Having clean drinking water is a must in life, and becomes an important part of the planning process for any outdoor adventure. After what is often months of planning, and saving your money, one of the last things you want is to be out of action because of some bad water in your system.
For the past few years my strategy has been to take a 5 or 7 gallon container, along with some purification tabs. I’d fill the jug with water from the lake, haul it to the cabin and treat it. Sometimes I’d run the water through some cheesecloth before it entered the jug, to take away any of the larger particles. While the system works, it has a few disadvantages.
The jug is large, and when space is at a premium in your vehicle or on a float plane, anything to you can do to pack smaller and lighter, you do it. Depending on the distance between the water source and your camp, it can be a challenge to haul 7 gallons several times per week. In the small outpost camps I often fish, there is limited counter space (if there is a counter at all), and often the water jug takes up 50% of the available room.
While none of these things are show stoppers, I was in the market for a different option, and came across one that I thought would work while browsing some blogs of backpackers. I often find there are synergies between my needs and back packers, as we both value small, reliable and light gear. After reading some reviews, I ordered my Gravityworks 4Litre Water Filtration System from Platypus.
Rather than having to read my entire review, you can watch the video I did of the product below, which shows me filling and filtering as well as my final thoughts.
If you are looking for the quick answer, I loved it. It was a true game changer when it comes to the overall ease of a having a safe drinking water supply at a remote outpost, and will become a staple on my future trips.
Please note, I purchased this product myself, there was no consideration from Platypus for my thoughts. I addition to this unit, I also purchased a 1 litre collapsible unit from another provider, which I’ll review later. Enjoy the video, and if you have any questions or comments, please email me at scott@canadianfisherman.ca.