How to Choose a Backpacking Water Filter || REI 

she needs her own channel

Oh dang glad you mentioned people with thyroid issues shouldn't use the iodine

these are an incredible resource and she does an exceptional job. if she had a channel i would subscribe for sure! very informative

I love this lady

Taste isn't really an issue in the White Mountains, so I use a Sawyer squeeze bag, and a drink-through filter. I was carrying 5.5 lbs of water (2.5 liters). Now I just bring a liter, and use the filter for the rest.

Great video and some of the tips in the comments are just as helpful. I like the down to earth explanation of options.

I think this is your most informative video, thank you!

Very helpful. Thank You.

I believe the PCT thru hikers know best: 2 (coca cola) containers paired with a Sawyer Straw. That said, just dip into a water source and go. They drink from only one container. The other is water meant for cooking only. Smart, I'd say. I have used many methods from a Katahdin bottle (bulky), to a pack reservoir (which is good for a day trip or an overnighter--IF you don't naturally consume a lot of water), to just recently a Nalgene bottle and a straw. The latter works best so far. This was an informative and helpful video! ~thank you.

I like this lady personality.

" you don't want dirt in your water." Me, after a month long hike and can no longer taste a difference between bread and pepper: What dirt? F**k

Excellent video 😊 Thankyou 👍🏾❤️

This is such a great and wide ranging video. Thank you so much. I'm preparing for my first non-desert hiking, where water access exists, and so purification and filtering are a concern (JMT) so this is a great start for me. Thank you :)

I bought the new Katadyn Be Free filtration system and it worked perfectly.

Yeah Hung Phan I noticed too. ✌

Thank you.

Sawyer with a little gravity is pure fuego

She would be fun to hike with.

Love, love, love my Grayl! Purifies a gallon of water in under a minute, and each filter is good for a couple hundred gallons. The cost is about $0.10/gallon, which is pretty cheap. Also, it doubles as a 24 oz water bottle. Best. Purifier. Ever.

Thanks for the info, I learned a couple of things. I use an MSR miniworks ex filter. I don't mind the extra weight.

If you need to fill a bag from a small flow, carry a plastic water bottle that you have cut the top off of. You can easily collect water in it and pour into the bag. I use a SmartWater 1L bottle that I cut roughly in half. It collapses into itself pretty well in my pack, so it takes up almost no space, and weight less than half and ounce.

My choice of water purification for any outdoor adventure is the MSR Guardian Purifier for three reasons: 1. Can filter large quantities of water more quickly than any gravity filter or even those straw filters, especially if you need to refill you water bottle(s) and/or hydration reservoir. 2. Very little contamination from the water source, especially if protozoans, bacteria, viruses, and even more nasty things are present, because only the pre-filter head and maybe some of the tube is in contact, but the rest is kept dry and clean. I mean, look at how the gravity filter and filter bottles are demonstrated in the video. You have to DIP them in the “potentially contaminated” water to use those. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to hydration. 3. Maintenance. The Guardian Purifier was built with a set-cleaning mechanism that doesn’t require back-washing or disassembling. That means you can literally just take the pump out, purify some water, put it away almost immediately, hassle free. Doubt I’ll get that same result with the other filters and purifiers, especially the gravity and bottle filters. Now yes, I know there are cons, as well. One, it’s expensive, obviously 🙄. But you get what you pay for and it will last. It also can’t filters some harsh chemicals and heavy metals, but what do you expect for a water purifier. There hasn’t been a portable water purifier that’s marketed to remove heavy metals and harsh chemicals, yet. And some of you may complain that it’s bulky and cumbersome to carry. Well maybe you should look inside your pack and ask yourself what you are carrying, how much of it, and what’s the size of your pack. Can’t hurt to either cut down on excess items or upgrade to a bigger pack. And if you think I don’t know what I’m talking about, then I suggest you go onto REI’s website, look up MSR Guardian Purifier, and watch the video introducing the product and then see for yourself if it’s convincing enough to shell out more cash.

Thanks for sharing ! Love your blue backpack! Would you give us a link where to find that blue jacket ( you wore at the end of the clip)

A good one.

What pack are you using at the end of the video?

My sawyer squeeze works fine for cooking...

Glacier water 💦 is the best!!!! I have yet to run into any issues with what she is saying. You don’t have to hang the Platy bag. When I was at Upper Grinnell Lake all I had was a rock that was higher. Its why it’s called gravity. The gravity flow is so fast 💨 I can hold it if I have to. Thinking out of the box 📦 is key. As for collecting. I can fill my dirty bag better than using a pump even when it’s a trickle. I can think of a million reasons why something won’t work but I can usually find a few solid reason that it will. Platypus 4L. Hardly weighs anything and I can carry 1L or 4L it all depends on where the next water stop will be. But I will always carry 3L for my reservoir. I have a 3L water reservoir in my backpack. I drink a lot. I only carry those 3L. I have converted (I did this because I couldn’t stand my Sawyer Squeeze) it so I don’t have to take the reservoir out of my backpack and let the Platy Gravity Works fill it in place. I use food grade silicone tubing and the quick connect and a couple other tubing connectors. The idea is I can exchange them and it gets rid of “I hate taking it out of my pack to fill it.” Then I carry backup. Never had an issue with my Platy but I also carry Aquatabs because they are so lightweight. I also carry enough fuel for my stove to be able to boil water. Then it comes to making a fire for it if I know I don’t have enough fuel. The Platy 4L is so versatile it’s not just for camp and many people.

