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Filter your water!

There's no need to tell you again that water is an essential element. If you're hiking and don't have a water source, you'll need to filter your water. However, there are different ways of filtering water, and we're going to tell you all about them here! A filtration system will allow you to drink any water you find in nature, with the assurance that you won't be infected by bacteria, protozoa or any other micro-organism that could disrupt your hike.

There are various systems onthe market that are useful in different situations. Let's start by saying that if you can find a source of drinking water, this is what you should use. If you are far from a source and there are water sources available, then a filter is the best way to provide you with drinking water.

Systems for filtering your water:

there are 2 main purification systems:
- Filters provide 99% instant drinking water, but you should be aware that viruses can pass through the filter.
- Purification tablets, on the other hand, are not instantaneous, but give 100% drinking water.

Let's take a closer look at the different outdoor models:

Filter your water with a filtering gourd

To filter your water, there are water filter bottles. They're the most fashionable thing at the moment! They come in all sizes, soft or hard, and are very practical! They're a great solution if you want to drink healthy water, even in everyday life. Katadyn comes out on top with its flexible water bottles, which are always practical and easy to use. What's interesting is that with this system, the flow isn't reduced like with other models! So if you need to cook, it's easy to do!

With a capacity of one litre and a lifespan of 1000 litres, this filtering water bottle will accompany you on all your adventures. Its 0.1 micron hollow fibre filter will eliminate bacteria, sediment and any other impurities. This bottle can process up to two litres per minute. Its EZ-CleanMembraneTM is easily cleaned by simply shaking it or rinsing it with water. This makes it easy to use, compact and durable. The Swiss brand is a leader in the water treatment market, and we have every confidence in it! Its weight (empty) of 63g and dimensions of 26.5 x 8 x 6.5 cm make it an accessory that fits easily into your hiking bag!

Its lifespan should be put into perspective, however, because even though it's rated at 1000L, it will depend on the quality of the water you're filtering.

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Filter your water with a straw

The Lifestraw straw is the leader of this family! It's the best-selling straw in the world today! It's designed for emergency use rather than everyday use, but it's an effective response to a basic need. It requires no preparation, spare parts or batteries! It's a simple tube that can purify up to 1000 litres of water.

This filter filters your water at a rate of 0.2l/min and eliminates up to 99.9999% of bacteria. It does not eliminate odour or bad taste, but guarantees to filter out bacteria and protozoa.

This portable filter can be used to drink directly from a water source : stream, lake, river or from a container (glass, bottle). It's very easy to use, and very affordable in terms of price.

It has a lifespan of 3 years if stored away from light (this may also depend on the quality of the water filtered).

Water purification tablets

Water purification tablets are still one of the most effective ways of destroying micro-organisms. However, they don't filter your water, so you won't be able to drink cloudy or hard-to-liquid water. However, it may be worthwhile linking purification tablets to a filtration system in order to increase the fluidity of the water retained and its destruction of micro-organisms.

These tablets provide high-performance purification to effectively disinfect clear water. They eliminate all dangerous micro-organisms: bacteria, viruses and protozoa such as amoebas and giardia. Once the water has been treated, it can be stored for 6 months thanks to the action of the silver ions.

The tablets are intended for single use only, and it takes around thirty minutes for the water to be completely purified of micro-organisms.

As explained above, these tablets give 100% drinkable water, but purification is not immediate and the water must be clear. Otherwise, you'll need to use a filter first!

It's important to checkthe use-by dates on the tablets!

At Speck, we offer two types of water purification tablets.

Micropur Forte and Micropur Classic. The first make it possible to purify water and make it drinkable, while the second keep drinking water in its element for longer.

Water bags and gravity filters

This is perhaps one of the most practical ways! A filtering straw is fitted to the tube that connects the water bag to your end. So the water is filtered without you noticing. The pressure doesn't drop and the flow remains constant.

Gravity filters are suspended and can hold a large volume of water! They allow you to filter your water more quickly and fill other bottles and/or containers.

These filters work in a simple way: you fill them with water like a water bag and once suspended, gravity will pull the filtered water into the container of your choice. It's also handy for cooking when you're camping. It can also be used as a portable shower, with a small accessory not supplied.

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