WATER FILTERS & FILTRATION SYSTEMS
Filtration is where every water plan should start. We always encourage filtering your water first, regardless of your disinfection method, to remove as much sediment, particulate, and contaminant load as possible before you treat it. Cana Provisions carries filtration for every scenario: fast, pump-free gravity systems like the Platypus GravityWorks for groups and basecamps; ultralight personal microfilters like the Sawyer Mini and Platypus QuickDraw; and inline systems that turn any hydration reservoir into a filter. Add activated carbon elements to cut chemicals and tastes, and keep backflush syringes, tubing, and spare filters on hand to maintain flow. Home reverse osmosis systems from iSpring and more. Most hollow-fiber filters don't remove viruses, so pair your filter with a chemical disinfection method for complete protection.
GRAVITY FILTER SYSTEMS & ACCESSORIES
GRAVITY FILTER SYSTEMS
PLATYPUS
MSR
SAWYER
GRAVITY FILTER SYSTEMS
PLATYPUS
MSR
SAWYER
Platypus QuickDraw 3L Filter System
$79.96
$99.95
MSR AutoFlow Replacement Filter Cartridge
$61.56
$76.95
USMC Water Kit
$220.00
PERSONAL & INLINE FILTERS
FILTERS & CARTRIDGES
MSR
PLATYPUS
SAWYER
FILTRATION
FILTERS & CARTRIDGES
MSR
PLATYPUS
SAWYER
FILTRATION
Platypus QuickDraw 3L Filter System
$79.96
$99.95
Water Boss Kit
From $240.00
Mobile Water Contingency Kit
From $375.00
FILTERS & REPLACEMENT CARTRIDGES
BAGS & RESERVOIRS
BACKFLUSHING & MAINTENANCE
FILTER PARTS & ACCESSORIES
Clean/Dirty Labels
From $2.00
Tubing Replacement Kit
From $28.00
US Made Silicone Tubing
From $10.00
Swig Rig - Wide Mouth
$38.00
Swig Rig Bite Valve
$8.00
Water Test Strips
$22.90
HOME & RO WATER FILTER SYSTEMS
Mechanical filters physically remove suspended particles, sediment, protozoa (like Giardia and Cryptosporidium), and most bacteria by passing water through a porous membrane. What they do not remove are viruses, dissolved chemicals, or heavy metals unless the filter is specifically rated for those. Always check the micron rating and certification of any filter before relying on it in the field.
All surface waters have the potential to be contaminated with at least one of the three types of disease-causing microorganisms: protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. Any time you drink directly from certain water sources, there is a chance of ingesting one of these bugs. Infection symptoms can range from an upset stomach to debilitating illness and, depending on where you are, can mean anything from a simple inconvenience to a life-threatening situation. Taking the proper precautions with any water can help to ensure safe drinking, cooking and washing.
A gravity filter system uses two reservoirs connected by a filter element — a dirty water bag hung at height, and a clean water container below. Water moves through the filter under gravity alone, requiring no pumping, squeezing, or power input. The user fills the upper reservoir and allows the system to process the water passively. Gravity filters are ideally suited to base camp, group camping, and shelter-in-place emergency use where volume matters more than speed and hands-free operation is an advantage. They are not well suited to fast-moving individual travel where on-demand filtered water is needed quickly. Flow rate depends on filter cleanliness and the height differential between the two reservoirs — the higher the dirty bag, the faster the flow.
Portable field filters can be used on tap water but are not designed or optimized for it. Municipal water in most developed countries has already been treated for biological pathogens — the threat profile is different from a natural water source. Activated carbon filtration is more relevant for tap water improvement, addressing taste, odor, chlorine, and some chemical contaminants. For long-term tap water improvement, an under-sink or countertop carbon filter is a more practical and cost-effective solution than a field filter. In a short-term emergency where tap water quality is in question — during a boil water advisory or infrastructure disruption — a field filter is a perfectly valid backup option.
In most backcountry environments in North America, water filtered through a quality 0.1 micron filter is safe to drink for healthy adults. The caveat is source water context — if the source has been impacted by human activity, livestock, or agricultural runoff, viral contamination is a possibility that filtration alone does not address. In those environments, filtering followed by chemical or UV treatment provides comprehensive coverage. When traveling internationally or operating in post-disaster environments where water source history is unknown, treat filtered water as pre-treated rather than complete — add a purification step before consumption.