I extremely enjoyed REI it is my toy store. I purchased my MSR mini water filter approximately in 2006 and it is now March 29th 2020 Sunday and still have not ever use. Due to the coronavirus I have purchased a sawyer mini water filter. I have Britta I purchased a new one with multiple filters just to have it and I have this other brand that's out there it's competitor to Britta I have one of those two so plenty of them I have yet to use my camping one's ever I'm going to have to get around to testing out my MSR mini pump water filter that I purchased in 2006 at REI.never had the need to use it or I purchased my MSR camping stove and still never used it to that date either I even purchased a tent in 2001 from Target and I be there that thing is sitting in Colorado and storage in it never been used I got to dig it out and have some fun before I die. at least you have the equipment and have fun with it and I like this video because it gave me information that I didn't have since I purchased the product MSR MINI PUMP WATER FILTER.

Lab filter paper and a funnel will take out just about anything and keep your filter from clogging up.

💜

is bleach an option tor purify the water? I've read that 2 drops of pure bleach can purify 1liter of water, is that true? great video as usual, thanks!!

3:02 The claim that pump filters are heavier and bulkier isn't necessarily true. I use for instance the MSR Hyperflow Microfilter, which is 7x3.5In in size and weighs 7.8oz. It takes about 20 strokes to filter 1L of water with it... personally, I require about 2 minutes to fill up my 4L water bag. The Platypus Gravityworks Filter is a really nice gravity filter system, but more suitable for ground camping near the lakes and rivers rather than for trekking and hiking. I do however use their bottles for my hiking and can only recommend these. Unlike other soft plastic bottles, there's no plastic taste to the water when you drink of these - pure quality.

Amazing how things have changed. When I was a boyscout we carried everything we wanted to drink. We boiled water for cooking and washing. Fuel is never a problem because we were in the woods. I have 2 different filters but I’m still Leary of using just them. I don’t know if it was seeing others sick or having food poisoning. Just hard to believe that’s not a issue anymore. Back in the 80s and early 90s on the Appalachian trail we used to get water from springs. Never once did I get sick. I just wonder how do we know if the filter is working or not? Just use it and see I guess?

You are welcome! If any questions should arise feel free to be in touch: bit.ly/2DNcWGy

Gravity bags are key

Why not have both a filter and a purifier? Pick yourself up a Geopress by Grayel I’m surprised it wasn’t on your list

I use a sawyer squeeze and then finish with iodine tablets or chlorine tablets if I'm gonna leave my water overnight.

Forgot my filter once so had to boil water. It felt like a nonstop process on a hot weather canoe trip. Plus the water was never cold. I won’t do that again. I hope.

Im thinking of getting a filter and the light purifier so that i can be extra safe.

I just stick with the good ole lifestraw. Inexpensive, last a long time and super lightweight 👍

Why are hikers inpatient with water filter flows?

Something that should be added with iodine. If you have an allergy to shellfish you will likely be sensitized and allergic to iodine.

5

You should of said inside the US and Canada I mean let’s be real most hikers in the US are either American or Canadian and people outside of North America probably don’t even know what REI is

Why would you filter water for cocking? boiling water kills the nasty stuff.

I have no idea what filter

How did the native indians treat their water and whats different today?

Don't drink boiling water - ✅ 😋 Sad part is they actually DO need to say that...

Steri Pen is total crap. I've bought three of them and they all completely died on me.

.

None will filter chemical contamination

We all know Canada probably has the cleanest water in North America

You need a mic.

Do not boil water in aluminum!!! I just bought a sawyer squeeze and mini..life straw..steri pen uv..and a liberty lifesaver filter. I boil in stainless steel

I just skip ALL OF THIS And pack a couple gallons of water in the car I just want a Albertsons gallon bottle of water lol

Amazing how viruses became relevant in the US

What a beautiful woman. Rare to see someone not using make up. How refreshing.

Let’s record a talking head next to a running stream! Who cares what is said, as long as we can establish a running water metaphor 🤦🏻‍♂️

Lots of "um's" in your early feeds. You have come a long way since then.

She made me super thirsty.

Support the 2nd amendment

Bad idea to do this video next to running water. Great visuals but I can't hear a damn thing.

I can't hear youuuu

your body is amazing

Can I marry you? 😍

Could you try in the future not to have a running stream of water in the video while you're filming? The noise it's making is almost as loud as your voice.

She a complete liar or ignoramus. Most of the new filters go down to .01 microns and do get rid of viruses which most viruses are .02 microns. A micron is 1/1000mm so do your own research.

WHAT???? SPEAK LOUDER SIS

i keep looking down her top😆😆😆

You would think REI would have gotten someone better at speaking. It's hard to listen to her, because she's so slow.

Um, too many ums.

um um um this is a professional video?

Whats her @