How to Choose a Water Purification System for Hiking and Travel

Choosing how to clean your water in the backcountry can feel overwhelming — there are plenty of options out there, each suited to very different adventures. The system that works for a gram-counting hiker in the mountains of New Zealand is likely to look very different from what someone travelling through Nepal with a side quest to Everest Base Camp might need. You're out there on an adventure — the last thing you want is to be second-guessing your water treatment system mid-trip.

Being prepared with the right knowledge before you leave will give you the peace of mind to actually enjoy yourself. This guide breaks doiuhmklwn every water purification option available — what each system does, who it suits, and what its trade-offs are — so you can make a confident choice before your next adventure.

Filtration vs Purification – What’s the Difference?

Before diving into specific products, it helps to understand the two broad categories of water treatment:

Filtration systems physically strain contaminants out of water by pushing it through a semi-permeable membrane. Think of it like a very fine sieve: sediment, debris, bacteria, protozoa, and microplastics are all too large to pass through and get trapped, while clean water flows out the other side. The key limitation is viruses, which are small enough to slip through the membrane entirely. This makes filtration systems best suited to environments where viral contamination is unlikely — typically alpine or remote wilderness areas in developed regions.

Sawyer Micro Squeeze — perfect for backbountry hiking and adventuring. Drink while filtering when you want to move quickly, or stop and filter several litres at a time.

Purification systems work differently — instead of physically removing contaminants, they kill them. Chemical tablets, liquid solutions, and UV light all fall into this category. Purification systems are effective against bacteria, protozoa, and viruses, making them the better choice for travel in regions where water quality is less reliable.

Remember, you're not limited to one system. Using a filter and a purification method in combination is often the smartest approach, especially in areas with questionable water quality. Having a backup is always a good idea, particularly in an emergency.

Purification Systems

Chemical Purifiers

Chemical water purification systems work by killing pathogens in your water — bacteria, protozoa, and viruses alike. This makes them one of the most comprehensive treatment options available, and a strong choice for travel in regions with seriously questionable water sources.

One thing to note: chemical purifiers don't physically remove anything from the water. If your water is visibly murky or full of sediment, it's worth pre-filtering it first — either with a dedicated filter, or even just by passing it through a bandana — before adding your chemical treatment. This ensures the purifier can do its job properly.

As chemical purification options are compact, affordable, super lightweight and generally have a long shelf-life, they are an excellent water treatment option to pop into your first aid kit as a backup. Chemical purifiers have some down sides, however: they add chemicals to your water (some people prefer to avoid this), can leave an aftertaste, require wait time before the water is safe to drink, generally require clear water to be effective, don't actually remove any sediment or microplastics.

Micropur Forte – Best Tablet Purifier for Long Trips
Micropur Forte is a chlorine-based chemical water purification tablet with a five-year shelf life, making it an excellent option to tuck into a first aid kit and forget about until you need it. One tablet treats one litre of water, and a single packet contains 100 tablets across four blister packs — lightweight, compact, and long-lasting.

The main trade-off is wait time: Micropur Forte kills bacteria and viruses within 30 minutes, but takes up to two hours to kill protozoa like giardia and cryptosporidium. Water must also be clear for the tablets to work effectively. It's best suited for treating at least a litre at a time — treating smaller volumes is tricky given the tablet size.

Pros: Ultralight, five-year shelf life, relatively inexpensive, easy to use, kills viruses as well as bacteria and protozoa, can slightly improve the taste of very bad-tasting water

Cons: Wait time of 30-120 minutes for full effectiveness, may leave a slight taste in the water, not ideal for treating small volumes, does not remove sediment, debris, or microplastics

Aquaprove – Best Chemical Purifier for Fast Treatment
Aquaprove offers one of the fastest chemical purification options available — just five minutes from treatment to safe drinking water. The kit includes a 50ml bottle and one Aquaprove tablet; you dissolve the tablet in clean water to create a 0.2% chlorine dioxide solution, then add drops of that solution to your dirty water. It's chlorine-free, virtually tasteless, and kills bacteria, viruses, and protozoa just as effectively as other chemical purifiers.

A few things to note: once the solution is prepared, it has a shelf life of only 40 days — so this isn't the right choice as a long-term first aid kit backup, and it's better suited to trips under 40 days. The kit is also slightly bulkier than tablet options, and when you run out you'll need to purchase a whole new kit rather than just replacement tablets. It is also worth noting that you'll need access to clean water to prepare the solution — which is something to plan around in the backcountry.

On the plus side, Aquaprove is halal certified, making it a great option for Muslim travellers. It's also compact enough to be taken as carry-on luggage, sitting within airline liquid limits.

Pros: Treats water in just five minutes, inexpensive (under $20), virtually tasteless, chlorine-free, kills viruses as well as bacteria and protozoa, halal certified
Cons: 40-day shelf life once solution is prepared, slightly bulkier than tablet alternatives, whole kit must be repurchased when depleted, requires clean water to prepare the solution, does not remove sediment, debris, or microplastics

Boiling Water – The Original Purification Method

Boiling is the oldest and most reliable method of water purification, and it's worth including in your toolkit — particularly as an emergency backup. If your primary treatment system fails and you have access to a heat source, boiling will reliably kill bacteria, protozoa, and viruses without any equipment, chemicals, or batteries required.

The general guideline is to bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute. At altitudes above 2,000m — such as on a Kilimanjaro summit attempt or a trek to Everest Base Camp — water boils at a lower temperature, so extend that to three minutes to ensure full effectiveness.

