Once upon a time, you didn't need such a newfangled contraption as a backpacking water filter. Getting a refreshing drink meant meant dipping your tin Sierra cup (or Nalgene) in any stream and taking a nice, cool, clear drink. Unfortunately, thanks to the prevalence of giardia and other fun protozoa and bacteria, that's now likely to have you running behind every tree. Thankfully, the solution is pretty simple. Grab one of these water filters and put it between you and that ice cold stream. Many of the filters we've tested aren't much more complex in operation than dipping a cup in a stream. In fact, our first two picks allow you do pretty much just that, drinking clean, cool water almost as easily as John Muir did. Once you've purified your water, I recommend making a nice hot cup of coffee and putting it in one of the Best Travel Mugs. Don't forget to check out the rest of our outdoor buying guides, including the Best Puffer Jackets and the Best Sunglasses. Power up with unlimited...
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