When exploring the outdoors, having a source of clean drinking water may be the most important thing to consider. Backpacking is always uncomfortable to some degree, but stomach bugs from contaminated water are uncomfortable and dangerous when you’re deep in the backcountry.
You can’t carry all your water for a multi-day trip, so you need a reliable way to treat your water in the field. Most backpackers I know have settled on water filters because they’re light, easy to use, and do their job effectively. There are a ton of different filters on the market right now, though, and sorting through all of them to pick the best one for you can be a pain.
In this post, I’ve made a list of my personal favorites. I’ve picked the best from multiple styles, including squeeze filters, gravity filters, and self-contained bottle filters.
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The Best Of The Best
If you’re in a rush, here are my all-time favorites.
Best For Versatility: Sawyer Squeeze
Best Gravity System: Platypus GravityWorks 4L
Best Bottle With Interior Filter: Epic Water Filters Outdoor Series
Best Pump Filter For High Flow Rate: Katadyn Hiker Microfilter
The Best Water Filters For Hiking And Backpacking
Here's the detailed breakdown of my favorite backpacking water filters for every situation.
Best All-Around: Sawyer Squeeze
MSRP: $39 (usually cheaper on Amazon)
Filter Weight: 3.5 ounces wet
Kit Includes: Two 32-oz squeeze bags, backflush syringe, hydration pack adapter, and drinking straw
The Sawyer Squeeze has been my favorite water filter for years, and no other filter has topped it yet. It’s the best combination of versatility, ease of use, effectiveness, and affordability of any filter I’ve tried.
The full-size Sawyer Squeeze (which also comes in a Sawyer Mini and Sawyer Micro; see my comparison of all three here) weighs just 3 ounces but can filter a liter and a half per minute, and its 0.1-micron filter size removes 99.99999% of bacteria (salmonella, e. coli, etc.) and 99.9999% of protozoa (e.g. giardia). That’s more than effective enough for wilderness backpacking and is as good as it gets for a water filter that’s as small and light as the Squeeze.
It’s also the most versatile filter I know of. You can screw it on top of a Smartwater bottle (or any other 28mm threaded bottle) and drink straight from the filter, use the included squeeze bags to squeeze filter into clean containers, or set up a gravity system using the threaded input and output. And for only $30, you don’t have to be as careful with it as you would with some of the more expensive filters on the market.
Best All-Around Runner-Up: HydroBlu VersaFlow
MSRP: $26 (for the kit; $22 for the filter alone)
Filter Weight: 2 ounces
Kit Includes: Two 64-oz collapsible canteens, bucket adapter, hose, and hose clamp
In many ways, the HydroBlu VersaFlow is similar to the Sawyer Squeeze. It can be used on top of a water bottle, as a squeeze filter, or in a gravity setup easily. It can also be used as an inline water filter, easily attaching to a standard-sized water bladder hose. There are a couple of improvements over Sawyer Squeeze, too, like a filter window so you can see when it’s dirty, and convenient caps to prevent leaks in storage.
The reason it’s my runner-up comes down to flow rate. The Versaflow has a faster flow rate than the Sawyer Mini (which also can be used inline), so if you need an inline filter then the Versaflow is the better option. But for all other uses, the much better flow rate of the full-size Sawyer Squeeze for only one extra ounce keeps the Squeeze at the top of my list.
Fastest Flow Rate In An Ultralight Filter: Katadyn BeFree
MSRP: $50
Filter Weight: 2.3 ounces
Kit Includes: 1.0 Liter soft bottle
I like the Katadyn BeFree system because of its phenomenal flow rate for its size. It’s a 0.1-micron filter in a 2.3-ounce package with a flow rate that’s significantly faster than the Sawyer Squeeze. It’s also relatively affordable, though it’s a bit more expensive than the Squeeze and almost twice as much as the Versaflow.
The biggest problem is that you can't clean the filter by backflushing like you can with the Sawyer Squeeze or HydroBlu Versaflow. This limits its usability in high-turbidity water sources, and means that if you run into dirty water sources the filter will have a very short lifespan. The included Katadyn soft bottle also isn’t very durable, and finding a 42mm threaded replacement isn’t as cheap or easy as it is with the 28mm Sawyer Squeeze. These problems all reduce its versatility, so the BeFree isn't my go-to filter unless I'm familiar with my water sources ahead of time.
That said, it’s a fast, effective filter at a reasonable price, and it performs extremely well if you choose your water sources carefully. When paired with a more durable soft bottle or bag (like the CNOC Vesica or Vecto), it’s one of the best filters around for one or two-person use.
Best Gravity System: Platypus GravityWorks 4 Liter System
MSRP: $120
System Weight: 11.5 ounces
Kit Includes: Two 4.0 L bags (labeled dirty and clean), water hose, shutoff clamp, filter, carrying bag
If you’re traveling with a large group, Platypus GravityWorks is hands-down the best gravity system for quickly filtering large amounts of water. It’s heavy, weighing in at 11.5 ounces, so it's best used when shared on trips with 4 or more people. But it’s quick to fill up, super easy to use, and comes with a number of convenient features that make it great for group travel.
The hose comes with a shutoff clamp for easily filling multiple bottles at once. The four-liter capacity of both the clean and dirty reservoirs is plenty for camp chores and cooking for multiple people. And both reservoirs feature SlimeGuard antimicrobial treatment, so the water doesn’t pick up that “old bag” taste that other systems do.
