10 Best Water Filter for Backpacking

You are getting ready for your backpacking trip and haven’t got your water filter yet, then you might be doing it wrong.

Clean drinking water should be your basic priority.

Since carrying gallons of clean drinking water with you is absolutely impossible. You have to depend on the sources of water that you find on the way.

And who knows, they could have been contaminated with viruses and bacteria. Drinking contaminated water means you risk your health.

You don’t want to catch diarrhea or experience abdominal cramps, do you?

So, why take a risk when you simply can get the water filter for backpacking. They are so effective that you could even drink the water from the murkiest pond.

But always make sure to get the best water filter for backpacking and keep supplying yourself with clean drinking water; anywhere and anytime.

Highlights of 10 Best Water Filter for Backpacking

Product Name	Product Image	Highlights	Check on Amazon
Platypus 2L GravityWorks Filter		● Easy to use and fast ● 2.0L flexible water bottle ● Adapters for adaptability and maximum versatility ● No pumping ● Removes 99.9999% of bacteria ● Easy to back flush micro filter	Check Price
Katadyn Vario Water Filter		● Dual Piston technology ● Replaceable and activated carbon ● Dual pumping modes ● Glass fiber filter ● Pump fast ● Removes unpleasant flavors	Check Price
LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System		● Easy to use ● Hollow membrane water purifier ● Removes 99.9999% bacteria, 99.999% viruses and 99.99% protozoa ● Compact roll-bag reservoir ● Filtration capacity of 18000 liters	Check Price
Katadyn Hiker Microfilter		● Easy to use ● 0.2 micron glass fiber filter ● Advanced carbon reduces chemicals and improves taste ● Safe drinking water ● No need of constant back flushing ● Protect hands from heat	Check Price
Sawyer Products PointOne Squeeze Water Filter System		● Lightweight and easily portable ● Removes 99.9999% protozoa and 99.99999% bacterial ● 3 BPA free collapsible pouches ● Field maintainable bucket ● Faucet adapters	Check Price
Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System		● Lightweight ● Hollow fiber membrane in line filter ● Removes 99.9999% protozoa and 99.99999% bacteria ● Filters up to 100000 gallons of water ● Cleaning plunger ● 7-inch drinking straw	Check Price
Survivor Filter PRO 0.01 Micron Water Purifier Pump		● Fully compact ● Fast flow rate ● Removes 99.9% virus and bacteria ● Replaceable Ultra and Carbon filter ● Filters large quantity of water ● Lifetime warranty	Check Price
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter for Hiking		● Lightweight ● High Flow rate ● Meets EPA standard ● Removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne, protozoa ● Sealed bag for storage ● Filters up to 1000 liters contaminated water	Check Price
Virus Tested Reusable/Cleanable Water Filter		● Better filtration ● Removes 99.9% of virus and bacteria ● Lasts longer ● Triple filtration ● 4 extra mesh filters ● Lifetime warranty	Check Price
Boston Fortis Explorer Pro		● Safe and odor-free ● Removes 99% of bacteria, protozoa and metals ● Fast flow rate up to 500 ml in a minute ● Lightweight and compact ● Money back guarantee	Check Price

Why do you need the best water filter for backpacking?

As you all know, carrying the best water filter is way better than bringing a large quantity of drinking water. And with water filter, you just have to a fill up the required quantity of water from the water source.

However, it is not a good idea to drink water from any water source. You have to filter water to remove viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Drinking water without filtering can cause a serious problem on your body. You can suffer from diarrhea, nausea and abdominal cramping. That’s what you don’t want to happen on your backpacking trip, right?

Review of 10 Best Water Filter for Backpacking

To filter contaminated water of a lakes and streams, it is better to use the best water filter. Here, I have reviewed 10 best water filters for backpacking which might be helpful for you.

1. Platypus 2L Gravity Works Filter

Platypus 2L Gravity Works Filter is a complete kit for backpacking. It is small and light which makes it easy to pack and carry. The filter gives you fast filtering of around 1.5 Liter in a minute. That makes quick access to drinking water.

