The 11 Best base camp Water Filters (2023 reviews)

There are several advantages of having a base camp water filter. Let’s take you step by step, type by type, and find the best base camp water filter for you.

Our review process: Show/Hide

Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: Katadyn pocket Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best For Any Family Emergency Preparedness Kit: Buy: Platypus Clean Water Bag READ REVIEW

Best For few days: Buy: Lifestraw base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best With Gravity Bag: Buy: Sawyer Products Water source READ REVIEW

Best For outdoorsman: Buy: Waterdrop base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best For Other stationary Use: Buy: Sawyer Products base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best For An Emergency Replacement: Buy: Membrane Solutions base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best For hiker: Buy: MSR base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best For car: Buy: survivor Filter base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best Filtering System: Buy: Katadyn base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best With Smartwater Bottle: Buy: Platypus base camp Water Filter READ REVIEW

Best Overall: Katadyn pocket Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The katadyn pocket water filter is capable of outshining several other filter featured in this list in overall features. The Katadyn pocket filter really is quality, good flow, simple and easy to fill up your water containers. It includes an improved, round pump handle for better ergonomics and an outlet hose that attaches to water containers with a single clip. It is designed to extract jet fuel. It can be used by militaries, health organizations, and outdoor adventurers worldwide, making it the global leader in portable water treatment.

The Life Straw is compact, lightweight, and inexpensive, good for survival. It is an awesomely manufactured tool for outdoors or survival or self-reliance. It comes with a carbon filter and ceramic filter. It is great for getting the body's organs a golden brown. The LS6000 cartridge is a little busier to remove and dry.

• Impregnated ceramic element that 's effective against bacteria and protozoa even in extreme conditions
• Compact, robust, simple and a good to go water filtration system
• Great portable dihydrogen monoxide filtration system
• Excellent for anyone thinking of water filtration on the run

Best For Any Family Emergency Preparedness Kit: Platypus Clean Water Bag

Buy on Amazon

The gravityworks filter makes filtering a gallon of water a breeze. It’s lightweight and it allows you to do other things while your water is being filtered. The squeeze types are very light and they are a lot of work to filter water for more than one person. This product is great for backpack camping, car camping, emergencies, etc. It is easy to use and 4 liters of clean water in less than 5 min. It makes it easier to replace or flush.

The water is drinkable after filtering, no boiling required. This is the most flexible, hands free, lightweight water filtration option available.

• Lightweight and so nice to have 8 litres of water available at camp
• Works great and takes the worry of safe water away
• Easy to use to clean large quantity of water
• Makes a lot of bacteria-free water, quickly, from pools and running water

Best For few days: Lifestraw base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The lifestraw base camp water filter is suitable and reliable and fits well with your daily usage. An intricate three-chamber, four-filter purification system removes parasites, waterborne nasties such as salmonella, even the iodine taste of the straw's own cleanser. It removes parasites, waterborne nasties such as salmonella, even the iodine taste of the straw's own cleanser. This is an awesome product for your camping gear, home bag, or for traveling.

These are designed to go inside a hiking bag or survival bag. It's lightweight and has a long duty cycle once opened. It is perfect for emergency disaster packs. It will provide 4, 000 liters (1, 000 gallons) of clean and safe drinking water with proper use and maintenance. It is great for prepping and to have for any other emergency when traveling in unusual places.

• Has a string to carry around your neck or tie in a pack
• A must for hiking, camping, bug out bags and car emergency kits
• A must for your bug out bag and camping/hunting/walkabout kit
• Great for survival and emergency use

Best With Gravity Bag: Sawyer Products Water source

Buy on Amazon

We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate filter. The sawyer products water source is exactly that - it's a simple filter that hits all the right notes. Weighing just 3 ounces, the versatile, award-winning sawyer squeeze filter is incredibly simple to use and fits in the palm of your hand. It is great for travel, you can hook it up to a hose bib and flow a lot of water. The filter will fit on standard sized water bottles in addition to the provided 1l pouch.

The bags that come with it are very useful and fairly easy to fill up. It is easy to use portable water filter that removes harmful bacteria, protozoa, cysts, sediment, and 100% of microplastics. These are hard to fill and only hold a liter. They don't take up a lot of space. It is great way to always have drinkable water while backpacking/camping remotely.

• Perfect for backpackers, hikers, ot any outdoorsman
• Perfect for the minimalist or ultra-light hiker or just everyday backpacking
• Very easy to clean and maintain
• Super easy to use and bottle up water for later filtration

Best For outdoorsman: Waterdrop base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The waterdrop base camp water filter is the best convenient filter on the market today. The Waterdrop gravity water filter straw with 1.5 gal gravity-fed water bag is an exclusive water purification combination created for outdoor activities and first aid survival. It comes with 3 personal water filters (waterdrop brand), each individually wrapped and sealed. The water tote it comes with can hold a whopping 3.5L of water and the filtration is relatively quick.

