LifeStraw's New Peak Solo Is the Lightest Water Filter for Backpacking

Since the inception of their genius water filter straw idea in 1999, LifeStraw has consistently innovated on the idea of safe hydrating wherever and whenever. The company's latest product, the Peak Solo, is the lightest and most compact yet, making it perfect for backpacking.

The new Peak Solo weighs a feathery 1.7oz, and its stout frame measures a shade over 5.1 inches. Compared with the 3oz Sawyer Squeeze filter—the most popular water filter for hardcore ultralight hikers—and the 2.2oz Platypus QuickDraw microfilter, another competitor for fast and light backpackers, the new Peak Solo is officially the lightest of its kind on the market.

Tucking a LifeStraw into a hiking pack or an emergency kit was already an undemanding task, and with this updated tidy design, it just got even easier. On one end, the Peak Solo is equipped with a new wider mouthpiece and attached leak-proof lid, and on the other is a removable cap with 28mm threading that's compatible with any standard plastic bottle for you ultralight thru-hikers.

The removable cap is also fitted with an attachment loop to keep it secured on your person or bag when it’s not stowed away. Compared to the longer, classic LifeStraw, the new Peak Solo's only downside is a reduction in gallons of water it can filter in its lifespan—yet at 500 gallons of dirty water, you'll still likely lose before replacement might be necessary.

The Peak Solo retains LifeStraw’s high filtering standards, utilizes the same filtration system as other LifeStraw products and ensuring protection against 99.999999% of bacteria and 99.999% of parasites. Plus it filters out 99.999% of microplastics too.

Ultralight hikers prefer to use the Peak Solo directly attached to their Smartwater bottle to drink directly from water sources, straw style. While more conventional backpackers, campers, and general travelers can use the it to transfer filtered water into another vessel quickly and efficiently. For this purpose, the new filer can handle three liters per minute.

During a hike of Mount Whitney a few years back I used my LifeStraw to reduce the amount of weight I had to carry from the trailhead, as I knew various watering holes along the way would allow for additional refill points. The technique really came in clutch at Consultation Lake before the dreaded ascent up “99 Switchbacks.” And even if I didn’t need the extra water, the additional couple of ounces in my pack was negligible compared to what it could potentially do to help myself or others hydrate on the trail.

Although the look of the LifeStraw has changed the past several years, what hasn’t is the company’s dedication to their impactful humanitarian efforts providing clean water to all corners of the globe (the purchase of each LifeStraw helps provide a year's worth of safe drinking water to children in need).

Sustainability is another pillar LifeStraw is built on and proof of that is within the Peak Solo’s modular build; the entire apparatus can be taken apart, cleaned and reused. The LifeStraw Peak Solo is available now.

Price: $30

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