Safe water. It’s one of the most important things our bodies need to function and stay healthy, yet not always easy to find. That’s the LifeStraw brand comes in. Offering several different ways to filter and purify water, LifeStraw provides access to safe drinking water, wherever you are. With multiple products that magically turns unsafe water into drinkable water, LifeStraw has steadily become a rising star in the outdoor retail world. And using the award-winning filtration technology to create safe-drinking water is as simple as filling up a water bottle. The LifeStraw Go is durable, refillable water bottle with an internal filtration system that eliminates bacteria, virus and protozoa from water. The filter included in the bottle filters up to 1,000 liters of water and replacement filters are easy and affordable to replace. Without using iodine, the LifeStraw water filtration system removes nearly 100% of waterborne bacteria and parasites, making the LifeStraw Go a must-have for adventurers and travelers packing light.
Pros: There are so many pros with the LifeStraw Go, it’s hard to know exactly where to start. Even though this water bottle is a great addition to any adventurer’s arsenal of gear—purchasing this product automatically provides clean water for others—which is the kind of thoughtfulness and global thinking that continues to propel the outdoor industry. Each LifeStraw product sold provides one child in school in a developing community safe drinking water for an entire school year. So your LifeStraw Go not only provides you with safe drinking water, it also provides it for someone else in need—and that in itself is awesome. But let’s get back to you for a second. If you become the proud owner of the LifeStraw Go, you’ll have access to safe drinking water wherever you go. For those backpacking, or bikepacking, or whatever type of packing takes you to remote places, the LifeStraw Go quenches the potential issue of dehydration and does it in the most efficient way. Instead of loading up gallons and gallons of safe drinking water for your outdoor adventures, the LifeStraw Go allows you to create safe drinking water from whatever stream or lake or river you pass by, all in the 22-ounce water bottle. But being able to filter your water no matter where you are isn’t just a pro for outdoor adventurers. This is incredibly helpful for travelers of all kinds. Ever poured yourself a glass of murky water at a hotel room? Yep—me, too. Hence the addition of this water bottle to the list of items I always bring with me on the road. And one of the best pros about this water bottle is the affordability factor. Pick up this portable, BPA-free water filtration system for under $30.
Cons: The exterior of the LifeStraw Go is definitely durable—surviving a multitude of klutzy moments that define my daily life—on, and off the trails. But the addition of the water bottle’s main feature—the filter, takes the durability level of this bottle down a notch. My water bottle is often one of the most scratched up, mis-handled pieces in my gear collection, which is why it also makes me just a little nervous. I’m afraid to drop it, knowing that the filter inside of the bottle can be damaged fairly easily. And although replacing the filter is easy and relatively cheap, having a piece of gear that can easily be used to death on one trip always worries me a little.
Where We Took It: Camping in Missoula, Montana, on adventures in New York City, and in my backpack for the majority of my trips near and far.
