These Hydration Must-Haves For Trails Transform The Way Hikers And Campers Stay Hydrated Outdoors

If you or someone you know has gone thru-hiking, you're likely aware that one of the biggest dangers of spending days on a trail, far from civilization, is not knowing when you'll next come across potable water. This is especially true for newer trails that haven't even been fully established yet, like the not-for-the-faint-of-heart 1,500-mile xTx Trail in Texas. But luckily, one company created a solution in 2005. If you've not yet heard of LifeStraw, it's a personal, portable water filter that removes bacteria and parasites from contaminated water sources and fits in your back pocket. In fact, packing one is a great safety tip before your first solo hike.

The company has been expanding its lineup over the past 20 years, from pitchers and home purification systems aimed at developing nations to high-end filtered water bottles that provide the cleanest water for people with safe-enough drinking water in developed countries. However, its most popular products remain its personal straw filters. In 2022, the original LifeStraw — along with a few of the company's other hiker-friendly products — received a sleek new update that made them even more suitable for use in the backcountry.

LifeStraw Peak Series products filter not only dangerous microbes, but also microplastics, silt, and soil particles bigger than 0.2 microns. You can use them to drink murky, questionable water straight from a lake or stream, and all Peak series' enhanced microfilter prevents sediment from clogging your straw and backing up your flow while sipping. These filtration solutions are ultralight and made of durable materials, meaning they're ready to face whatever rugged environment you take them into. Plus, the Peak Series includes a versatile range of products, which means you have a choice among several of what might serve you best.

Every single product in the LifeStraw Peak Series is built for premium performance: the filters' 0.2-micron pores remove 99.9% of all microbes, microplastics, and particles in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Science Foundation (NSF) P231 pathogenic water treatment standards. The Personal Straw features a slip-free grip and ergonomic design — a handy update from the original LifeStraw's slick cylindrical shape — and its durable 50% post-consumer recycled BPA-free plastic shell can withstand falls from a normal standing height. It weighs just 2 ounces and promises 1,000 gallons of clean drinking water — enough for five years of daily drinking.

Both the Peak Personal Straw and Peak Solo Straw — a model that's half the size and can clean up to 500 gallons of water — have mouthpiece caps and the ability to screw onto traditional plastic water bottles with a 1.1-inch thread. The Solo is also compatible with the Peak Series Activated Carbon Filter Attachment, which removes heavy metals, chlorine, and organic chemicals, improving your water's flavor for up to 26 gallons. You can get both as part of the Explorer Pack, which comes with a carrying case that promises to protect your purchase for even longer.

The Peak Series Collapsible Squeeze Bottle comes in both 650 milliliter and 1 liter sizes. It features the same amazing filtration technology as the LifeStraw itself, while the Peak Series Gravity Filter Systems in 3-liter and 8-liter sizes can hang at basecamp, serving an entire group. Beyond the backcountry, Peak Series products are a great addition to your next vacation to Mexico or other places where drinking water is unsafe. Their unlimited shelf life means any of these might last you for life, provided you only use them when necessary.