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Whether you’re a seasoned backpacker or gearing up for your first camping trip, staying hydrated is crucial when you’re spending time in nature. However it’s not as simple as scooping water from a nearby brook and taking a gulp.
That crystal-clear mountain stream might not be as pristine as it looks, often hiding microorganisms that can turn your dream adventure into an episode of Survivor. After all, there’s a reason they call Giardia the “backpacker’s disease.”
If you plan to be drinking from natural water sources on your next outdoor adventure, a good water purifier is a must. Here’s why water purifiers are so crucial, followed by my top picks for the best water filters for camping and travel.
Why Do You Need to Purify Natural Water?
First things first: why bother purifying water in the wild? Well, even the most untouched water sources can contain bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. We’re talking about unfriendly critters like Giardia, E. coli, and Salmonella, which can cause symptoms ranging from an upset stomach to severe dehydration and illness.
Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: portable water filters, aka, a backpacker’s best friend. These gadgets usually involve a pump to move water through a filter that catches bacteria and protozoa. Some use a gravity system, perfect for setting up at camp.
Remember to check the filter size when you’re shopping for a portable water filter; anything that filters down to 0.2 microns is generally recommended for removing pathogens.
9 Best Portable Water Filters for Camping, Traveling, and Backpacking
Choosing the best portable water purifier often comes down to your specific needs, such as the type of traveling or camping you’re planning on doing (backpacking, car camping, etc.), the size of your group (are you bringing family or friends along?), and the nature of the water sources you’ll encounter.
With these considerations in mind, here are some of the top portable water purifiers for your next outdoor adventure.
1. Sawyer Squeeze and Sawyer Mini
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- Pros: Lightweight, affordable, and easy to use. These minis can attach directly to a water bottle or inline on a hydration pack.
- Cons: Squeezing bags can be tiresome, and they can break with rough handling.
Designed for the minimalist backpacker, both the Sawyer Squeeze and the Sawyer Mini are incredibly lightweight and easy to use. The Squeeze is a bit larger with a faster flow rate, while the Mini is compact enough to fit in your palm. Both can attach directly to the included collapsible pouches or standard water bottles and come with a straw for drinking directly from a water source.
These filters use a 0.1-micron hollow-fiber membrane filter that can be backflushed for extended life. As for packing, they won’t weigh you down or take up much space, and they easily fit into an outer pocket of your backpack.
These Sawyer filters will remove 100% of microplastics, as well as harmful bacteria, protozoa, cysts, and sediment. The Sawyer Squeeze also comes with a built-in flip top sports cap so you can drink your purified water right from the filter. Alternatively, you can empty the (BPA-free) pouch into a reusable water bottle or plastic-free camping coffee maker.
2. Katadyn BeFree
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- Pros: Fast flow rate and collapsible flask design. Filter is easy to clean by shaking or swishing it in water.
- Cons: The soft bottle may not be as durable as hard-sided bottles.
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The Katadyn BeFree is another favorite among hikers for its user-friendly design. It features a 0.1-micron filter that’s integrated into a flexible water bottle.
To use this water purifier, you just fill the bottle and squeeze water through the filter. Its collapsibility means it takes up very little space when you’re not using it, and the flask is pretty lightweight even when it’s full.
Cleaning the filter is easy, and there’s no need for backflushing, so it’s a hassle-free option for trail use. This filter removes bacteria and protozoa, even beyond EPA standards. It packs down nice and small, enough to fit it right in your jacket pocket.
3. LifeStraw Personal Water Filter
- Pros: Portable and easy to use – you can drink directly from a water source.
- Cons: It doesn’t filter out viruses and isn’t practical for purifying water for cooking.
LifeStraw is possibly the most recognizable name in portable water purification, with the Personal Water Filter a testament to simplicity. It’s a straw-like filter that allows you to drink directly from streams or lakes. If you’ve seen any of LifeStraw’s advertisements (which are super gross to watch), you won’t forget what this little straw can do.
This LifeStraw filter is extremely lightweight and slender, making it one of the easiest to pack. The lack of moving parts means there’s nothing to break or maintain, though it won’t be useful for purifying large quantities of water for cooking. It removes bacteria and parasites and 99.999% of waterborne parasites, including Giardia. It also removes microplastics down to 0.1 microns.
This filter has a pretty long life. You can use it to filter 1,000 gallons of clean drinking water before you need to replace it.
4. MSR Miniworks EX Backcountry Water Purifier
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- Pros: A pump filter with a carbon core that removes unpleasant tastes and chemicals.
- Cons: Requires manual pumping and regular maintenance of the filter element.
The MSR MiniWorks EX is a workhorse of a pump filter, featuring a ceramic element that can be cleaned while you’re on the go. It’s relatively easy to pump and it includes a carbon core to improve taste and remove odors.
The MiniWorks is heavier and larger than the Sawyer or LifeStraw options, but it’s durable and has a long lifespan, making it a good choice for frequent campers. It disassembles quickly for cleaning and can be attached directly to wide-mouth water bottles or hydration packs.
This water purifier’s replaceable carbon and ceramic filter removes bacteria, protozoa, organic compounds, and particulates, and the Aquatabs that come with it protect against viruses. (It’s effective against viruses at a 99.99% rate, bacteria at 99.9999%, and protozoa at 99.9%).
This pump measures roughly 7 x 3 inches and weighs about a pound. It includes a storage bag and a lifetime warranty from the company. It’s also nice that this pump is made right here in the good ol’ US of A.