It has a pretty much fastest filtering system. The products and parts of the filter are of high quality. You will also get collapsible clean water bag and pop up sports bottle when you buy this filter. That gives you a total of a 2L water bottle.

The filter uses hollow fiber technology. It gives you drinkable water in very less time without single pump stroke. What you need to do is just refill dirty side and refills the water as you need.

You can easily remove and disconnect fitting of the filter. There is no need of moving any parts of the filter, no assembly and no effort at all. It is very easy to use and efficient for the whole group as well.

No matter where are you traveling, it gives perfect solution for drinking water. You just have to fill your dirty bag and hang it on a tree or somewhere else. Then discharge off the filter and just let gravity do entire work. You don’t have to clean filters at all. It’s that simple to use.

The filter might clog up after filling some water. That might be one issue you will face. However, you should not worry about it. You will definitely buy it for the second time when you see its fast and easy filtering system.

Pros

Cons

2. Katadyn Vario Water Filter

Katadyn Vario Water Filter is one of the best water filters for backpacking. It is easy and fast. The filter has dual pumping modes. You don’t have to waste much effort as it can pump really fast.

The filter has an activated and replaceable carbon core which reduces chemicals and keeps water fresh. It also removes odors.

Likewise, the filter has dual-piston technology. You can get maximum output with very little effort because of this technology.

In the same way, the charcoal of the filter removes the most unpleasant flavors. Even if you fill dirty and smelly water, this filter gives you tasty and freshwater.

You will also get a decent carry bag when you buy this filter. Similarly, the company also provides you a little tube of silicon lubricant.

The filter comes with a ceramic and fiber filter inside, which will gives you clean water.

It’s a little heavy and requires more space in the backpack. So, it can be an issue for you. Likewise, it takes time to clean. The filter requires a little more effort for disassembling.

You should definitely try it once and share your own review.

Pros

Cons

3. LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System

LifeStraw Mission Water Purification System is one of the best and ideal water filters for family camping and other outdoor activities. It is also best to use for backpacking.

The filter ensures 99.9999% protection from all bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. With the help of this filter, you can easily drink water from lakes and streams. You don’t need to fear contaminating the water of those lakes and streams after you buy this filter.

It is very simple to use. You don’t need much effort for moving the parts of the filter. The water filter also includes a stuff sack where you can store some of your important stuff. It is not too heavy. You can easily carry it from one place to another.

It can produce water with a flow-rate of 9 to 12 liters in one hour. In fact, the water filter has a lifetime filtration capacity of about 18000 liters.

This water filter doesn’t need any chemicals or batteries to purify the water. You can even use it to get clean water for multiple people.

The best thing about this water bottle is that you can easily set it up just next to your campsite. You can do other things while the water is filtering. It will take nearly 4 to 5 minutes to fill up a bottle. The only issue you might find in this water bottle is that it is difficult to pack.

Pros

Cons

4. Katadyn Hiker Microfiber

Katadyn Hiker Microfiber provides you safe drinking water in extreme and challenging conditions. It has activated carbon in the core of the filter which improves the taste of water. Similarly, it also reduces chemicals in drinking water.

The water filter is easy to use.  Likewise, it has handle pockets that provide easy gripping. You will not have any issue with this water filter. It can filter up to around 10 gallons in a day.

This water filter is compact and lightweight. It is very easy to use and gives you tasty water. You can easily put it in the outer compartment of your pack. It will not take much space. You will be able to find an extra space even after putting it in the outer compartment.

If you are filling up water over 24 ounces in the filter, then you might have to work hard. But if you are filling less than 24 ounces, then it can easily pump it and get you tasty water.

You will get a nice pouch in this water filter. It has tubes in each pouch; one naming clean and another naming dirty.

There is one issue with this water filter. The inlet hose mesh filter and sediment filter clogged up very easily. It can create a serious problem for you. Nevertheless, it is best to use for backpacking and other outdoor activities.

Pros

Cons

5. Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System

Sawyer Products Mini Water Filtration System is lightweight and easily portable. It ensures you the best quality of filtration.

