way-far-er
/ˈwāˌferər/
noun
a person who travels on foot.
Portable water filters are common kit among backpackers and other travelers of the remote backcountry. Rugged, reliable, and usually field serviceable, they take the guesswork out of securing a clean water supply. The most highly effective among carbon ceramics filters eliminate up to 99.9999 percent of harmful bacteria, not to mention protozoa, parasites, and other larger waterborne nasties. However, as LifeSaver will tell you, there is a big difference between a water filter and a water purifier. A purifier takes the level of filtration one step further—eliminating smaller health threats like viruses and cysts.
The LifeSaver Wayfarer, launched earlier this year in February, falls into the latter category. This compact and lightweight (just 11.4 ounces) hollow fiber membrane purifier is made from BPA-free plastic and costs just over $100. It removes up to 99.9999 percent of bacteria and 99.999 percent of viruses from your drinking water and pumps efficiently at 1.4 liters per minute in its initial flow rate. The replaceable “Ultrafiltration” cartridge is good for 5,000 liters or 1,320 US gallons. For example, compare that with the popular MSR MiniWorks EX Microfilter, which for $119, only promises 1 liter per minute pumping and approximately 2,000 liters of purified water from its cartridge. The Wayfarer also features a replaceable active carbon disc for improving taste and odor and reducing metallics and other chemicals.
In the field, the Wayfarer proved (with some admittedly vigorous pumping) to fill my two 1-liter Nalgene containers in under two minutes with a bottle change in between. The rotating handle means you can operate the purifier easily with either hand, but the shaft of the pump had a little more lateral play as it moved in and out of the body of the filter than I would have liked. The inlet hose measures 4.2 feet, which is plenty of length for plopping the plastic pre-filter and foam float into harder-to-reach bodies of water. The outlet hose is shorter and, like lots of similarly designed filters, likes to flop around quite a bit as it squirts out clean H2O. Keeping the inlet hose in the lake while pumping the purifier and simultaneously making sure the good water goes in your bottle and not on the ground requires more hands than most humans have. An attachment for the outlet house that screws or press-fits onto standard-sized bottle openings would be a welcome accessory. The storage pouch includes two pockets to keep the hoses separate.
Why should the vehicle-based overland adventurer—as opposed to those who travel on foot—consider carrying a compact water purification system like the Wayfarer? While it’s not an efficient solution for filtering large quantities of water, in a pinch when water sources look iffy, or your main water supply becomes contaminated, a pocket-sized water purifier could make the difference between having clean drinking water or a very upset stomach. It’s a no-brainer for adventure motorcyclists. LifeSaver also builds larger-scale purification systems, such as jerry cans and cubes, for higher volumes.
$104 | iconlifesaver.com
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