Portable Water Filters – Every camper knows the importance of hydration – hiking and camping can be strenuous activities, and you should always have a safe source of water that you are able to drink from. The last place you want to be dehydrated is in the middle of the woods. Portable water filters are a great solution for hikers and campers that don’t require lugging around gallon jugs of water when you go out.

Portable Water Filters vs Carrying Water

Of course, you don’t need a portable water filters if it’s possible to carry enough water with you, such as if you’re going for a short hike during the day. However, if you’re going out for a multiple day hike or camping trip, it’s going to be difficult to carry enough water to meet your needs. If you have access to a fresh water source while hiking, it’s more convenient to carry a portable water filter with you rather than what could be potentially gallons of water, which will be heavy and unwieldy. Portable water filters are also great emergency preparedness tools. If you somehow get lost or stranded during camping, having a portable water filter is necessary because you will likely run out of drinkable water quickly if you carry it on-site.

Portable Ceramic Water Filters

The best option for a portable water filter is a ceramic water filter. These are inexpensive, durable, and will last you quite a while. Unlike with charcoal water filters, there’s no need to periodically replace a ceramic water filter. You can clean it between camping trips and it will work like new. With a charcoal filter, you would have to purchase a new one between trips; re-using an old charcoal water filter is dangerous because bacteria can grow inside of them. Ceramic water filters are usually treated with silver to give it an anti-bacterial coating which prevents it from harboring bacteria inside.

Disadvantages Of Ceramic Filters: Water Source Concerns

Unfortunately, ceramic water filters do not filter out many harmful chemicals in the water supply, such as chlorine and trihalomethanes. While this is usually only a concern when filtering water that comes from the municipal water supply which is treated with chlorine and other harmful chemicals, you should pay attention to the source of your water while camping. Wastewater run-off present in the water source you select may contain harmful industrial chemicals that are not filtered out by a ceramic filter. Although ceramic water filters will filter out harmful bacteria and viruses, they cannot filter out chemicals which may harm your body just as much, so you should take care when choosing a source of water to drink from in the wilds.

Emergency Preparedness and Portable Water Filters

Even if you don’t go camping often, having a portable ceramic water filter on hand is great in the event of a natural disaster that interrupts your water supply. Even though you still may be able to get water to your house through the pipes, it will be considered contaminated and unsafe to drink if the electricity is out at the city’s water processing facility as it may be harboring bacteria and viruses that are normally killed by chlorination. In this case, you can use the water filter to easily make safe, drinkable water. If your water supply is interrupted by a natural disaster and you can’t get water through your pipes, take caution in choosing a water source to drink from. Many water sources found in the city may be contaminated with chemicals. So it would be a good idea to get portable water filters.