Backpacking Water Filters, Buying Guides, Camp Kitchen

Best Backpacking Water Filter 2023 [Buying Guide and Reviews]

If you are an adventurer by heart, you will love camping. It feels great to explore places near you on holidays and have some great time amidst nature. However, camping requires proper preparation. It can be a rocky island or a forest, and you have to be ready with not getting minimum necessities like freshwater, suitable sleeping areas, medicines, and all. Therefore, you have to carry certain essential things to make your camping experience safe and full of excitement.

The idea of having water from the running stream inside the forest seems exciting, but it is not that much a great idea in reality. If you have kids in your group, they may suffer from water-borne diseases by drinking such water, and it will ruin your joy of camping. Therefore, the best thing you can do is to carry MSR water filters. These are portable and easy to carry during camping. Besides, such a backpacking water filter can purify drinking water during camping and keep you safe from any physical ailment.

Now, different types of hiking water filters are available in the market. Before buying those, you need to know certain things about the product. How to choose the best product for camping? Here are some essential points to consider:

Water Filter vs. Water Purifier: While the first one is effective in removing pathogens and bacteria, the later one can do it all along with removing viruses too.

Portability: This is another compelling reason to buy MSR water filters. While you are camping, it is not possible to carry anything big or heavy.

Types of Filtration Option: While buying, this is another essential thing to check out. You can buy pump filtration, on-the-go systems, gravity filters, chemical treatment, etc.So, here you get a brief idea about the best backpacking water filter. To avoid confusion and buy the appropriate product, here are some of those for your benefit.

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While talking about the best water filter backpacking, GRAYL Ultralight Water Purifier [+ Filter] Bottle will always be on the top of the list. It is perfect for camping, hiking, fishing, or any adventurous outing. Once you have it, you can get clean and purified water within 15 seconds. It is effective in killing 99% of bacteria, including the ones that cause cholera, salmonella, etc.

Besides, this purifier can also kill protozoan cysts in water and give you fresh and sweet drinking water. It can remove heavy metals, chemicals, etc. and maintain the taste of water by eliminating bad odors. It also removes bad smells from drinking water and preserves the original taste of it.

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Key Features

Removes every kind of impurities from water
Easy-to-use and filters faster
Fits in any type of backpack and perfect for traveling
Compact design for carrying easily
Filters any kind of water even when there are natural disasters
A purifier cartridge lasts for 2 to 3 months
No need to pump or hose, suck or squeeze to drink purified water

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Pros

Cons

Katadyn Pocket Water Filter, Long Lasting for Personal or Small Group Camping, Backpacking or Emergency Preparedness

If you are looking for the best water filter backpacking, Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter is the one where your search ends. As the name suggests, Katadyn pocket water filter fits in your pocket and is easy to carry. It is designed for outdoor activists and suitable for international travelers. This water filter consists of a silver-impregnated ceramic element, which is useful for eliminating protozoa and bacteria from water.

In addition, it can also remove any kind of microorganisms that are larger than 0.2 microns and offer you clean and purified water to drink. The package of this water purifier comes with a prefilter, hydration accessory, bottle clip, measuring gauge, cleaning pad, and carry bag. As it weighs only 20 oz, you can carry it easily.

Key Features

Gives a 20-year warranty
Easy pumping is possible with a round pump handle
The cartridge can purify around 13,000 gallons of water
Removes any kind of microorganisms, sediment, and harmful chemicals
Suitable for a group of 4 people

$329.95

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Pros

Cons

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter for Hiking, Camping, Travel, and Emergency Preparedness, 3 Pack, Blue

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter is one of the best hiking water filters to serve you in camping and hiking. It can purify 792 gallons of water by removing iodine, harmful chemicals, and other impurities. It is quite effective in eliminating bacteria causing diseases like diarrhea, cholera, salmonella, etc. Not only bacteria, this water filter can also remove harmful protozoa causing water-borne diseases. You can use it as long as you want. Are you planning for hiking? Then this is a perfect water filter to carry. In addition, it serves as an emergency kit while traveling in certain places where purified water is not available.

Key Features

Removes any kind of bacteria, protozoa, viruses, etc.
Eliminates any bad odor and maintain the original taste of water
No batteries or pumping is required for water purification
Compact design is suitable to carry in a backpack
Comes with a long-lasting lifespan

$59.64

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Pros

Cons

MSR MiniWorks EX Backountry Water Filter

While camping at the interior side, you need MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter Water Filter that can serve you with clean and purified water. It is the best camping water filter that supports you in traveling, emergency outing, hiking, camping, etc. It comes with replaceable carbon and ceramic filters to remove any kind of insoluble and soluble impurities and give you fresh drinking water.

The water filter is useful in eliminating harmful chemicals, bacteria, protozoa, organic compounds, etc. and makes the water fresh and odorless. You can attach it with any wide-mouth bottle and pump water for filtration. It can purify up to 2000 gallons of water at a time. As it comes with a storage bag, storing and carrying the apparatus will be easy.

Key Features

Weighs only 1 pound and easy-to-carry
Easy-to-use and purifies water faster
Comes with a lifetime warranty
Possesses a storage bag for storing properly
Perfect for emergency traveling, hiking, camping, etc.
Easily maintainable and cleanable

$89.89

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Pros

Cons

Platypus GravityWorks Group Camping Water Filter System, 4-Liter

An experience of camping or hiking can be safe if you buy the best gravity water filter like Platypus GravityWorks 4.0 Liter Water Filter. If you are planning for a family camping, this gravity-fed and high-capacity backpacking water filter is the best thing you can carry. This excellent hiking water filter can eliminate harmful bacteria and protozoa from any kind of water and provide you with fresh drinking water.

