Clean, fresh filtered water when you’re in the backcountry is possible – you just need a safe and reliable water purifier or filtration system. These are the ones you can count on
Best water purifiers for camping UK 2022: Collect drinking water from the wild with the best filtration systems
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When you’re wild camping or going on a backcountry adventure, there’s nothing more important than figuring out how you get the right amount of hydration.
Stocking up on fresh, clean drinking water is of paramount importance, especially if you spend days outdoors.
Fortunately, advances in filtration technology mean that there are a number of different water purification options on the market for wilderness and backcountry campers these days – we’ve thrown a take a look at a selection here.
What to Look for in a Camping Filtration System or Portable Water Purifier
In our minds, there are three very important buying judgments to make when buying a good filtration system.
First there is the purification technology (the better the quality, the greater the impact on the price), second there is the weight and portability and third there is the ease of use, of filling and operation. We will examine these individual elements.
The last thing to say before getting into the products is that there are a lot of options out there! It may take a bit of research and asking questions to find the right one for you.
It should also be remembered that this is a buying guide only – although most of these products have been tested we cannot fully guarantee their 100% effectiveness and we recommend and suggest that if you plan to use any of these products in nature, you consult a doctor or an expert before use.
Get ready for your camping and hiking adventures.
The best water filters for camping at a glance
MSR Guardian
MSR has a history of creating exceptional backcountry camping gear, and while you’ll pay a fair amount of money for it, there’s very little that can beat the MSR Guardian for serious purification. some water.
It runs on a pump system and is routed through a filter system which the US military provided the technology to help develop.
If you are heading out into the wilderness, where finding good quality water could save your life, this is definitely the option we would choose.
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Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration Bottle
Not only is it 99.9% effective against bacteria including salmonella, leptospirosis, cholera, and E. coli, it’s also incredibly easy to use and carry with you.
Simply fill the included pouch with water from a wild source, screw the filter onto the bottle, then squeeze the water into the bottle for drinking.
The whole system also weighs less than 100g, so definitely worth considering if you’re looking to save weight.
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Platypus Gravity Filter 4.0L Water Filter
If you are part of a large camping group and will be staying in one place for a while, this 4L option is one of the easiest options you can choose.
We love how easy it is to use – with a simple bag-to-bag feed that works by gravity – just hook it up somewhere and when you return the bottom bag will have clean water to drink.
Cleaning is also magically easy – just flip it the other way and let the clean water flow through the filter in the opposite direction.
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Katadyn Micropur Forte tablets
This is a slightly different option, but definitely worth considering if you’re short on space or after a slightly more economical purchase. There are 100 tablets here in one package, and you only need one tablet to purify 1 liter. After about 20 minutes, the water will be free of bacteria and viruses.
Obviously, there’s no filtration process here, so if the water has lumps in it or is cloudy, this won’t solve that, but you’ll be safe in the knowledge that the water in question has been treated.
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LifeStraw Go 650ml
If you’re camping solo or backpacking in a space-constrained environment, there’s little on the market with more convenience than the Go 650ml option.
We’ve been using this system for a little while and love that its simplicity allows you to fill from almost any water source directly into the bottle as the water is filtered through the straw.
The filter in the straw is also good on its own for 4,000 litres, with the taste-enhancing carbon capsule meant to last around 100 litres.
Replacements are available.
Kills 99.999999% of waterborne bacteria including E-Coli and waterborne protozoan parasites including Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
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Salomon Soft Flask XA filter bottle
For small amounts of water and short day hikes, this is an affordable and easy option, similar to the LifeStraw above.
The difference with the Soft Flask however is that it shrinks as you drink water, acting like a water bladder and making it easy to see how much you have left.
The added benefit here is that it also packs down very small when empty and can be stored in small backpacks and rucksacks.
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