The water filter itself is 0.2 microns, so it’s slightly less thorough than the Sawyer Squeeze. But in the real world, that difference isn’t enough to matter.
Best Filtered Water Bottle: Epic Water Filters Outdoor Series
MSRP: $42
System Weight: 10.1 ounces
Kit Includes: 32-ounce Nalgene bottle (in several styles), easy-sip lid, Epic Outdoor water filter)
I don’t use bottles with interior filters very often because they’re limiting in terms of versatility. But for day hikes where I don’t want to carry all of my water, or for just keeping in the truck for any outdoor adventure, bottle filters like the Epic Water Filters Outdoor Series are awesome.
Epic filters are best-in-class because they’re compatible with a variety of water bottles (including Hydro Flasks and Nalgenes; just make sure you buy the appropriate lid) and the filter is cheaply and easily replaceable. The outdoor series filters also remove 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.999% of protozoa (as well as plenty of other contaminants; check out their datasheet here), so they’re highly capable filters, but their flow rate is also incredible. Drinking through them is effortless, unlike the similarly styled Lifestraw or Sawyer bottles that take a lot of effort to drink from.
I also like that Epic filters are fully recyclable, and Epic is a 1% for the planet member, so going with an Epic filter is good for the environment, too.
Best Pump Filter For High Flow Rates: Katadyn Hiker Microfilter
MSRP: $79.95
System Weight: 11 ounces
Kit Includes: 11-ounce capacity filter, hoses, carry bag
Pump filters are becoming a little old-school, but they can still make sense for large groups. The Katadyn Hiker Microfilter is the best around, with fast flow rates and multiple ways to use it.
With this filter, you can pump straight from a water source or you can use the quick connects to attach to multiple water bag types. The pump is easy and intuitive, and the two-stage filter helps maintain flow rate by removing larger particles before they get to the .2 micron filter. Overall it’s a great filter that will last a long time, and at $70 for the whole system, it’s relatively affordable, too.
Its only drawback is weight, coming in at 11 ounces for the filter alone with no water storage bags. For some people, this is a dealbreaker. But if the weight can be shared across a large group, or if you just prefer ease-of-use overweight, then this filter is still a great option for many.
Why Use Water Filters?
Water sources in the backcountry can be less than ideal. Sure, they often seem fresh and clean, but a dead animal or feces upstream can easily contaminate water that appears crystal clear.
Having water treatment options is necessary to keep yourself protected from harmful pathogens like Giardia (aka Beaver Fever), E.coli, and cryptosporidium. There are plenty of options, including boiling, chemical treatments, filters, and even UV purifiers, but filters work best for most people. Filters have many advantages, including:
- Speed (compared to other options)
- Durability
- Ease of use
- Mostly foolproof
- Result in the cleanest-tasting water
- Effective enough for most situations
In the vast majority of North American wilderness backpacking situations, a 0.1 or 0.2-micron filter is more than powerful enough to remove anything that could hurt you. Filters don’t remove viruses or chemicals, so they aren’t perfect, but they do the job we need them to do in the backcountry.
Filtering is the fastest way to get clean water, and water that’s been filtered tastes better than boiled, chemically treated, or UV-treated water, too. For all of these reasons, water filters are usually the best water treatment option for backpackers.
Other Water Treatment Options
Filters may be the best option for most, but you should never go into the backcountry without a backup method of water treatment. Here’s a quick look at some of the other methods.
Boiling
The oldest and most thorough water treatment method, boiling water has long been seen as the go-to method for survival situations. Since most of us camp with cookstoves already, boiling is the backup that we probably already have.
But boiling water as a primary treatment method is less than ideal. Boiling water requires fuel, and to boil enough water to drink and cook with you’ll need a lot of fuel. It’s incredibly inefficient in terms of weight and fuel cost, but it’s also a huge time-suck. Boiling water and waiting for it to cool is tedious and time-consuming, so boiling shouldn’t be the first option on your list.
Chemical Treatment
Chemical treatments like Katadyn Micropur are popular with the ultralight crowd. A few drops of liquid or a couple of tiny tablets gets you safe water, and if you really hate filtering water then these might be the system for you. There are drawbacks here too, however.
The first is the taste. Tablets don’t remove any particulate matter, so the taste of whatever was in the water sticks around. They also add a weird chemical flavor, which although safe, is off-putting to many people. And although they’re hands-free, they still require waiting at least 30 minutes before your water is safe to drink. Chemical treatments aren’t my go-to method for these reasons, but I have used them in the past and they are great as an ultralight backup.
UV Purifiers
UV purifiers are the newest on the scene, utilizing bright UV light exposure to kill harmful pathogens. The SteriPen is by far the most popular, and these are actually awesome water treatment options for backpacking. SteriPens are more thorough than filters, removing (or really, deactivating) viruses and microorganisms. They do it fast, too, taking about 90 seconds to purify one liter of water.
The major issue with UV purification is reliability. Though SteriPens are generally reliable, they’re still battery-operated, and anything that requires a battery is useless when that battery dies. They also don’t remove any particulates, so if your water source is bad, then you’re going to taste it. But if you’re in a place, with cold, clear water, SteriPens can actually be a little easier and more convenient than water filters.
Final Thoughts
Water treatment is a necessity in the backcountry, and water filters are usually the way to go. They’re fast, reliable, and effective, and many of them are very affordable, too. If you go with any of the filters on this list, you can be sure that you’ll have a solid water filter that will work great and keep you safe in the backcountry.