Like chemical and UV purifiers, boiling does not remove sediment, debris, or microplastics from your water. If your water source is visibly murky, pre-filter it through a cloth or bandana first. You'll also need to factor in cooling time before the water is drinkable — not ideal if you're thirsty after a long day on the trail and in a hurry.

Pros: No equipment required beyond a heat source, kills bacteria, protozoa, and viruses, completely reliable, free

Cons: Requires a stove and fuel, time-consuming (boiling plus cooling time), does not remove sediment, debris, or microplastics, not practical for large volumes, fuel-dependent — not viable if your stove fails

Steripen devices offer safe drinking water in seconds by blitzing all the nasties with UV light

UV Purifiers – Best for Groups and High-Volume Treatment

The Steripen is the most well-known portable UV water purifier, and for good reason. It works by blasting water with ultraviolet light, neutralising bacteria, protozoa, and viruses — all without adding any chemicals. Within about a minute, it can treat one litre of water, making it one of the fastest treatment options available.

This speed makes the Steripen particularly popular for treating large volumes of water — whether you're purifying for a group or just want to fill several bottles at once without waiting around. Multiple SteriPen models are available, including battery-powered and USB-rechargeable versions, with varying sizes and weights to suit different needs.

It's woth mentioning that the SteriPen requires a wide-mouth bottle or vessel to work properly – the UV bulb need to be fully submerged and stirred around in order to treat the water effectively. Make sure your bottle is compatible before you head out.

A couple of things to remember: The Steripen requires clear water to work effectively, and if the battery dies, so does your treatment method. It's always worth carrying a backup — a few chemical tablets add almost no weight and can save you in a pinch. The SteriPen also won't filter out debris, sediment, or microplastics.

Pros: No chemicals added to water, fast (several litres treated in minutes), no aftertaste, discreet enough for use in restaurants and cafes, kills viruses as well as bacteria and protozoa

Cons: More expensive than chemical options, requires clear water, heavier than tablet alternatives, battery-dependent — carry a backup, does not remove sediment, debris, or microplastics

Filtration Systems

As already mentioned, filtration systems work by physically removing debris, bacteria, protozoa, and microplastics out of your water. This process applies to all filter types, whether they are integrated into drinking bottles or hanging systems that let gravity do the work. These lightweight devices can't filter viruses however, so they are best used in situations where viral contamination is not likely – think alpine regions, remote wildnerness areas etc. Once you've decided a filtration system is right for your trip, the next question is which type. Filtration systems come in four main form factors — each suited to a different style of hiking and water availability on trail.

Bottle-integrated filters have the filter built directly into the bottle, so you fill up, drink, and filter all in one step. They're intuitive and convenient, but not the best option if you need to drink a large volume quickly or want to prepare several litres in advance. These work best when water sources are frequent along your route and you don't need to carry much at once.

Some filters come integrated into a bottle or collapsible soft flask, this Platypus Daycap In-Bottle Filter can screw onto your Nalgene, Hydro Flask or Yeti bottle.

Straw-style filters are the most compact option — small enough to attach directly to a soft flask or water bottle, and can be discreet enough to use in a café or restaurant without drawing attention, depending on the model. Like bottle filters, you're filtering as you drink rather than in bulk, so they're better suited to routes with reliable water access. They make an excellent ultralight backup regardless of what your primary system is.

Lifestraw Sip — perfect for stashing in a bag while you're travelling and using in a restaurant.

Larger push-through filter systems are the workhorse option for serious hikers. You fill a dirty water bag from a water source, then push the water through the filter into a clean reservoir. These systems let you filter several litres at a time, which means you can chug heaps of water when you're thirsty, and carry enough treated water to see you through to your next source — a real advantage on routes where water is scarce or unpredictable.

Gravity filtration systems work on the same bag-based principle as push-through systems, but do away with the manual effort entirely. You hang your dirty water bag from a tree or branch, connect the filter, and let gravity do the work while you set up camp or cook dinner. They're ideal for groups needing to filter large volumes at once, and for anyone who'd rather not stand there squeezing a bag after a long day on the trail. The trade-off is time — gravity is slower than pushing — but if you're not in a hurry, it's hard to beat for ease.

Katadyn BeFree Gravity filtration system - perfect for larger groups and filtering larger volumes at once

Whichever type you choose, the maintenance principles are the same — which is where a lot of people go wrong. Filtration systems can clog after repeated use, or even after a single use in very silty water. To maintain a good flow rate, you'll need to back-flush your filter regularly — fill the included syringe with clean water and push it back through the device from the drinking end. Repeat a few times, and lightly tap the device to help dislodge any stuck debris. Soaking the device briefly can also help soften anything that's hardened inside. Always back-flush your filter after a trip before putting it into storage.

Another point to factor into whether or not you choose a filtration system, is that water filters should never be frozen. If water trapped in the membrane freezes, it creates micro-cracks in the filtering tubes — damage that's invisible but can render the filter ineffective. In freezing conditions, keep your filter in your pocket while moving and in your sleeping bag overnight.

Which Water Treatment System is Right For You?

Here's a quick summary to help you choose:

Lifestraw Go series stainless steel filter bottle is a great filter for travelling — it looks like a standard water bottle, easy to drink from and comes in a bunch of fun colours

Not sure which system is right for your trip? Come into the Trek & Travel store and chat with our team — we know these products firsthand and can help you find the right setup for where you're headed.

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