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If you’ve outfitted an emergency provide package or go-bag anytime within the final decade, you’ve in all probability no less than seemed on the LifeStraw. This light-weight, easy, and low-cost blue straw has turn into so ubiquitous that many individuals have began shopping for them in bulk, 5 at a time. But how sensible is the LifeStraw in a possible real-world setting, say, in case your municipality’s water provide was compromised otherwise you needed to flee your own home throughout a pure catastrophe?
LifeStraw Specs and Features
Laura Lancaster
Water filters work by transferring water by means of very small pores—.2 micron within the case of the LifeStraw—which catches any protozoa or micro organism that is likely to be contaminating the water. There are quite a few mechanisms for transferring water by means of filters. Old-school fashions use pumps. Newer ones use squeeze baggage, or gravity itself. The LifeStraw makes use of suction—which you provide. Uncap the LifeStraw at each ends, plunk the soiled finish into your water provide, and begin sucking water by means of the clear finish.
The authentic LifeStraw can solely be used like a straw, however the Peak Series straw has a bit extra versatility. The design of the soiled finish means it may be hooked up to a water bottle, or used with a bladder hydration system. Using the Peak Series Straw in tandem with a water bottle additionally permits you to use it such as you would a squeeze-bag system or a gravity filter.
If that is your first time buying a water filter of any type, an important factor to notice is that the LifeStraw doesn’t include an hooked up reservoir. If you’re on the go in an space the place water entry is restricted, it’s vital that you just additionally carry a vessel to carry water, such a typical disposable water bottle or a Nalgene.
Testing the LifeStraw within the Field
In a best-case emergency state of affairs, your own home nonetheless has working water, however your native reservoir has been impacted and water should now be handled earlier than it may be consumed. (And everyone knows how boiling water is a drag beneath these situations.) So my first check was to easily hand a glass of water and a LifeStraw to everybody in my household and see what they thought.
I attempted it out first—I undoubtedly wanted lots of suction to maneuver the water by means of the filter, however it was straightforward sufficient to make use of. After a couple of sips—the LifeStraw was simpler to make use of after every one—I handed it over to my husband to strive. “It wasn’t that bad,” he mentioned. “The Peak Series is easier to use.”
Next up was the three 12 months outdated. She was excited to assist (she spends lots of time nowadays “testing” blankets and pillows in makeshift piles in our front room), however after giving the LifeStraw a strive for 5 seconds or so, she lifted her head and wailed, “I can’t do it!” Turns out the LifeStraw isn’t as household pleasant as I had hoped. “I’m so thirsty!” she continued. Now, this wasn’t an actual emergency scenario, so it was straightforward sufficient to simply take the straw out and let her drink the water usually, however think about if it had been?
Next, we took the 2 LifeStraws on a bit of discipline journey across the neighborhood. The first cease was a stream working out of a slopey wooded space close to our house. Usually within the fall, there’s a gurgling, fresh-smelling stream of water coursing down this slope, however on this explicit day—after an uncommon stretch of dry climate—there was barely a trickle. Worse, it smelled surprisingly anaerobic—a bit like a pile of compost had gone off.
“I’m not drinking out of that,” mentioned my husband flatly. Fair, however science is science so I used to be dedicated to no less than taking a small sip to see if this was one thing I might be keen to do in an emergency scenario.
It took various tries at squatting down (these LifeStraw fashions within the adverts are clearly extra versatile than I’m) to determine easy methods to get the straw into the water with out toppling over, however I finally obtained there. The water was…heat…however in any other case tasted OK. Honestly, I’m attempting to not suppose an excessive amount of about it.
Next was the lakeshore. This is an energetic lake, in all one of the best methods—summertime is filled with boats and seaplanes and fishermen and swimmers. But it’s additionally a multitude, with the particles from wartime aircraft crashes nonetheless hanging out on the backside and common sewage overflows that get piped in when it rains an excessive amount of. It’s the form of lake the place you retain your mouth closed while you’re in it, and also you all the time take a bathe afterward.
It was considerably tougher to drink out of the lake than the stream. The light waves made it difficult to get near the water’s edge whereas the rocky seashore was troublesome to seek out my footing in. In this state of affairs, I might a lot desire to dip a reservoir instantly into the water after which drink from that. But, like with the wooded stream, the water was high quality, and I felt high quality after ingesting it.
What the LifeStraw Does Worst
While testing the finest backpacking water filters, the Peak Series from LifeStraw simply didn’t stack up in opposition to the likes of MSR, Platypus, Katadyn, and Sawyer. Both the gravity filter and the squeeze-bag filter (that are utilizing related expertise) grew to become slower to make use of over time, and the gravity filter ultimately stopped working solely.
But from an emergency preparedness standpoint, the largest downside with the LifeStraw—each the unique and the Peak Series—is that it doesn’t filter out viruses. That means water you drink by means of the straw may nonetheless be contaminated by norovirus or rotavirus (two viruses which can be answerable for meals poisoning).
Viruses are tremendous small (a couple of tenth of the dimensions of a micro organism), which is why it’s so arduous for a standard filter to take away them. There are a couple of that use activated carbon (Grayl and Rapid Pure are examples right here), which viruses persist with (the technical course of is named “adsorption”). This works fairly properly—though throughout our check of one of the best backpacking water filter these tended to clog up considerably quicker than conventional hole core fiber filters, together with the LifeStraw Peak Series expertise. They additionally aren’t as efficient at filtering out viruses from water coloured with sediment or tannins, corresponding to my native creek. Another possibility is the MSR Guardian, which has pores so small—.02 micron—that they will filter out viruses. But that filter usually runs at about $400, which is about 20 occasions greater than a LifeStraw.
What the LifeStraw Does Best
This is likely one of the least costly water filters in the marketplace, so it’s value contemplating in case you are buying in bulk—particularly within the multipacks. Whatever your finances, the low value of the LifeStraw means there’s no excuse to not have a water filter in your house or go bag.
And they do work as marketed. LifeStraw is accredited by a third-party lab—they even submit their outcomes on-line—to certify that they meet US EPA & NSF P231 ingesting water requirements. When used accurately, you may belief the LifeStraw to guard you from the likes of Giardia and E.coli.
Final Thoughts
If you’re taking a look at stocking your emergency preparedness package with a couple of LifeStraws, it’s value upgrading to the Peak Series model, as a result of its versatility and (comparative) ease of use. But it’s additionally value checking to see if one other of one of the best backpacking water filters may higher meet your wants. The MSR Guardian, whereas costly, is able to eradicating viruses, whereas the Sawyer Squeeze Mini is simply a few {dollars} greater than the LifeStraw, and comes with reservoirs to scoop and maintain your water whilst you’re on the go.
The submit LifeStraw Review: We Put This Affordable Water Filter to the Test appeared first on Outdoor Life.