Without purpose-built filtration equipment, the goal is to reduce turbidity and biological load as much as possible using available materials before applying heat or chemical treatment. Improvised pre-filtration can be achieved by passing water through layered cloth, a container of packed sand and gravel, or crushed charcoal from a fire — none of these make water safe on their own but they remove sediment and improve the effectiveness of subsequent treatment. Boiling is the most universally reliable purification method when fuel is available — one minute at a rolling boil kills all biological pathogens at most elevations. Improvised methods are emergency stopgaps, not reliable long-term solutions. A purpose-built filter weighs ounces and eliminates the uncertainty entirely.
No. Portable mechanical filters remove biological contaminants and sediment but do not remove dissolved salts. Drinking filtered saltwater will accelerate dehydration rather than relieve it. Desalination — removing salt from seawater — requires reverse osmosis under pressure or distillation through evaporation and condensation, neither of which is achievable with a standard portable filter. If your survival scenario involves a saltwater source as the only available water, a dedicated portable desalinator is the only viable solution. This is a specialized piece of equipment distinct from all standard filtration and purification products.
The best backpacking filter depends on your priorities across three variables — weight, volume output, and ease of use. Squeeze filters and straw-style filters are the lightest and most packable options, well suited to solo travel where you're filtering water on demand for personal consumption. Inline filters that attach between a hydration reservoir and drinking tube offer hands-free convenience on the move. For groups of two to four people, a pump filter gives you the ability to fill multiple vessels quickly from a single source. Gravity filters are efficient for base camp use where you can set up and process a large volume of water passively while occupied with other tasks. In all cases, verify the filter is rated for the specific biological threats present in your destination.
Filter lifespan is measured in gallons of water processed, not time. Most quality hollow fiber filters are rated for 100,000 gallons or more under normal use conditions, though real-world longevity depends heavily on source water quality. High-sediment or turbid water clogs filter membranes faster and shortens usable life. Regular backflushing — pushing clean water backward through the filter to dislodge trapped particles — restores flow rate and extends membrane life significantly. Regardless of rated capacity, replace any filter that has been frozen, physically damaged, or shows persistent flow reduction that backflushing does not resolve.
Hollow fiber filters consist of thousands of tiny tubular membranes bundled together, each with pores small enough to physically block bacteria, protozoa, and sediment while allowing water molecules to pass through. Water is pushed or pulled through the walls of the fibers, and anything larger than the pore size is trapped on the outside. Hollow fiber technology is highly durable, requires no chemical inputs, and can be restored to near-original flow rate through backflushing. It is the dominant technology in modern portable field filters and offers an excellent balance of filtration performance, longevity, and ease of use.
A micron rating refers to the size of the smallest particle a filter can capture. A 0.1 micron filter removes bacteria and protozoa. A 0.02 micron filter can also remove viruses. For most backcountry use in North America, 0.1–0.2 micron is sufficient. For international travel or high-risk water sources, a tighter rating or additional treatment method is recommended.
Micron ratings aren't always the best way to gauge effectiveness. Test procedures for micron ratings vary so greatly that comparing them is misleading. In addition, micron ratings for filters do not tell you how the product will perform with actual bugs. There is an EPA Guide Standard for Testing Microbiological Purifiers, which describes how to test products to determine if they are removing or inactivating the proper number of pathogens in different types of water throughout the life of the device. When looking for a microfilter or purifier ask if the product has been tested according to the EPA Guide Standard and passed.
For a microfilter, meeting the EPA Guide Standard means removing 99.9% of protozoa and removing 99.9999% of bacteria in all required water types. To be classified as a purifier, the device must meet the EPA Guide Standard for the removal of protozoa and bacteria as well as virus which must be inactivated to 99.99% in all required water types.
All of the these filters and purifiers have passed the levels of inactivation required by the EPA Guide Standard.
No. Water trapped inside a filter membrane that freezes will expand, crack the membrane, and compromise filtration permanently — often without any visible damage. If you're operating in freezing conditions, store your filter close to your body, dry it thoroughly before exposure to cold, and consider chemical or UV treatment as your primary method in winter environments.
