One of the most crucial things to take with you when you are either hiking through the back country or traveling internationally is a portable water filter. It is essential that you always have access to a safe and clean supply of water. If you drink unclean water it can cause a whole host of health-related problems that include intestinal parasites, diarrhea, and dehydration which may result in your death if not treated in time.
It is hard to make sure that a water source is safe as even the cleanest looking water can contain unseen bacteria. If you are traveling to a new country the locals immune system will be used to dealing with certain types of bacterium. If you see the local residents drinking from it, you can not be certain that it will not directly damage your health.
To overcome this problem you need a water filter that removes all harmful bacteria along with contaminants. It will then give you the peace of mind that you are drinking safe and clean water.
What you need is a water filter. A water filter removes harmful contaminants from almost any water source, allowing you to drink confidently.
How Do Water Filters Work?
There are many different types of water purifiers and filters on the market. The main difference between each one is the microorganism size that it filters out. Water filters work by straining out any bacteria and protozoan cysts that can cause damage to health. They will not filter out any viruses, though.
Water purifiers work differently as they can remove viruses due to having a smaller filter size of 0.1 microns which is not the case for most water filters. To kill all the viruses in the water the purifiers use things such as ultraviolet light, iodine, and other specific chemicals.
The best water filters on the market are “village bucket” fillers. They block particles at the earliest possible level which purifies the water from viruses attached to the sediment. They work at a 0.1-micron level which is a lot greater than the other types available and are able to purify more water than the others.
Selecting The Best Portable Water Filter
Depending on the country you are traveling to and the requirements of the amount of water that you need to purify, selecting the best one for your journey will depend on your personal requirements. The bucket filter is the best for purifying large amounts of water without the need for UV lighting or chemicals. Due to the fact it filters the water at .1 micron level, it removes viruses and harmful bacteria.
Conclusion
When you are choosing which water filter to buy you need to first evaluate what the circumstances are that you will need to use it for. If you only need one that filters out bacteria a standard filter is ideal. One thing to assess which is the best is to check the time it takes for filtering along with the size.
If you’re traveling to a third world country you will need a more robust filter or purifier. One that is able to block viruses to make sure that you do not get ill on your travels.
