The Best Backpacking Water Filters of 2025, Tested and Reviewed

A favorite of ultralight hikers, backpackers, bikers, and travelers, the Sawyer Squeeze filter is the gold standard in water filters for anyone concerned about weight and universal compatibility. The Squeeze weighs just 3 ounces, has a filtration level of 0.1 microns (which gets rid E. coli, salmonella, giardia, cryptosporidium, and other common problems), and claims to filter 100,000 gallons of water before it needs replacing. The Squeeze also connects to any 28-mm diameter soda bottle (your basic 20-ounce Coke bottle, for example), which means you never have to worry about damaging a bottle, since a replacement can be easily found anywhere in the world. You can buy the Sawyer Squeeze as either the filter alone or as a kit with a couple of water bladders and connecting hoses. The kit-included bladders work fine, but I generally skip them and filter into a Smart Water bottle. As the name suggests, the Squeeze is meant to be squeezed, though it does work fine as a gravity filter, just ... Read full article.