5. MSR Guardian
- Pros: One of the few that can actually purify (not just filter) water by removing viruses. Plus, it’s self-cleaning and has a fast flow rate.
- Cons: It’s on the expensive side ($260)
The MSR Guardian is on the cutting edge of portable water purifiers, designed for serious expeditions. It’s a pump purifier, which means it works quickly and can handle silty or murky water with ease.
The Guardian removes viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and sediment, and its self-cleaning mechanism expels contaminants every time you pump. It’s bulkier and heavier than simple filters, but for the level of purification it provides, it’s still impressively compact.
This filter uses activated carbon to remove viruses (99.99%), bacteria (99.9999%), protozoa (99.9%), sediment and microplastics from “worst-case” water conditions. It works fast and is easy to fill. You just hang the reservoir up and it purifies water up to one liter in just two minutes. It weighs 18.7 ounces and is, like its younger MiniWorks sibling, also made in the U.S.
6. Grayl Geopress
- Pros: Functions like a French press and purifies water by removing particulates, chemicals, and pathogens, including viruses.
- Cons: Heavier than some other options, but excellent for travelers.
The Grayl Geopress is an innovative purifier that works like a coffee press. You fill the outer chamber with water, insert the inner chamber, and press down to force water through the filter.
It’s a bit heavier and larger than some other options, but it’s incredibly effective and purifies water in a matter of seconds. It removes viruses (including Giardia), bacteria, protozoa, PFAS, and other chemicals, herbicides and pesticides, making it suitable for international travel, as well as backcountry adventures.
This filter is nice in that you don’t need to spend any time setting it up. It doesn’t have hoses or pumps, and you don’t need a Master’s degree in Engineering to figure it out. It’s easy and effective.
7. Platypus GravityWorks
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- Pros: A gravity filter system that’s great for groups and camp setups, doesn’t require pumping, and has a high capacity.
- Cons: Needs to be hung from a tree or similar structure, so not ideal for all situations.
The Platypus GravityWorks system is a good camping water purifier for groups and basecamp scenarios. It uses a two-bag system where dirty water is hung above the clean bag, and gravity does the work to filter through a 0.2-micron hollow-fiber filter.
This would be ideal for filtering water for cooking and washing up. That said, for the cleanest possible drinking water, you might want to go with a filter that has a 0.1 micron filter, like many of the others on this list.
This filter meets all EPA/NSF guidelines for removing 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa, including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella, and Cholera. Its replaceable cartridge filters up to 1,500 gallons. This filter is made in the USA.
8. Travel Berkey Water Purifier
- Pros: Powerful filtration, can be operated without electricity or batteries. Ideal for off-grid car camping.
- Cons: Expensive compared to other filters, and bulky, so not suited for backpacking.
Berkey water purifiers are often beloved for their robust filtering capability and the simplicity of their gravity-fed design. They come in various sizes, catering to solo users and large groups, so they’re really great for both home and camp use.
The Berkey system consists of two stainless steel chambers stacked together. Water is poured into the top chamber, where it passes through the powerful Black Berkey purification elements and then gets stored in the lower chamber, where it’s ready for use. The purification elements in a Berkey do a great job of removing bacteria, viruses, chemicals, heavy metals, and sediment, leading to water with a clean taste and high level of purity.
In terms of ease of use, this filter is as simple as pouring water in and letting gravity do the work, with no pumping or electricity required. While Berkey purifiers are not as portable as some of the bottle or straw-type filters due to their size and metal construction (you won’t be backpacking with this one!), the Travel Berkey is feasible for car camping or other situations where portability is not the top concern.
For those dedicated to the purity of their water and traveling in a way that accommodates larger equipment, a Berkey is an excellent choice.
9. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher
- Pro: Very effectively removes a vast array of contaminants, ensuring safe, clean-tasting drinking water.
- Con: As a pitcher, it’s more prone to breakage in rugged outdoor environments compared to more durable, camping-specific filters.
The Clearly Filtered water pitcher is user-friendly and designed for everyday use. While it’s not specifically made for camping, this pitcher’s convenience and effectiveness can make it suitable for RVs or base camps with access to a water source. This pitcher uses an Affinity Filtration Technology that claims to eliminate up to 99.9% of over 365 different chemicals and contaminants (including PFAS, aka “forever chemicals”).
Using the Clearly Filtered pitcher is straightforward: you fill the upper reservoir with water and the filter goes to work immediately, cleansing the water as it fills the pitcher below. It’s a great passive system that requires no attention after the initial fill. With no installation and a familiar pitcher design, it’s a comfortable transition for those who are new to water filtration.
When it comes to packing, the Clearly Filtered pitcher is bulkier than outdoor-specific devices and is made of plastic, so it’s not as rugged as some might require for outdoor use. However, for those staying at a campsite with a potable water source who want to ensure their drinking water is of the highest possible quality, this one’s a good option.
Stay Safe with a Camping-Friendly Water Filter
Each of these purifiers has its own unique strengths, and the best one for you will depend on the specifics of your camping trip and personal preferences. Whether you value ultralight gear, ease of use, or the highest level of purification, there’s a water treatment system out there that’s up to the task. The goal is to keep your adventure safe and your body hydrated without weighing you down or slowing you down.
Check out some of our other guides to non-toxic and sustainable hiking gear, including tents and sleeping bags made without flame retardants!
