Safely filter and purify natural water sources—lakes, streams, or runoff—when your main water supply runs out, removing dirt, bacteria, and parasites so you stay hydrated and healthy off the grid.
Written By Uncle Jon
What You’ll Need:
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Water Filtration or Purification System: A backcountry micro-filter, gravity bag, or water purification straw.
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Boiling Container or Chemical Tablets: A metal camp cup or water purification tablets as a backup layer.
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Rehydration Mix: An electrolyte boost like ReLyte Salt Drink Mix to restore critical minerals lost to heat and exertion.
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Utility Line: A length of Rapid Rope to suspend gravity filter bags or hang wet gear out of the mud.
Step-by-Step Instructions:
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Find the Cleanest Moving Source:
Avoid stagnant, scum-topped puddles if possible. Look for fast-flowing streams or clear mountain runoff. If you only have standing water, scoop from the surface without disturbing the mud on the bottom.
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Pre-Filter the Heavy Sediment:
If the water is cloudy, pour it through a clean bandana, shirt, or coffee filter first. Settling out large dirt particles prevents your main micro-filter from clogging up on the first cup.
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Filter or Boil Thoroughly:
Run the pre-filtered water through your backcountry filtration device according to its rating. If you don't have a filter, bring the water to a rolling boil for at least one full minute (three minutes at higher elevations) to kill off microscopic bugs like Giardia and Cryptosporidium.
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Remineralize and Drink:
Purified backcountry water—especially boiled water—can taste flat and lacks key minerals. Stir in a packet of ReLyte Salt Drink Mix to replace lost electrolytes and keep your hydration levels balanced for the hike back to camp.
Uncle Jon’s Rule of Thumb Pro-Tip:
"If you're using a gravity-fed filter system in camp, use a short length of Rapid Rope to tie the dirty water bag high up on a tree branch. It keeps your clean catch bottle off the dirty ground and lets gravity do all the hard work while you relax!"
- Uncle Jon
Disclaimer: Uncle Jon is a seasoned trail hound and grease-monkey, not a doctor, certified paramedic, or licensed engineer. The advice shared here comes from decades of getting stuck, breaking stuff, and making mistakes so you don't have to. Take everything you read with a grain of salt, a heavy dose of common sense, and a solid backup plan—because if you take medical or rigging advice strictly from an internet blog without doing your own homework, that’s on you!
