Best Backpacking Water Filters and Water Purifiers for 2022

Best Backpacking Water Filters and Water Purifiers

When it comes to essential backpacking gear, water filters and purifiers are on the top of the list. You’ll need a lot of water to support your days out in the forest, and carrying all of it on your back would be a pack weight disaster. The solution is to filter water from streams, rivers, and lakes you pass along the trail. Since proper filtration is key to keeping you from exposing yourself to harmful bacteria and illness, getting one of the best backpacking water filters is essential.

Trying to find which backpacking water filters are best can be a challenge, however. There are a ton of different water filtration systems to choose from. Then there are also water purifiers, which you may or may not need in addition to a filter.

To make this easier for you, we put together a list of the best backpacking water filters and water purifiers. These are tried and true tools that we trust to keep us hydrated on our trips.

_{This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them we will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support!}

Water Filters vs. Water Purifiers

A lot of people will use ‘filter’ and ‘purifier’ interchangeably but doing so is not accurate. Knowing the difference between the two and when to utilize each can keep you from making a mistake that is hazardous to your health. The best backpacking water filters won’t be much help if you’re in a situation where a purifier is needed.

Water filters are devices that use a strain to physically remove protozoan cysts, such as Giardia, and bacteria, such as E.Coli. These filters contain a cartridge that has microscopic pores that will capture anything that is over a certain micron size. These work well for most backpacking and camping uses. They are especially handy when gathering water from murky sources because they also filter out dirt and debris.

Water purifiers are a step of protection above water filters because they also kill viruses such as Norovirus. These typically use chemicals or ultraviolet light to clean the water. Since they don’t use a filtration system, they aren’t so good for removing sediment and won’t be the best option for murky water sources. Water purifiers are mainly used by travelers in less-developed regions of the world where water may be contaminated.

Different Types of Water Filters and Purifiers

Pump Filter

A pump filter uses a hose and pump device to filter water. Many pump devices require manual pumping to move the water through the filter, which can be tiring after a long day. What makes these great is their ability to gather water from shallow sources and the ability to filter a lot of water. The downside is that these are typically heavier and more expensive.

Best for: A couple or small group of backpackers who need to gather a lot of water from shallow sources and aren’t concerned with weight.

Bottle Filter

A bottle filter screws onto a water bottle, typically a soft-sided one, and filters the water through the mouthpiece as you drink. What makes these great is their ease of use and quickness. The downside is they only work for one water bottle, you’ll need to fill up frequently or bring along several of these bottles to support your water consumption.

Best for: The average hiker who wants to get a bottle’s worth of water quickly and easily.

Squeeze Bag

Squeeze bag water filters are often regarded as the best backpacking filters to meet the average backpacker’s needs. You fill the soft-sided bag with water, then screw on the filter and squeeze the bag to force the water through the filter into your reservoir or bottle. What makes these great is their ease to use, light weight, and affordability. The downside is that filling your containers can become a chore with the time and energy required to use it.

Best for: The average backpacker who needs to easily gather water from a variety of sources. 

Straw Filter

With a filtration straw, you’re free to slurp directly from the lake, river, or pond. Simply dip the straw into the water source and start drinking, the suction from your mouth will pull water through the filtration device. What makes these great is how easy and fast they are to use. They are also super lightweight. The downside is that you only have water available when you are at the water source.

Best for: Trail runners or day hikers who don’t want to carry a bottle.

Gravity Filter

Let gravity do the work for you with one of these filters. This system comes with one reservoir for dirty water, one reservoir for clean water, and a hose and filter that connects the two. Hang the dirty one higher than the clean and wait. These are great because they require less work and can filter a lot of water at a time. The downside is that you typically need deeper water sources and a place to hang up the bags. This also takes more time.

Best for: Small groups of backpackers who have access to trees and deeper water sources.

UV Purifier

These will purify your water with the flick of a switch. Stick your device into the water and flip on the light. These are fast and easy to use, but will only work for a certain amount of water so be sure to pay attention to those limitations.  What makes these great is how lightweight and fast they are. The downside is that they could malfunction or run out of batter, you will need a backup. These also don’t work well for murky water.

Best for: Hikers who have clear water sources and a backup method of filtration.

Chemical Purifier

Typically in tablets or droppers, iodine or chlorine based purifiers are another popular option for backpackers. Simply drop in your water and wait. You need to wait 30 minutes for it to kill bacteria and viruses, but will need to wait four hours for it to kill off any cryptosporidium. These are great because they are cheap, easy, and fairly fool proof since it doesn’t require any maintenance. The downside is that it won’t remove any sediment or odd taste from the water.

Best for: Hikers who need an easy and foolproof method of purifying water from potentially contaminated sources.

Boiling Water

The age-old method of cleaning water is by boiling it. Bring out your camp stove and get the water cooking to kill off bacteria. This makes an excellent back up for when your water filter breaks or as a method of cleaning water you are going to be using for cooking. The downside is that it takes a decent amount of setup time and you need to wait for it to cool before you put it in your bottle.

Best for: A backup water filtration method if other filter fails in the field or to clean water that will be used to rehydrate food.