The water filter, in fact, removes 99.99% of all bacteria and protozoa. It makes the water very safe to drink. You will not get sick anywhere if you take this water filter along with you.

Likewise, it has a removable push and pulls cap. You can easily drink water from the filter or from the bottle. The water filter also gives you 3 BPA-free collapsible pouches. These pouches roll up tightly which makes it easy to pack. It can be also be reused many times.

This water filter is great to use for any outdoor activities. It is also very easy to use. You can simply fill up a pouch at a lake or river and screw the filter directly onto the pouch. After that, squeeze the bag to get the water filter into a bottle. Just after few minutes, you can drink water from a bottle.

It has in one system which includes faucet adapters and field maintainable buckets. With the help of adapters and buckets, you can create a high-flow water filtration system for a large number of people. In fact, the water filter can produce up to 540 gallons of water in a single day.

You might also want to know some of its drawbacks. The first issue is bladder bags which might burst. You will definitely not like to use it if bladder bags burst near your neck.

Pros

Cons

6. Sawyer Products PointOne Squeeze Water Filter System

Sawyer Products PointOne Squeeze Water Filter System is the most versatile and lightest water filter. You will not believe that its total field weight is just 2 ounces. It even fits in the palm of your hand.

This water filter might be small in size but it does the best job when comes to filtering water. It is, in fact, perfect for backpacking, camping, and other outdoor activities.

It removes 99.99% of harmful bacteria and protozoa. You don’t have to worry anything about suffering from cholera if you drink pure water from this filter.

This water filter comes with 16-ounce reusable squeeze pouches. It also includes a cleaning plunger and 7-inch drinking straw. You can easily drink water from the filter directly. Just take a straw and drink water like a milkshake. The flow rate is also amazing.

The water filter can be used for a long time. It will give you the same level of satisfaction as it was giving when you use it the first time. It cleans water from any source and converts the distasteful water into tasty drinking water.

Although Sawyer has claimed that you can filter up to 1000000 gallons of water. But in reality, you might not be able to filter 1000000 gallons of water if you don’t clean the filter regularly. You should also flush the filter with the provided syringe using clean water.

Pros

Cons

7. Survivor Filter PRO 0.01 Micron Water Purifier Pump

Survivor Filter PRO 0.01 Micron Water Purifier Pump gives you safe and tasty drinking water like another water filter. It removes 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. Likewise, it also reduces heavy metals like mercury and lead. The water filter is in fact tested at Intertek labs of the USA. So, it provides you very safe drinkable water.

This water filter is also easy to use. There are three ways to use it. You can use it directly from any freshwater source. Similarly, you can easily pump it into an attached cup or any portable hydration device.

If you are seeking a water filter for a large number of people, then this is the best one. It is a perfect water filter for filtering large quantities of water.

You can re-use this water filter up to 100000 liters. If you are not happy with its pre-filter and internal filter, you can replace it. In fact, you will get lifetime warranty from the company.

This water filter gives you 100% satisfaction. You should definitely buy it and enjoy your backpacking journey.

Pros

8. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter For Hiking

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter is the favorite water filter of million of peoples. It can filter up to around 1000 liters of contaminated water. You don’t need to put any chemicals to get pure or drinkable water.

This water filter is lightweight and easy to use. It weighs around only 2oz. You can easily carry and take it for backpacking, hiking, and other outdoor activities.

It is ideal for purifying water from any source of water. You will get pure and fresh drinking water after using this water filter.

Likewise, it removes 99.99% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9 % protozoan parasites. It is in fact independently tested and it has met EPA standards filters. Similarly, it can filter up to an amazing 0.2 microns.

What you need is a water source from where you can take water and filter it. You don’t need to worry about whether it filters all bad stuff in the water or not. Believe it; this water filter gives you very safe and pure drinking water.

When you buy it, you will also get a sealed bag. You can put some of your necessary items there for an emergency period.

Pros

9. Virus Tested Reusable/Cleanable Water Filter

If you are looking for a long-lasting water filter, then you should buy Virus Tested Reusable/Cleanable Water Filter.

