Backside Line
After testing the LifeStraw Peak Straw with the dirtiest water we might discover and evaluating it to different top-performing squeeze filters, we confirmed that it deserves a spot on the listing of our favourite water filters. It’s versatile, sturdy, and simple to make use of.
The Peak Straw is good for individuals who wish to stoop down and sip from a pure water supply with out having to hold any additional water on their backs. It’s superb for path runners as a result of it gives clear water rapidly in a 2.4-ounce package deal.
This filter takes care of something it’s essential fear about in backcountry water sources, from micro organism and parasites to microplastics. They even make a model with a carbon attachment for filtering out heavy metals.
Whereas the Peak Straw isn’t the quickest or most sturdy water filter on our listing, it’s a superb funding for many who need fast hydration with out added weight.
How We Examined
The Peak Straw is a brand new water filter for our staff, however we’ve subjected it to intense testing with among the dirtiest water conceivable. We deliberately tried to clog it with silty, turbid water to judge its sturdiness, movement charge, and water high quality.
Fast Specs
LifeStraw Peak Straw
Finest Straw Water Filter
CleverHiker Score:
4.5/5.0
Value:
$25
Weight:
2.3 oz.
Circulate Fee:
1.5 L/min
Filter Pore Dimension:
.2 microns
Lifetime Quantity:
4000 L
Professionals
- Good movement charge
- Suitable with a wide range of bottles
- Ultralight
- Compact
- Can be utilized as a straw
- Reasonably priced
- Simple to scrub within the subject
Water High quality
The LifeStraw Peak Straw makes use of hole fiber membranes with a pore dimension of 0.2 microns to filter out 99.999999% of micro organism, 99.999% of parasites, and 99.999% of microplastics, silt, and sand. In different phrases, it filters out practically all the things it’s essential fear about making you sick within the backcountry. The filter reduces many of the earthy style from natural matter and meets US EPA and NSF P231 ingesting water requirements.
The Peak Straw doesn’t filter out viruses, so for some worldwide journey, think about using one thing that does. Though the Peak Straw doesn’t filter out heavy metals and chemical compounds, the LifeStraw Solo can be utilized with a separate carbon attachment that does.
Ease of Use
The important thing function of the Peak Straw is its means to drink instantly from the water supply. Whereas another filters even have this function, the Peak Straw is housed in an extended casing, so that you don’t need to get your face simply 4 inches from the supply. The ergonomic mouthpiece can be extra snug and simpler to attract water from.
The flexibility to rapidly drink straight from the water supply is a perfect function for path runners in locations with considerable water sources. As a substitute of carrying heavy water bottles, merely kneel, seize a fast sip on the subsequent stream crossing, and also you’re in your approach.
The Peak Straw will also be used with a gravity system or instantly on a bladder or any plastic bottle with commonplace 28mm threads (sure, meaning a smartwater bottle). We advocate these strategies over the straw function for filtering bigger portions, because the latter will be fairly tiring on the cheeks. Each choices are very fast to arrange.
Therapy Time
The quickest option to deal with water with the Peak Straw is the squeeze technique. It took us simply over a minute on common to filter a liter utilizing a Smartwater bottle (requires occasional “burping”), and as little as 40 seconds when squeezing firmly with a smooth bladder. These occasions are much like these of our most popular squeeze filters.
The velocity at which the Peak Straw filters a liter of water utilizing simply gravity actually impressed us. When hanging from a tree department, the Peak Straw completed filtering a whole liter in simply two and a half minutes.
It regarded foolish, however we even timed how rapidly we might filter a liter of water utilizing nothing however suction energy. Admittedly, we solely did this as soon as and wouldn’t advocate it, however you may theoretically filter a liter of water in simply over two minutes with the facility of your cheeks.
No matter your most popular technique, it’s best to hunt down the cleanest sources with the Peak Straw. Therapy time decreases considerably with soiled sources.
Weight
Regardless of its bigger dimension, the Peak Straw stays a really light-weight filter at simply 2.4 ounces. It nonetheless serves as a superb choice even for probably the most ultralight thru-hikers aiming to avoid wasting probably the most weight.
The bigger dimension, nevertheless, is barely extra awkward to pack away. It simply slides into most exterior backpack pockets, however when connected to a one-liter Smartwater bottle, it measures about 19 inches lengthy. For reference, that’s roughly the torso size of a medium-sized backpack.
To pack the filter securely, Lifestraw gives a handy carrying case particularly for the Peak Straw. Whereas it provides some weight to your pack, it’s useful for storing it in your sleeping bag at evening with out risking spills.
Upkeep & Longevity
Discipline upkeep with the Peak Straw is simple, however must be achieved usually. To scrub, blow as laborious as you possibly can on the mouthpiece to filter any remaining water and sediment from the filter. This technique isn’t as efficient as a syringe backflush, so we advocate doing it after every filtering session. When you don’t clear the Peak Straw usually, it may clog up rapidly.
The Peak Straw has respectable longevity, lasting as much as about 4000 liters. When it reaches the tip of its lifespan, it’s going to merely cease permitting water to movement via the filter – a transparent signal that it’s time to exchange it. Whereas you may get fairly a little bit of use out of 4000 liters, it pales compared to the Sawyer Squeeze, which is rated for a 380,000-liter lifetime.
Like all hole membrane filters, it’s essential to not let your Peak Straw freeze. When water freezes within the filter, it expands and might crack the delicate membranes, making them ineffective. Earlier than crawling into the tent for the evening, we advocate eradicating any water from the filter, wrapping it in a material (or utilizing the non-obligatory carrying case), and putting it within the backside of your sleeping bag.
Ought to You Purchase the LifeStraw Peak Straw?
There are positively different choices to think about in the case of a squeeze filter, however the LifeStraw Peak Straw is completely fitted to ingesting instantly from the water supply. With its ergonomic mouthpiece and prolonged size (which will be additional prolonged with a hose), it’s laborious to seek out a more sensible choice for this function. We love utilizing this ultralight filter for path runs in moist environments to keep away from carrying any water on our backs.
The Peak Straw removes practically 100% of dangerous parasites, micro organism, and protozoa, offering clear, great-tasting ingesting water within the open air. Its versatile design goes past a straw, serving as a squeeze and gravity filter with spectacular movement charges.
The Peak Straw does get clogged quicker than different filters and shouldn’t be allowed to freeze, however so long as you backflush it usually, it ought to simply filter about 4000 liters of water.
What Different Water Filters Ought to You Think about?
Examine the Peak Straw with different squeeze filters on our full information to backpacking water filters.
Sawyer Mini Assessment: The Mini is one other versatile squeeze filter that will also be used as a straw. It’s not as ideally fitted to ingesting instantly from a supply, however it’s lighter and extra packable.
Sawyer Squeeze Assessment: This filter successfully balances weight financial savings, movement charge, and ease of use. It maintains its movement charge for a very long time due to its highly effective backflushing syringe and might last as long as 380,000 liters.
Katadyn BeFree Assessment: Though it doesn’t have the perfect longevity or simplest cleansing strategies, the BeFree gives an unmatched movement charge for a squeeze filter, particularly early on. If comfort is your predominant precedence, this is likely to be the correct filter for you.
LifeStraw Solo Filter: This various to the Peak Straw is suitable with a carbon attachment to filter out heavy metals and dangerous chemical compounds.
