Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

We tested 25 backpacking water filters and treatment systems to find the best option for your backcountry adventures.

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Last updated:
December 2, 2025
|  5 min read
Water filters on a table.

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

YouTube video highlight

We tested 25 backpacking water filters and treatment systems to find the best option for your backcountry adventures.

Watch video

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Hakuna vipengee vilivyopatikana.

Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Clean water: You need it, and we want to ensure you have it, wherever you go. Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, microplastics, and more can be found in your drinking water if you're not careful.

We purchased and tested each filter on treks in Peru, expeditions across the USA, and even thru-hiked Iceland. We evaluated each filter's portability, the maintenance required to keep it operational in the field, and critical aspects of the model's design, including the types of contaminants it removes from water and the time it takes to process one liter of potable water.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters, written by Amber King.

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Clean water: You need it, and we want to ensure you have it, wherever you go. Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, microplastics, and more can be found in your drinking water if you're not careful.

We purchased and tested each filter on treks in Peru, expeditions across the USA, and even thru-hiked Iceland. We evaluated each filter's portability, the maintenance required to keep it operational in the field, and critical aspects of the model's design, including the types of contaminants it removes from water and the time it takes to process one liter of potable water.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters, written by Amber King.

Mwandishi wa Blogu ya Picha
Review Editor
Amber King
After finishing up her B.Sc and B.Ed in 2009, Amber moved to the U.S.A from Canada.
Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Gear Lab: Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025

Clean water: You need it, and we want to ensure you have it, wherever you go. Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, microplastics, and more can be found in your drinking water if you're not careful.

We purchased and tested each filter on treks in Peru, expeditions across the USA, and even thru-hiked Iceland. We evaluated each filter's portability, the maintenance required to keep it operational in the field, and critical aspects of the model's design, including the types of contaminants it removes from water and the time it takes to process one liter of potable water.

Continue reading to learn more about the best water filters, written by Amber King.

Mwandishi wa Blogu ya Picha
Review Editor
Amber King
After finishing up her B.Sc and B.Ed in 2009, Amber moved to the U.S.A from Canada.
Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari
browse all articles
Hapa kwenye Sawyer
September 27, 2021
6 Min
Mashariki ya Chini: Mwanariadha wa Ultra-Athlete Katie Spotz Baiskeli maili 360 kote Maine
Read More

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

We’ve used this filter for over 800 miles in the backcountry and it’s still the best option for clean drinking water.

Brett Kretzer
Brett Kretzer
Adventurer. Writer. Creator.

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Squeeze Water Filtration System by Sawyer

Garage Kukua Gear
Media Mentions from Garage Grown Gear

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

This popular repellent from Sawyer has 20% Picaridin, which protects against a wide range of insects, including mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies, gnats, chiggers and sand flies.

Amylia Ryan
Associate Editor
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory