Wild Camping Water Filter and Any Other Tips

B

benhben

Messages
235
Name
Ben
Edit My Images
Yes
My main photography goal for 2020 is to get out more at the best times. Another goal which will also help the photography goal is to do some proper wild camping. I think I have most of the gear now. One question I'm not so sure of is what do you do for drinking and cooking water when camping out on the fells. Do you carry a load of heavy water with you or filter nearby streams?

If there are any other camping equipment tips which arent obvious please let me know.

Thanks
Ben
 
I use a Sawyer Squeeze, great bit of kit. I also take it when I go fishing, that way I can suck water straight from the river/stream, never had a problem yet.
 
Personally I carry water as cold drinking water.

But for cooking and washing I’ll boil water from free flowing streams.

For tea and coffee I’ll also boil water from high up free flowing streams but get it on a running boil for 1-2 minutes before using.

I know people who happily drink straight out of streams, even at lower altitudes but I’ve seen too many dead sheep, farmers with potential pesticides and stagnant sections briefly up stream to risk it.

I’m sure it will benefit your photography immensely and is something I’d love to get back into, New Years resolution maybe...

Just to add a lot of wild camping spots are near mountain tarns, llyns or small high up lochs. I’ve always used the inlet stream instead of the outlet stream. Or got it from a good half mile downstream of the tarn.
 
Thumbs up for the sawyer from me plus I use a couple of foldable water bottles when I make camp idea to collect water for brews, pasta suppers!

https://www.sportsdirect.com/sportsdirect-folding-water-bottle-898108#colcode=89810816

Some ideas for base weight reduction
https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/the-15lb-base-weight-gear-list-i1401

I use tarps for wild camping lots of ways to erect tarps more versatile than a tent Ali express do some excellent tarps lightweight my single person tarp 300grams
 
I assume you're in the UK. If so I'll chuck in another vote for Sawyer. However, practice using it before you'll need it. For overseas use you may need a different filter like the Lifesaver, but the Sawyer gets rid of the vast majority of pollutants you're likely to find in the UK.

Also, try to find a collapsable water pouch or a bottle that use the same thread as the Sawyer - it makes life easier. The "Smart Water" bottles work on mine.
 
I've never filtered or sterilised water (and only boiled it to make brews) from mountain streams in the UK - and never had a problem. The extra weight and bulk of a steriliser (never mind a litre of water) has never appealed. When overseas in areas with eg giardia I've sterilised chemically - most simply with iodine. Craig's point about lower altitudes is sound, though - camp high and light! Even on day walks and runs on the mountains, cold water straight from the stream has served me well.
 
Sawyer Mini Water Filtration System - great bit of kit. That said, fast flowing water over rocks is generally fine, but I usually boil it first anyway just in case of the dead sheep business as mentioned above!
 
Craig_85 said:
Personally I carry water as cold drinking water.

But for cooking and washing I’ll boil water from free flowing streams.
Click to expand...

That's my way of thinking. I had used higher altitude water streams for drinking on some rare occasions and have been OK. I wouldn't want any of the lower stuff, except underground springs for drinking non-boiled. P.S. I use exclusively Malvern spring water for all drinking and cooking at home - none of that putrid toxic sap from the tap!
 
benhben said:
If there are any other camping equipment tips which arent obvious please let me know.
Click to expand...

Do practice runs with regular camping before going too "wild"

Do everything you think you will be doing in the wild in the practice runs with the gear you have now and it may show up weak spots in your inventory.

Im no expert, just pointing out what I think are good ideas really. I believe being prepared is the key don't they say...
 
I carry 500ml of water with me to start and refill as i go throughout the day. At the last water source before camp, i fill up 3 litres to last me through till the next day.

I rarely filter my water, but I do carry a MSR trailshot as a back up incase I have to take water from a less than ideal source. It's also great for filling up from shallow streams that would be very difficult to fill a bottle from.

This is based on UK mountain trips. Low level would be a different story, but I don't tend to do those.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top