What Is the Best Water Filtration System for Backpacking?

By Alice Nichols

Whether you’re backpacking through the mountains or just exploring the woods, having access to clean drinking water is essential. That’s why it can be essential to invest in a good water filtration system, especially if you’ll be out for a while.

The best water filtration system for backpacking depends on your needs and the environment you’ll be traveling in. There are two main types of water filtration systems – mechanical and chemical – and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Mechanical Water Filtration Systems: A mechanical water filtration system uses a physical barrier to filter out contaminants. These systems typically use a combination of screens, pads, or cartridges to capture particles as small as 0.2 microns in size.

They are fairly effective at removing sediment, silt, and other particulate matter from water sources, but they don’t do much to remove chemicals or bacteria.

Chemical Water Filtration Systems: A chemical water filtration system uses chemicals like iodine or chlorine to kill bacteria and make the water safe to drink. These systems are often more effective than mechanical filters at removing bacteria and other contaminants, but they can leave an unpleasant taste in the water. Additionally, some chemical treatments can cause health problems if consumed in large quantities over time.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, the best water filtration system for backpacking depends on your individual needs and the environment you’ll be traveling in. If you need reliable treatment of bacteria and other contaminants from your drinking water source then a chemical filter may be the best option for you. However, if you just need basic filtering of sediment then a mechanical filter could be the better choice.