It has three removable internal filter stages. The first one is Membrane Ultra Filter. It can last up to 100000 liters of water. The second one is Replaceable Carbon Filter. It lasts up to around 1000 liters of water. And the last one is Cotton Pre-Filters. It lasts up to 264 gallons of water.

This water filter comes with four extra mesh filters which ensure you pure drinking water. It has also a special mouthpiece with an integrated cap which keeps the mouthpiece clean. The filter produces a fast flow rate of about 200 ml in a minute.

The filter is considered one of the most versatile personal water filters. You can use it directly from the freshwater source. No matter how contaminated water is, you will get clean and pure drinking water.

The company gives you 100% satisfaction and a lifetime warranty. You can also take your money back if it didn’t meet to your satisfaction level.

The biggest drawback of this water filter is that it doesn’t work as a gravity filter. But, it works quite well with Smart Water Bottle. You will still find difficulty in drinking water because it doesn’t provide a good flow of water.

Nevertheless, you can still buy it and take it along your journey. It will not disappoint you at all.

Pros

Cons

10. Boston Fortis Explorer Pro

Boston Fortis Explorer Pro is a laboratory-tested and certified water filter. It removes more than 99% of bacteria, protozoa, and microorganisms. It also reduces metals and chemicals. Likewise, the water filter also meets EPA standards.

You don’t have to take any stress about its purity. It goes through a new advanced three-stage filtration system. This water filter provides you a safe and odor-free drinking water.

The filter has not made any compromise in its taste at all. It is lightweight weighing around 9 Oz. In the same way, it is available in a compact size.

This water filter includes additional emergency features like a compass, flashlight, mini-knife, whistle and fire flint. It is not only best for backpacking; it can also be used for camping, hiking, fishing, explorations and other outdoor activities.

In the same way, it also provides a fast flow rate of up to around 500 ml in a minute. This filter is very easy to use and easy to clean as well. You don’t need any tools for cleaning the filter.

The filter is strong in the outside. Its outer shell is made of BPA-free ABS material.

You can use it directly from the freshwater source. This filter is also used for filtering large quantities of water for your whole family.

Although this filter is good for backpacking, it might be troublesome when you fill up to 400 liters of water. You might get tired of pumping the water. Another issue with this filter is that it is made of less durable materials.

Nevertheless, this water filter is very cool and great to use for backpacking and camping. In fact, this filter is ranked as the 5th Best Camping Filters by Wikipedia.

Pros

Cons

Similar articles you may like:

• Best Filtered Water Bottles for Hiking
• Best Knock Off Hydro Flask
• Best Hiking Waist Pack With Water Bottle Holder

Things to Consider While Buying Best Water Filter for Backpacking

You must consider certain things before buying the best water filter for backpacking. Here, I have listed some of the things which might help you.

1. Filtration

You should first know the difference between water filter and water purifier. If you don’t know the differences, then let me clarify you what are differences. Filtration removes bacteria whereas purification removes only viruses. Likewise, Filtration removes silt and debris in the water. It makes water pleasant to drink. So, you should always look for the water filter which ensures you filtration, not purification.

2. Weight

Weight is another factor you should consider while buying a water filter. Generally, it is found that smaller and light water filter has long filtration process. So it is better to buy the water filter which is big in size and has some weight. It surely gives you better filtration in less time.

3. Speed

The speed of the water filter also matters while going on a backpacking trip. You will certainly not prefer water filter which takes a long time. It can be a serious problem when you are more in number.

Usually, it is found that it takes more time to filter water using chemicals than using a water filter. So you should better choose water filter over chemicals. You will find many water filters in the market which will give you a pure and tasty drinking water in less time. But you should always buy water filter which filters water in quick time.

Experts Pick

Out of 10 best water filters for backpacking, I will recommend you to buy Platypus 2L Gravity Works Filter. It is very easy to use. You don’t need to pump the filter. What you need to do is just fill water and hang it. After that, gravity will do all work and gives you pure and tasty filtered water.

Likewise, it can filters water up to 1.5 liters in a minute. That will surely attract you. So don’t think twice and make a wise decision by buying the best water filter for backing i.e. Platypus 2L Gravity Works Filter.