The waterdrop filter straw can provide safe drinking water up to 1, 400 gallons ( 5, 300 liters) and ensures the maximum water flow rate of up to 700 ml / min to provide more relaxed outdoor water drinking experience and first aid survival. The bag is amazing just for collecting water and hanging the bag close to your site so you can fill the bag then drain into a cup or bowl and drink with the straw. It would be great for camping and hiking also.

• Easy to handle and great for packing and taking anywhere
• Easy to use and plenty of water comes out
• Excellent camp site water source container for a small group
• Easy clean up and super light

Best For Other stationary Use: Sawyer Products base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The sawyer products base camp water filter is capable of outshining several other filter featured in this list in overall features in its price range. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the dual-threaded mini gives you several ways to access clean water. It is great for travel, backcountry treks, emergency prepping, and disaster kits. It is designed for holding aquarium air hoses to the tank walls. It can also be attached onto most disposable water or soda bottles, or attach it inline to tubing between a hydration pack and bite valve. The larger bladder makes this so much easier to use if you are not in a rush for water.

The material is sturdy, lightweight. The flow rate is fast and it is easy to set up and use. Gravity filtration is also handy compared to squeezing the smaller Sawyer bags.

• Really easy to use and hold a great amount of water
• Worked good to have clean water for cooking while camping
• Light weight, compact, effective filter system
• Great product for camping with the family or even by yourself

Best For An Emergency Replacement: Membrane Solutions base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The membrane solutions base camp water filter is specially designed for your daily usage and has all useful features. This water filtration system is a life-saver. It can filter approximately 1.59 gallons of water at one time. It removes heavy metals and organic contaminates better than expected. The charcoal filter is covered in sediment/algae and the other end is also. It is easy to carry on long trips.

This is a simple gravity system. It works very well and looks like a very small package and easy to carry on long trips. The bladder feels stronger yet flexible, the hanging nylon strap is convenient, and the awesome little carry case is well worth the extra cost. This is a great gravity bag for filtering water while camping and backpacking.

• Holds plenty of water taste great crystal clear
• Lot of satisfied buyers

Best For hiker: MSR base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

Best part: msr base camp water filter costs comparatively low and it is available to ship in 24 hours. This filter is great for travel as well as outdoorsy stuff. It removes bacteria, protozoa, organic compounds, and particulate, delivering clean, taste and odor. It's super easy to use, compact, easy enough to clean, and light enough that you can take it even in a day pack for day hikes or canoe trips. It is a quality and functional item. It works well with moving water streams.

It packs small and fairly light for the type of filter, and provides plenty of safe to drink GOOD TASTING water with just a few minutes of effort. The pump is easy to use and won't fatigue your arm, either. This is a quality and functional item.

• Perfect for high useage, very tough
• Very simple to use and designed to avoid cross-contamination
• New and hot release

Best For car: survivor Filter base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

Next on the list, we've got yet another filter that manages to win our hearts. It's the survivor filter base camp water filter and it's widely considered as filter that has the most suitable features. The Electric Survivor Filter uses the same filtering technology that you know and love from Survivor Filter PRO. It uses two common AA batteries, a micro USB to USB power pack and other USB power sources, or Wall plug AC with a USB adapter which is supplied. It comes with all internal filters, tubing, detachable drinking cup, travel bag, details instructions and how to use manuals. The unit comes with a back. It has two hoses, one for input and one for output, has an ON-OFF push button on top, and the best part is it's ELECTRIC, so no hand pumping.

This product does exactly what it says and makes a great addition to your backpack, especially if you’re hiking with a group. It's kind of nice that it has the charcoal filter. The device is too heavy for backpacking but ideal for car camping. They are super friendly and know all of the answers.

• Easy is setup and no manual hand pumping
• Best purchase for a multi-day river trip
• Easy to operate and it's very useful

Best Filtering System: Katadyn base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

Katadyn line of filter come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. Whether you're hiking solo or with a large group, the katadyn gravity filter will make your water stops incredibly quick and hassle free. It is used for a canoe trip down the north saskatchewan river for a few days. It flows so well and is easy to clean after the trip is done.

The check valve in the bag bottom is sensitive to dirt. It includes sponge for cleaning filter protector screen. The filters last pretty long when you are selective about how to collect water. They work fine as long as you treat and clean them. These are great for about 5-7 day trips.

• Lasts multiple trips throughout the summer
• Must have for a base camp operation
• Works great just fill it well away from sore
• Avoid murky water or water with high particulate matter

Best With Smartwater Bottle: Platypus base camp Water Filter

Buy on Amazon

The platypus base camp water filter is capable of outshining several other filter featured in this list in overall features in its price range. The platypus QuickDraw Microfilter should never be allowed to freeze. It is taste-free, durable and has a wide mouth and handle for easy filling at any source. The front and back panels form just a simple seam so there isn't anything for it to "stand on" to stay upright. The loop near the cap provides an easy way to suspend it upright. It can also be filled and drank directly off of.

The idea for the filter to screw into all std size water bottle openings is handy for hiking and many other situations. This tool is super handy.

• Easy to use and works great
• Very fast flow rate when clean
• Lightweight portable clean drinking water from anywhere in the woods fabulous