Switched my stance on water filters after reading one study

I used to think a cheap squeeze filter was fine for any trip, then I read a 2023 study that tested 20 models and found the budget ones let through up to 15% more bacteria after just 2 liters. That stat stuck with me, especially since I do 4 day stretches on the PCT sections near Tahoe. I ended up buying a heavier gravity filter for group trips and I just feel better about dipping out of murky creeks. Anyone else changed gear habits based on a single piece of research they stumbled across?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.drew20d ago

15% more bacteria" sounds scary until you remember the study probably tested against some lab standard most creeks don't even meet, and my cheap filter's never made me sick in ten years of drinking straight from Sierra runoff.

wade_anderson19d ago

Ten years and I still panic every time I hear a gurgle in my gut, so yeah, maybe it's just me.