Sep. 17, 2014 - CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- OutdoorGearLab, a website well known for detailed comparison reviews of outdoor equipment, has just released the results of their 2014 tests of top backpacking water filters and treatment systems. This review updates one previously published in 2012. Gear Editor, McKenzie Long and her review team tested seventeen of the best water filters and water treatment systems for campers and backpackers. These first rate products were tested in the areas of taste, durability, ease of use, weight, reliability, speed and high volume output.
Testing was performed while hiking in the Mount Whitney region, while drinking from Sierra streams, while backpacking in Mt. Rainer National Park, while climbing Clyde Minaret in the Ritter Range and while camping in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and in addition to all of this hands on testing, advice was also sought from Appalachian thru-hikers. Once the testing and interviewing was complete, Long wrote a detailed review for all seventeen products and rated each one on the seven metrics mentioned above and then granted Editors' Choice, Best Buy and Top Pick award winners. This review suggests just how much water an average person needs daily taking into account the amount of physical activity being performed, altitude, humidity and surrounding temperatures, and it also includes a very informative and helpful buying advice article to help consumers ensure that they are considering the purchase of the right product for their particular needs. The winners are:
Editors' Choice - Platypus GravityWorks
The Platypus GravityWorks is lightweight, requires a minimal amount of maintenance and treats water quickly and efficiently. According to Gear Editor Long, “Initially we thought this product would be cumbersome and take too much time to operate, but actually it was quite the contrary. We found the treatment time to be a lot faster than we anticipated, in fact, of all the products we tested, the Platypus GravityWorks filtered water the most quickly. We highly recommend it for filtering large amounts of water efficiently. It is extremely light as well and requires little maintenance. We think it would be great for large groups of people car camping, or for backpackers who need something that operates rapidly.” Long does point out that it does not treat water for viruses.
Top Pick – MSR SweetWater Microfilter
The MSR SweetWater won Top Pick award for being a sensible product that is easy to use. It is extremely versatile because it has the ability to treat as much water as necessary and it can draw water from small sources. Long states, “The SweetWater is a dependable product with an average speed at which it pumps water and an average size and weight. Its pump handle is leveraged making it easy and comfortable to use and it also collapses to pack down small. Its dependability, ease of use and versatility make this product a great value for the price. This system eliminates Protozoa and bacteria but it is not effective against viruses.”
Top Pick – Aquamira Water Treatment Drops
The Aquamira Water Treatment Drops also received Top Pick award for being the lightest, smallest and most cost effective method of water treatment. Gear Editor Long explains why the Aquamire Water Treatment Drops also won the Top Pick award, “We recommend this product as a good option for backpackers and thru-hikers because it is light, simple, trustworthy and it eliminates viruses. This method of treatment does require a long time to incubate and though the chlorine dioxide is harmless to ingest, it does require adding chemicals to your water source, which is something that some consumers might not like. On the up side, it is a very trustworthy method of decontaminating water, especially if it is coming from a potentially polluted source. We recommend keeping some around for treating water in emergency situations. It is not only effective against viruses but also Giardia, Cryptosporidium, pathogens and more.”
Best Buy – Sawyer Mini
The Sawyer Mini won Best Buy award for being lightweight, small and simple to use and drink from. The OutdoorGearLab review team recommends this system for hiking and backpacking. Gear Editor Long reports, “At only 1.4 ounces, the Sawyer Mini is a great option for a personal backpacking system. Of all the products in our review, the Mini was the least expensive for its weight and we liked its efficiency and versatility. The Mini comes with a 16 oz. bag and a straw and can be used by either scooping water into the bag and attaching the filter and drinking, or you can attach the straw to the filter and drink directly from the source.”
Headquartered in Cheyenne Wyoming, OutdoorGearLab LLC strives to create the world’s best outdoor gear reviews. The company’s website is a free resource for people who participate in activities such as hiking, climbing, backpacking, and camping, or who simply love the outdoors. OutdoorGearLab Gear Editors across the country test outdoor equipment side-by-side and publish the results in comparative reviews. Products receive scores across a range of weighted categories, competitors are ranked, and awards are given to the top-performing products.
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