You do not need to pump to get filtered water from this water filter. You can hang it from any tree at the camping zone and get around 4 liters of fresh water for drinking, cooking, etc. The reservoir feels quickly and faster and serves water within 2.5 minutes.

Key Features

Weighs around 11.5 ounces
It can filter up to 1500 gallons of water
Comes with a 4-liter dirty water reservoir, 4-liter clean water reservoir, hoses, hollow-fiber microfilter, storage sack, and shutoff clamp
Produces 1.75 liters of purified water per minute
Purifies any kind of water from any water source
Backflush for 4 seconds, and it is ready again
Works on any kind of bacteria and protozoa

$101.19

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Pros

Cons

Survivor Filter Pro Water Purification System for Survival - 99.999% Removal of Tested Virus Bacteria Parasites - Lightweight Portable Water Filter...

While you are looking for the best water filters for hiking, Survivor Filter PRO is the best one you can buy now. We will always recommend you to buy this water filter as it can eliminate 99% viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and other harmful particles from any water and gives you drinkable water within a few minutes. Its triple filtration formula can effectively remove any particles, even smaller than 0.2 microns, along with any kind of soluble heavy metals. You can use it directly at the freshwater source and pump for filtering water into a cup or any other jug.

Key Features

Can remove 0.01 microns impurities from drinking water
Pump the freshwater into a jug for the entire family
Gives freshwater rapidly, 17 oz in a minute
Comes with a lifetime warranty
Improves the taste and smell of drinking water
Easy-to-use and suitable for hiking, camping, mountaineering, emergency traveling, etc.

$69.95

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Pros

Cons

Sawyer Products SP101 MINI Water Filtration System, Single, Green

Sawyer Products MINI Water Filtration System is mainly for those who prefer to go on camping often and are looking for a handy, lightweight, and portable water filter. Its really difficult to find fresh water source always in the camping ground, especially when you are boating, right? This filter is portable, lightweight and easy-to-carry. The lightest and versatile water filtration system has made the product quite popular among the buyers.

This water filter system is an expert in removing any kind of bacteria, protozoa, etc. and provides clean water to drink. Managing 10,000 gallons of water is not a matter to this water filter! Attach it to any disposable pouch and water bottles and drink fresh water anytime during your camping. With this water filter, you can stay away from water-borne diseases, like cholera, giardia, diarrhea, etc.

Key Features

Can be attached with any water pouch or disposable water bottle
Provides 99% pure water for drinking
Removes any kind of bacteria and protozoa from drinking water
Can filter any type of water from any water sources
Easy-to-use and easy-to-drink

$22.82

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Pros

Cons

LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System, High-Volume Gravity-Fed Purifier for Camping and Emergency Preparedness, 5 Liter

Finally, to culminate the list of the best water filter for backpacking, there is nothing better than LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System. This is one of the best gravity-fed water filters of high capacity. If you drink water directly from the water source in camping ground, it can cause several water-borne diseases. You definitely don’t want that. So, buy this water filter and take care of your family while enjoying your outdoor adventure.

If you are going on camping with a bigger group, this filter will be the best choice. Different sizes are available of this filter, like 5 liters, 12 liters, etc. It comes with a compact roll bag reservoir that makes it easy-to-carry. You can hang it from any tree at the camping site and let it do its work.

Key Features

Filters 18,000 gallons of water in its lifetime
Flow rate is 9 to 10 liters of water per hour
Easy-to-use and maintain
Ideal for emergency preparedness, camping, and hiking
Removes bacteria, heavy metals, viruses, and protozoa

$104.67

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Pros

Cons

MSR Guardian Water Purifier for Backcountry Use, Global Travel, and Emergency Preparedness

You don’t need to worry about drinking water from natural sources of camping ground anymore as you have MSR Guardian Military-Grade Water Purifier Pump with you now. On your days of camping, you often think about how to stop any contamination from water, especially if you have a child in your team. With this kind of water filters for hikers, you can rely on it entirely.

The ultra-filtration method of this water purifier can remove all the type of bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other impurities of any kind of water. You will be highly beneficial if you buy this water filter as it consists of military-grade fibers. These fibers can strain the smallest dirt from the water and make it fresh and clean. You can get around 10,000 liters of filtered water throughout its lifetime. Don’t need to wait too long for clean drinking water! You can get 2.5liters of it within a minute.

Key Features

Best for traveling, hiking, camping, emergency traveling, etc.
The self-cleaning system keeps the machine clean
No requirement of backflushing or scrubbing the filters
Provides rapid flow of drinking water without any hassle
Weights around 2.3 pounds
Removes 99% impurity from water

$292.39

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Pros

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The FAQ for Backpacking Water Filter

How do water filters for camping works?

There are different types of hiking water filters, which are quite effective in removing any kind of impurities from water. If you buy ultraviolet water filters, it uses UV rays to kill bugs. There are adsorptive products where a little magnet captures the objects, like chemicals, heavy metals, and other particulates in the water. This type of filter can easily remove the tiniest impurity from water. There are also microfilters for camping. It comes with the smallest holes to remove protozoa and bacteria. But, this one can’t filter viruses.

Is it essential to carry a water filter during camping?

While you are going camping or hiking, you have to drink water from natural sources. Those are impure and can cause contamination. If you have kids in your group, they get affected faster by those impurities and suffer from water-borne diseases, like cholera, diarrhea, etc. Therefore, it is crucial to carry a water filter with you to have purified water no matter where you are.

Can you use your old water filter?

As per the technology in the backpacking water filters, these won’t get destroyed if kept unused for long. But, you need to store it well and maintain it properly. While storing, you need to dry it well and then store, and else it will catch mold. The lifetime of a water filter depends on the number of gallons it pumps. If it has not pumped that much water, you can use it. If you find the filter gets mold and not suitable for further use, you can replace the cartridge and use it along.