Straws are personal-use, low-volume tools — good for individual emergency use or ultralight carry. Pump filters give you on-demand filtered water into any container and work well for individuals or small groups. Gravity filters require no effort but take time — you hang a dirty water bag and let gravity do the work, making them well-suited for base camps or group settings where you can set it and move on to other tasks.
Simply put, the difference lies in the level of protection they provide. A water filter is designed to remove waterborne protozoa and bacteria, but not viruses. A water purifier is designed to combat all three classes of microbes, including viruses.
Most North American water sources are regarded as low-risk for viruses, so filters typically offer a sufficient water treatment method. In places heavily trafficked by humans or where sanitation systems are poor, the risk for viruses increases. In these areas, a purifier is recommended.
Filters physically remove matter and microbes from the water. Whereas a "purifier" often uses a variety of methods to do so, from physically removing the contaminants to disinfecting the water of them, through UV or chemical treatments.
Why are there the two treatment options? Viruses are just too small for filters to catch. Viruses slip through the technologies used in backpacking style filter systems. Traditionally, UV light, chemical treatments or boiling were required to deactivate viruses by scrambling their DNA or killing them. Today, new advancements in physical purifiers provide a convenient option to physically remove viruses quickly and easily.
The flow rates of physical purifiers are typically slower than that of filters, because the internal media that removes contaminants has to be small enough to capture tiny viruses. This slows the rate at which water passes through the media, decreasing overall flow rate.
A filter actually removes matter and microbes from the water, while a "purifier" can employ a variety of methods to disinfect the water (such as UV or chemical disinfection). A purifier must meet the EPA Guide Standard for Testing Microbiological Purifiers, which requires inactivation of all three classes of microbes: protozoa, bacteria and viruses. Filters, in general, claim to remove only protozoa and bacteria, making it adequate for most travel in developed countries. Some filters alone can qualify as a purifier, but since they are filtering to such a small pore size, they tend to clog quickly. Essentially the classification as a "purifier" means that the device must be capable of inactivating viruses, as well as protozoa and bacteria.
To decide whether you need a filter or a purifier for you water, two important factors must be evaluated: water sources and susceptibility.
When evaluating water sources, it's important to keep the following in mind: In general, protozoa and bacteria infect both animals and humans and are transmitted to water sources by animal and human waste. Waterborne viruses are species-specific and therefore transmitted to water sources by human waste alone. As a general rule, remote areas with few people require, (at minimum) filtration, while popular areas with many human visitors require purification. If traveling in developing countries with poor sanitation, purification will be your safest choice.
Susceptibility is another good way to determine needs. If the treated water is to be consumed by infants or young children, elderly, or pregnant or immunocompromised individuals, then it is essential to use a purifier for the highest level of protection. Purification is also best for people who tend to get sick. If you rarely get sick and do not fit into any categories mentioned above, then filtration may be adequate depending on the water source.
Gravity style water filters and purifiers rely on gravity to pull water down through the filter/purifier media and into your clean water receptacle. The higher the dirty reservoir bag is above the clean water output, the better the flow rate will be.
To increase the flow rate, first try hanging the reservoir bag as high as you can above the clean water output. Second, make sure to purge air out of the system following the directions included with the filter or purifier.
If your filter or purifier has seen a significant amount of use, it may be time for a replacement filter/purifier piece. Some filters and purifiers can be backflushed using our backflushing products.
Backflushing is the process of pushing clean water backward through the filter membrane — opposite to the normal flow direction — to dislodge trapped sediment and debris and restore flow rate. Most hollow fiber filters include a backflushing syringe or can be backflushed by blowing into the clean output end. The process takes less than a minute and should be done regularly during use in turbid water and at the end of every trip before storage. A filter that is stored dirty will have sediment dry and harden inside the membrane, making it significantly harder to restore. Backflush before storage, not just when flow rate drops.
Flow rate is your primary indicator. When water moves noticeably slower through the filter than it did when new, the membrane is clogging and needs to be backflushed or replaced. Some filters have a rated gallon capacity — track your usage and replace before that threshold in high-sediment environments. Never wait until the filter stops working entirely.