Important Qualities in a Water Filter

• Weight – Like every item in a backpacker’s packing list, the best backpacking water filter will be light weight. Some will be ultralight (chemical) while others can be rather heavy (pumps). Take into account not only the filter but the other components that go into the whole system such as hoses and bladders.
• Pore Size – For a water filter, you’ll want to consider the pore size. The smaller the pores, the smaller the particles it will remove. 1 micron or less is needed for protozoa, .4 micron or less is needed for bacteria, and .02 micron is needed for viruses. Typically, a virus is too small for most filters.
• Speed – Being able to filter a lot of water quickly can be a really valuable quality in a filter. You don’t want to spend a whole lot of your time filtering water. Many brands will list their flow rate in liters per minute. This is great for comparing filters, but keep in mind this is measured under optimal circumstances and will decrease with use.
• Filter Life – Filters don’t last forever, but some certainly last longer than others. Things like maintenance, frequency of use, and circumstances it is used in will all impact a filter’s lifespan. Keep this in mind when trying to save a few bucks on a cheaper model – will buying 3 cheap models be a better deal than one long lasting filter?
• Maintenance Required – Even the best of the best backpacking water filters will require some form of maintenance. They typically need to be cleaned or backflushed. If you don’t plan on putting much effort into maintenance, avoid the filters that require an extensive cleaning process.

Best Backpacking Water Filters and Purifiers

All-Around Favorite

Sawyer Squeeze

Sawyer Squeeze is one of the most popular filters among experienced backpackers for good reason. It is easy to use, versatile, and lightweight. It is also incredibly affordable while still having a long filter life. You can get away with using the same one for years! However, if you don’t properly clean and backflush after uses you may end up buying a replacement for the sake of flow rate.

Find it here!

Best Pump Filter

MSR Trail Shot

When it comes to the best pump backpacking water filters, MSR Trail Shot is consistently on the top of the list. As far as pumps go, the trail shot is incredibly lightweight and compact. The filter is also incredibly versatile, allowing you to capture water from even the shallowest of sources and pump it into your bottle or directly into your mouth.

The Trail Shot uses a squeeze motion to create water movement through the pump. This can be less tiring than one that uses a lever pump that requires you to utilize your whole arm.

Find it here!

Best Gravity Filter

Platypus Gravity Works

For a group setting, one of the best backpacking water filters you can have is a gravity water filter. It will filter a lot of water with very little effort, so you can spend more time enjoying good company. The Platypus Gravity Works is a leader in doing just that. It has a capacity of 4 liters and has a maximum flow rate of 1.75 liters per minute. You can filter plenty of water in no time with this system!

The system comes with one 4 liter dirty water reservoir, one 4-liter clean water reservoir, microfilter hoses, a shut off clamp, and a storage sack. Simply find a water source and a place to hang the reservoirs and you are good to go.

Find it here!

Best Bottle Filter

Katadyn BeFree

If you’re looking for a light and compact bottle filter system, look no further. The Katadyn BeFree is a soft water bottle with a filtering cap, so you can simply fill the bottle and drink directly through the nozzle. This gives you incredibly fast access to water whenever you come across a source. The soft bottle design allows you to collapse the bottle when it’s empty for compact storage. You can also squeeze the bag to create extra water pressure against the filter when it gets slower with use.

These bottles are ideal for day hikers, trail runners, or bikers. For backpackers, these may not hold enough water to support your dietary needs.

Find it here!

Best Straw Filter

LifeStraw

Drink directly from the river or lake confidently with the well-trusted LifeStraw.  This small device removes 99.999% of waterborne bacteria and parasites as well as microplastics. It is also one of the easiest filters to use, simply bend down and drink through it like you would with any other drinking straw.

At only 2 ounces, this is the lightest of the best backpacking filters, perfect for the ultralight enthusiast. It is also incredibly compact, so it can easily fit in the pocket of a trail runner or mountain biker. Since there is no storage system incorporated with this filter, it may not be suitable for backpackers who should have easy access to water throughout the hike.

Find it here!

Best UV Purifier

SteriPen Ultra

The SteriPen Ultra is a compact and easy tool to use for purifying your water with UV light. It’s only about 8.3 inches tall, so you can easily find a place for it in your backpack.

The LED screen makes this incredibly easy to use. It comes with 2 settings, one for a liter and one for a half liter and the LED screen will confirm which setting you are on. It will also indicate when the treatment is completed and will show you how much power is remaining. To use, simply choose the treatment setting, dip it into your water bottle, and stir. It will take around 90 seconds to treat.

Find it here!

Best Chemical Purifier

Katdyn Micropur MP1

Katdyn Micropur MP1 is our favorite water purification tablet and it is also one of the only ones EPA registered. These are incredibly affordable and easy to use, making it a perfect backup filter system to keep in your first aid kit. 

These tablets will take around 30 minutes for most water sources, but up to 4 hours for cold or particularly dirty water. So it may not be the fastest method to clean your water, but it is one of the easiest methods. Each tablet will lean 1 liter of water, so you don’t need to worry about measuring out powders or droplets. Simply plop a tablet in and wait.

FInd it here!

_{Photo by Robert Ritchie on Unsplash}