Best Water Filters for Survival Scenarios

They key to survival in emergency and disaster scenarios at some point will involve access to safe drinking water. The best way to ensure the safety of any water you find and collect is to use high quality water filters and to keep a good supply of them handy.

Here are a few of the most popular water filters.

Katadyn Hiker Microfilter

The Katadyn Hiker Microfilter produces up to one liter of water per minute, yet weighs only 11 ounces making it a very popular choice for survivalists who carry their gear often. This pump filter is easy to operate and assemble, but take note you’ll need to provide your own reservoir for the newly filtered water you create. Still, the Katadyn Hiker Microfilter can even filter water from shallow sources which is an invaluable feature.

The Katadyn Hiker Microfilter also contains a pre-filter which removed larger particles and sediment before the water passes through the main filter where the potentially harmful organisms are removed. Specifically, bacteria, salmonella, giardia, and protozoa are all successfully filtered using the Katadyn Hiker Microfilter.

Last, but not least the Katadyn Hiker Microfilter employs  a final filtration step using activated carbon charcoal which substantially improves the overall appearance and taste of the drinking water it creates.

Platypus Gravityworks Water Filters

The Platypus Gravityworks is a two-part gravity filter you simply hang from a branch or other available object and gravity will pull the unfiltered water down through a filter which empties into the filtered reservoir through a flexible hose.

The clean filtered-side reservoir is treated with a special anti-microbial agent the improves the taste of the water as it is held there. Unfortunately, the Platypus Gravityworks does not include a pre-filter, but this does not seem to affect the lifespan of the included single filter which is rated to last up to 1,500 liters.

Lifestraw Personal Water Filters

When you can literally only find a small puddle of water, you can still get a drink out of it with the Lifestraw Personal Water Filter. Yes, it’s a straw that is designed to pull water from the tiniest of sources combined with a functioning water filter. It is naturally small in size and only weighs 2 ounces, so it fit’s very well in all survival kits  and bug-out bags.

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filters

The lightweight Sawyer Squeeze Filter consists simply of 2 connected pouches that can be capped by a lid with built-in filter. Just fill both pouches and attach the squeeze filter lid, then start squeezing! Although the Sawyer Squeeze filter reminds me of milking a cow, it’s been very popular for quite a long time. You’ll need to provide your own reservoir for this setup.

Katadyn Collapsible BeFree Water Bottle

The Katadyn Collapsible BeFree Water Bottle is definitely one of my personal favorites and has also earned lots of high reviews. It’s easy to see why, it’s a soft shell water bottle – meaning it’s really a bag, that can be rolled up and packed away very easily and taking up very little space. It weighs only 2.3 ounces, but can hold up to 33.8 fluid ounces of water. When you’re ready for a drink just unroll the bag, fill it with water and then attach the lid containing the built-in filter. Voila, instant drinking water. It’s a fantastic option, the only drawback is the personal size of the reservoir – you will be limited to how much water you can produce at a time.

Aquamira Shift Vacuum Water Bottle

Another favorite water filter for survivalists is the Aquamira Shift Vaccum Water Bottle. The reason is its one of the few filters available that remove both common micro-organisms and chemical agents like PFOA and PFAS. If you’re looking to be as thorough as possible, definitely consider a filter with these features. Each Aquamira Shift Vacuum Water Bottle filter can process about 50 gallons before replacement is necessary.

 

Summary

Water is undoubtedly the most important resource in most survival scenarios. The most important consideration is the safety of your drinking water from a health and wellness standpoint, but if you can have good tasting and looking water too I think you’ll be much happier with that decision. Choose quality water filters and a pump that is reliable, easy to use, and produces quality water you feel good about drinking.

 

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