Water Treatment 101: Demystifying Backflushing
Backflushing is an easy and time-saving task. Here’s how to do it in the field.
Backflushing is an easy and time-saving task. Here’s how to do it in the field.
Plus, three scenarios to help you determine which you need on your next adventure.
This minimalist, ultralight filter connects directly into your hydration reservoir for safe water on the go.
Water treatment is a complicated science, but understanding the basics ensures you’ll pick the device that’s right for you.
The only real way to verify that your water is safe to drink is to treat it. And the effort it takes to treat water is minor compared to the complications of illness.
Brown, silty streams, tea-colored rivulets, even clear, ice-cold lakes—any backcountry water source can serve up a cocktail of contaminants. But not everything that’s present in an undeveloped water source is necessarily harmful, and only some things pose an immediate threat to your health. In fact, it’s impractical and unnecessary to remove everything, all the time. So, in terms of backcountry water treatment, when is water considered safe to drink? First, what’s commonly in backcountry water? The types of contaminants that make water “dirty” depend a lot on that source’s surrounding environment. But most contaminants can be placed into these categories: Microorganisms—Simply put: tiny bugs or germs. Microbes are the primary focus of treatment devices because of their immediate and potentially serious risk to your health. The pathogenic ones include bacteria…
Gravity filtration, plus a small trail filter and a water storage bag. What more do you need?
A few things to know before you go.
Most reputable water filters claim to meet certain testing standards. But what do those claims really mean?