Choosing a Camping water filter

Camping is to many people the only way to travel. If you enjoy the outdoors and are not afraid to get your hands dirty then you've done some camping. Of course it takes on many forms depending on the camper. Wether your camping at your favorite camp ground or doing a good back country hike that involves some serious effort there are a few essential gadgets you simply shouldn't leave home without. One of those gadgets surely should be a water filter for camping.

There are a variety of camping water filters on the market. How they work as a water purifier varies but the outcome is essentially the same. Clean drinking water. The most popular types of camping filters are bottle based filters, pumps, gravity filters, and infrared sterilization tools. The most popular camping water filters are bottle based filters. They are lightweight, easy to use, and filter water while your drinking it. The bottle based filters use cartridges that do the filtering and they must be periodically replaced. Each bottle based filter is different so you have to check the manufacturer guidelines on when to change them. Pump-style water filters are most often used in base camps or campsites for a larger group. Almost acting like water purifier in a home only for outdoor use during camping. Some physical labor is involved when pumping the water but larger volumes of water can be purified at one given time. This is nice when cooking meals as a added precaution to back up boiling of water and it provides a larger amount of water at the camp so hikers can replenish without having to constantly break out their personal filter. Gravity filters are simplest of all the camping water filters to use. They are very lightweight. This water filter for camping is extremely easy to use. How it filters is in its name. You fill a bag from a water source and then hang the bag from a tree branch or take turns holding it up if your in an area with no sources to hanging it from. Gravity does the rest of the work for you by pulling the water through the filtering system. Like that bottle based system cartridges need to be periodically changed based on usage frequency. Last on the list of filters is the infrared sterilization tools. This is a pretty cool gadget to bust out during a camping trip but its not the most efficient water filter for camping for many reasons. The quantity of water that can be filter is limited to a water bottle. Very easy to use, compact, and lightweight. You simply hold the pen in the water for various lengths of time based on the volume of water being filtered. This system is battery based so you'll have to care extra batteries for longer camping trips. This are the basic types of filters. Which one of these is the best camping water filter for you personally depends on your style of camping. Many seasoned campers have a few of these must have tools in there backpacks. Choose the one that you think will function the best for you. If you style of camping and hiking changes over time you can always add to your collection.

Camping water filters vary in price. The most basic filter will cost around $30 dollars and can run upwards of $200 dollars for the more sophisticated water purifiers. How much you spend on a filter is up to you. Like most things in life you get what you pay for. If you don't go backpacking a lot you don't need the Ferrari of camping water filters. The most important thing when purchasing any gear for camping is to honestly know your style of camping, how often you go, and how often and important it is to have a certain tool in your pack. Your basic bottle based system will run about $45 dollars. That's worth every penny if you go camping and need water from a unreliable source in a pinch.

Camping water filters are essential tools in the backcountry. The majority of people who go camping either pack their water in our use the water at the actual camp ground. Depending on the area your camping at it is often recommended that you bring a water purifier or a camping water filter along just to be safe. Backcountry hikers don't leave home without them. Water purifiers are not practical in the backcountry where every pound of gear counts. Compact and light is the rule of thumb. Water filters essentially remove most bacteria and protozoa that can cause serious illness while camping. Wilderness diarrhea (WD) also known as wilderness-acquired diarrhea is one of the most common and serious issues that can arise if water is not treated during long camping trips in the backcountry where water is being ingested from water holes, ponds, and lakes. Packing a camping water filter in many cases is a life saver. The last thing you want to do is get sick three days from the nearest hospital. Making the investment in a good water filter is a must.