Each day I would find the nearest water sources on the map, maybe a stream, spring or brook and few treat stops (pubs and cafes) where I could get tap water!

Hollow Fibre Advantage: Hundreds of tiny hollow fibres enable the microfilter to filter water faster than traditional filter media. There is really only one bad thing about the filter. For some reason, Platypus decided to use 2 protruding plastic pieces instead of a traditional thread on the filter bag. The filter bag uses a proprietary design instead of traditional threads. Hollow Fibre Advantage: Hundreds of tiny hollow fibres enable the micro-filter to filter water faster than traditional filter media. I’m afraid the filter is good but it doesn’t turn dirty (muddy/peaty) water into clean water by sight! By using the Platypus reservoirs and soft flask by total weight for the water containers was about 200 grams, then with 3.5 litres of water (3.5 kg) the total weight was 3.7 kg.Effective: Each microfilter is individually tested to ensure it meets all EPA & NSF guidelines for the removal of 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa*. The water filters at a good speed! No waiting around for your water, you can fill, filter and drink! It has a shake-to-clean mechanism that allows it to keep working throughout its lifetime with no need to take it to pieces or wash it out. The fill and squeeze method considerably reduces the weight and complexity of the filter. You can buy the filter part separately so you’d be able to replace that and keep your reservoir. Do you still use filter water bottles or is this a better option?

Effective: Each micro-filter is individually tested to ensure it meets all EPA & NSF guidelines for the removal of 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa*. If you’ve drank filtered peaty water depending on the colour of the water you can notice a slight soil taste, but it’s not something I’ve ever been bothered about, the darker the colour the stronger the taste of peat you’ll notice. Effective: Each microfilter is individually tested to ensure it meets all EPA & NSF guidelines for the removal of 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa*. *This includes Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella and Cholera During those 20 seconds, look for a steady stream of bubbles in the spout emerging from the hollow fibers on the clean side.

Our Verdict

Each end of the filter — the threaded “dirty” end and the drinking end — are labeled clearly. Each comes with a cap, so you can keep the clean end truly clean and protected when filling up. If I’d have taken traditional water bottles, firstly, it would have been harder to fit them in due to their shape and secondly, they would have been heavier. For example, my 1-litre water bottle weighs 142 grams so three of those would have been 426 grams, with 40 grams for the soft flask my total weight with the same water would have been 3.9 kg. I’ve been using water filters since May 2019, when I did a 2-month hike using one, since then I’ve tried and tested a few different filter systems and bottles and I can 100% say I’ve not been ill from drinking filtered water. A steady stream of bubbles indicates the hollow fibers are compromised and the filter is not safe to use.