Water, it's the lifeblood of us all, something we need to take in every day and we can't go very long without it. It's so central to our body's ability to function that we need to take it in very regularly, even more so if we are hiking or trekking long distances.
Australia is famously a very dry continent and as such there are not a great deal of clean water sources.
Water is also heavy to carry so by using a portable filtration system, you can shed some kilos off your back and use the available water you may find on your trek. Whether it’s a dam, creek, river or lake, by using one of the water filtration purifiers we have reviewed below, you can safely drink water from almost any source.
| LifeStraw Water Filter | Katadyn Micropur Forte Tablets | SteriPEN Classic 3 with Pre-Filter | Epic Nalgene OG | Grayl GEOPRESS Portable Purifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  | Our Pick  | |
$82 $65.60 from Epic Water Filters with coupon code 'OUTDOOREXPLORER' | |||||
22.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm | 13 x 5.2 x 2 cm | 18.6 x 4.3 x 4.3 cm | 23 H x 8.5 Dia cm | 26.5 H x 8.6 Dia cm | |
4,000 L | 1,000 L | 8,000 L | 380 L | 250 L | |
Protozoa, bacteria 99.999% | Protozoa, bacteria, viruses 99.99% | Protozoa, bacteria, viruses 99.99% | Heavy Metals, Trace Pharmaceuticals, Endocrine Disruptors, Pesticides, Herbicides | Protozoa, bacteria, viruses, particulates, chemicals, pesticides and heavy metals | |
57 g | 20 g | 82 g | ?? | 450 g | |
1 Year | ?? | 3 Years | ?? | 10 years |
Best Hiking Water Filters & Purifiers
LifeStraw Water Filter
Best Basic Option
The LifeStraw is an ingenious product with its design and development intended for the developing world and was first seen utilised in the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It has been used in many other natural catastrophes around the world ever since, being the predominant system in many developing countries.
The LifeStraw is now available for commercial use and its simplicity, low cost and large filtration amount has seen this product boom all around the world, including Australia.
You essentially can stick this large straw into almost any dirty water and drink straight out of it. While it’s easier to fill a container and drink out of that – the LifeStraw has literally changed the lives of millions of people.
This is a product that we should all have and at the very least sitting in your car boot for those who live in the country or head that way camping or hiking quite often.
It could save yours or somebody else’s life, costs very little and will last you for years and years and can be used in any natural water source.
Katadyn Micropur Forte Tablets
Best Backup Option
This form of water purification has been around for a long time, with different chemicals like iodine or chlorine being used to kill bacteria and viruses in contaminated water. These tablets are very light and very effective, however, the results are better if you filter your water as much as possible beforehand.
Tablets take a lot longer to work and make the water taste a little unpleasant and the Katadyn Micropur Forte Tablets are no exception. This approach to water purification is old school and was used everywhere until the newer filtration style became available because they do work very effectively.
They should be taken with you if you have nothing else and are the kind of thing you should keep in your first aid or survival kits for emergency use.
Alternatively, if you already have a hydration pack that doesn't include a filter, you could potentially use these tablets in your pack. Consult the instructions on the tablets to confirm what container materials they are suitable with.
Customer reviews are all good as with this style of purifier you already know what the result will be. While the taste and longer-acting sterilization does not make this the hiking water purifier of choice, it's a great backup or addition to survival kits at the very least.
SteriPEN Classic 3 with Pre-Filter
Best For Extended Trips