro water filter is an exceptionally lightweight 2 oz. alternative to the more bulky water filters and water purifiers available on the market today. The Frontier Pro connects to platypus bladders or plastic bottles. To get water, you suck on a nipple, shown in black in the …

The First Need Water Purifier is one of the few filters on the market today that filters out all viruses, crypto, and protozoa without the need for additional purification tablets like Chlorine Dioxide. The only downside to this filter is that it weights 15 oz, which is heavy for you ultralight …

I got a new water purifier a few weeks ago from Seychelle.com that works with a screw top bottle. The filter element qualifies as a purifier because it is EPA approved to remove viruses and bacteria to 99.9999%, and other biologicals like Giardia and Cryptosporidium to 99.99%. That’s excellent. It …

Ultralight Water Purification Up until this year, I have always carried Micropur chlorine dioxide tablets for water purification in my emergency repair kit, in case my 16 oz First Need water purifier crapped out on a backpacking trip. I even got to use them for a few days during my …

  I am not a fan of Camelbak hydration reservoirs, but I love their locking valves. So much, that I tear off the wimpy mouthpiece that comes with the Platypus hydration reservoir drinking system and add a Camelbak hydrolock valve to it. Camelbak hyrolocks rock because the valve stops the …

  I really enjoy having so many backpacking and blogging friends in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world. Especially, when it comes to staying abreast of the latest innovations in lightweight backpacking and hill walking gear and techniques. Take water filters and purifiers, for example. It seems …

This past year, General Ecology, makers of the First Need Water Purifier system, changed their water purifier cartridges. The old cartridge model was called a First Need Deluxe (left) and the new one is called the First Need XL (right, in photo.) As far as I can tell, the Deluxe …

You need to insulate your water bottles in winter or your drinking water will freeze. The best way to do this is with a neoprene overcover that you can open without taking off your gloves. The overcover and bottle can be attached to the outside of your backpack for easy …

I am a big fan of Platypus hydration bladders and I normally carry a 3L reservoir with me when I’m backpacking. Platypus bladders are different from Camelback reservoir, which I have used in the past, because they have a much smaller opening screw top openings. This is important when you are …