My favorite filtered water bottle transforms nasty water into clean drinking water instantly

I get to spend a fair bit of time outdoors testing things like power stations and solar panels, but a side effect of that is not only that I use a fair bit of outdoor gear while I’m outdoors, I get asked about other kit that I use.

And a common question lately has been related to water: What system do I use to purify water when I’m away from a convenient faucet? 

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The system I find most convenient for short trips of a few days, or when I’m traveling to a country where the water might be a bit sketchy, is the Grayl GeoPress 24 oz water purifier bottle. 

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Grayl GeoPress 24 oz water purifier bottle.

Removes 99.9% of viruses, 99.9999% of bacteria, and filters out microplastics, sediment, heavy metals, chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides to turn sketchy water into clean drinking water.

Grayl GeoPress features

• Capacity: 24 oz
• Removes: Viruses (e.g. rotavirus, norovirus, hepatitis A), bacteria (e.g. E. Coli, salmonella, and dysentery), and protozoa (e.g. giardia, cryptosporidium, and amoebas), and filters out particulates (e.g. sediment and microplastics), while the activated charcoal adsorbs volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PFAS, chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, flavors and odors
• Easy to use: Simply fill, press, and drink
• Filter lifespan: 65 gallons (250 liters), replaceable filters available

I like the ease of use of the Grayl bottle. It’s a three-step process.

Step 1: You pull the two halves of the bottle apart and fill the cup to the line with your dirty water. (Note that it has to be fresh water, you can’t use this with salty water.)

Step 2: Insert the filter into the cup, loosen the drinking cap half a turn (to let the air out), and then press the filter into the cup. This takes a bit of pressing but it’s quick, only taking a few seconds.

Step 3: Drink!

What’s really great about this purifying water bottle is that once you’ve pressed the filter in, there’s no need to suck the water or squeeze the bottle. You just drink normally.

The filter is good for 65 gallons (250 liters) or three years from first use. You’ll know when the filter needs replacing because water won’t flow through it anymore. Once that happens, you can buy replacement filters for the bottle.

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The bottle is made of tough BPA-free polypropylene, so it will last for years.

I have other filters — such as the Katadyn Pocket Water Filter (which is almost $400 but very good) — but for ease of use and convenience, the Grayl is my favorite. The fill-press-drink is the easiest system to use, it’s fast and effective, and doesn’t look out of place if you need to use it in villages, towns, or even cities. It just looks like a water bottle. 

To help it blend in, it also comes in a range of colors.

For $100, the Grayl GeoPress 24 oz is hard to beat. Replacement filters cost around $30. 

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It’s the perfect solution — not only for off-grid adventures, and when traveling to foreign countries where the water might be not what you’re used to — but also as an emergency filter in case the house water supply shuts off and the faucets run dry.

Note that I’m using the 24 oz capacity GeoPress here, but there is a smaller, lighter, and cheaper 16.9 oz capacity UltraPress version that weighs 12.5 oz empty, compared to 15.9 oz. If weight is paramount, this might be a better choice for you.