LifeStraw Personal Water Purification Filter
Test and Review
There may be water everywhere, but would you risk just scooping it up and drinking it?
If you were in an absolutely desperate situation where you had nothing to drink for days, then maybe it's a yes. If your life depended on it, then it might be worth the risk.
If you're settled in a camp, intending to stay for a while, there's always the old favourite of making a fire and finding something to contain the contaminated water in while you boil it up.
But what if your on the move and have no time for stopping and making fires and boiling water and hanging around?
Well, for anyone in that situation, and I'm talking hiking and trekking as well as prepping, you have to look towards modern technology to give you the answer.
That particular bit of survival technology comes in the form of the Lifestraw Personal Water Purification Filter.
So it was straight out to give it a good test to see just what it could do.
The first thing that will strike you is, how dam light this thing is.!
At 2oz, a box of matches is heavier and initially you handle it with care, thinking something that light can't be very strong - but don't be fooled by that one, it's a solid bit of kit.
Yeah, sure, hit it with a hammer and it'll break, but the overall build is solid and tough, with the main body made from a rigid plastic and the mouthpiece and course water filter from a rubberised plastic, so a bit more supple.
It's a bit of a wolf in sheeps clothing really, in so much as, it looks quite unassuming and low key, as it has no moving parts, you don't have to add batteries or wind it up or pump it or use any other way to make it work.
You simply remove the bottom coarse filter cover and the top mouth guard and you good to go - simple as that. No faffing around.
You can just lean down and drink from any water source you happen to find laying around. How easy is that.....
See prices & availability here: Lifestraw 2000L Portable Water Purification Straw'
All the technology is on the inside:
Inside the 9" long body is a 'hollow fibre filter' that is capable of filtering out bacteria down to 0.01 microns in size.
To you and me that means small, small enough to stop 99.9999% of the bad stuff getting through - see the specifications here on the right >
Good points:
Without doubt its most noticeable feature is the weight - you can certainly carry it around all day and never notice you have it with you. This is ideal for anyone hiking.
It does exactly what it's supposed to do.! In my field test, the filtered water tasted as good as bottled water.The top and bottom dirt caps fit snugly, so even if you dropped it the mouthpiece wouldn't get dirty.
Bad points:
I found one tiny problem, probably insignificant to most people but, the clip securing the neck cord to the top of the filter snagged on my jacket as I pulled it over my head and 'unclipped' itself.. Not a problem if carried in a rucksack, but just me being over fussy...
Overall conclusions:
It works, simple as that really.
Definitely gets a 100% thumbs up from me, in fact, after testing this one, I went out and bought another.
Below is my full video review of the LifeStraw Personal Water Purification Filter:
Since making this video the Lifestraw has been upgraded to the '2000L Portable Water Purification Straw' filtering down to 0.01 microns.
It's a very handy bit of kit to carry with you for a quick, safe drink.
Happy Prepping Folks,
Steve
5 comments
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Which is better, the lifestraw or the bottle water to go ???
Price wise it’s the lifestraw but which ones purifies the water better Steve.
Author
Hi Rachel,
I think the Water To Go is the better choice.
It gives you a means of carrying water more easily, and also filters a higher level of contaminates, including viruses.
Thanks, Steve
what is its performance between uses? Say I used it and then not again for a week or month?
Dont use on tidal water / sea water
But i laugh seeing hikers with 3kg of water on back when a 2oz straw is good enough in most inland sittuations. Elastic band a bin liner(opened at both ends) over bottom. Turn upside down use like a large funnel to fill a bottle
Do I mention the ‘V’ word Viruses …