Why the $20 LifeStraw water filter deserves a place in any emergency kit

• LifeStraw's popular water filter is a boon for anyone who spends time outdoors, allowing access to clean, drinkable water almost anywhere.
• Operation is a no brainer, too, as the straw design eliminates the risk of wrong-use and is easy enough to be used by kids or first-timers.

A sure-fire way to ruin any camping trip is to contract with a water-borne illness like Salmonella, E. coli, or even Giardia from not properly filtering your water. You should always have access to safe, clean drinking water when going outside and it should be one of your essential trip details when spending time in the backcountry.

Whether I'm going out for a day-long mountain bike ride, or headed into Minnesota's Boundary Waters wilderness area for a few weeks, I always pack a water filter I can trust. For longer trips or when I'm filtering water for a group, I love using my MSR Guardian thanks to its quick filtering and unique automatic backflushing function that reduces clogging of the filter. But the downside is its price, weight, and size. It's far too bulky to fit in my pack for day hikes and it costs over $350, so I'm often weary of losing it or accidentally breaking the unit.

For short outings and individual use, I instead opt for the simplistic yet versatile LifeStraw water filter. At just $20, it's highly affordable but don't take that wallet-friendly price for granted — this reliable little filter is one of the most valuable additions to anyone's outdoor kit.

Ease of use and portability

Like its name suggests, the LifeStraw is a straw-shaped filter that features two ends, one for inserting into a dirty water source like a lake or stream and the other that goes directly into your mouth. When taking a quick drink, it's versatility is unmatched and with the only two steps being to put it into the stream and then drink, it's quite intuitive, too.

Even if you want to take water with you, you can fill up a water bottle with dirty water and use the filter from it as needed. Though, I do recommend being careful not to contaminate your straw by letting it fall into the water bottle as you drink.

The straw itself only weighs two ounces and filters 4,000 liters (or 1,000 gallons) of water before needing to replace the filter. Once you stick the filter side of the straw in dirty water, its membrane microfilter removes 99.9 percent of bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and dirt. There's no fancy pump or other moving parts that have the potential to break under heavy use, either.

The LifeStraw is compact and portable enough to bring on mountain bike rides, short hikes, and even longer backpacking trips as a complement to a larger filtration system. It's nine-inches-long and just over an inch wide so it slides easily into water bottle pockets or can be strapped to the outside of a backpacking bag with some cord.

Cons to consider

If you're traveling with a large group or you require a lot of filtered water, the LifeStraw could be a hassle to use over and over again. I'd recommend a gravity-filter like the LifeStraw Flex with Gravity Bag or a pump filter like the MSR Guardian for these scenarios instead. Since the design of the straw is intended to be used right from a water source, it can be hard to store enough clean water for your group or for a longer trip.

Although it hasn't happened to me, I've had friends complain of their LifeStraw clogging up during use and becoming unusable — something you never want to run into during a trip. Other filters, like the Sawyer Mini Water Filter, come with a backflushing syringe for easy cleaning but there's no real way to backflush a LifeStraw. One way to combat this is to blow air through the straw after every use to prevent clogging. Be aware of this if you're planning on relying on the LifeStraw solely for clean water.

The bottom line

At $20, it's hard to argue with the cost-benefit analysis of the LifeStraw. With regular use, this filter is bound to last you years before needing to buy another one. However, I wouldn't recommend this product for extended backcountry use since it's not repairable if something goes wrong. It's great for small outings, short hikes, and deserves a place in any emergency kit.

• Should you buy it? If you aren't concerned about providing water for a large group or using this for a long period in the backcountry, then yes. The cheap price tag allows you to buy a couple of the filters, too — one for your backpack and one for your car for emergency situations. It's easy to use and even small children can use it thanks to the simple straw design.
• What are your alternatives? If you want more versatility in a similar package, I'd recommend the Sawyer Mini Water Filter. It's $22 and has several different ways to use it. Screw it on top of a plastic water bottle, install it inline on your hydration bladder, or use it on the included squeeze bottle. It even comes with a backflushing syringe for easy on-trail cleaning.

Pros: Affordable, packable size, filters out most water-borne illnesses

Cons: Not ideal for large groups, hard to store water once filtered, lack of repairability