When venturing outside or spending time in the wilderness, you should always have access to clean drinking water. LifeStraw is well-known for its clear and user-friendly personal water filters in the outdoor and emergency preparation industries.
You may be surprised to learn how much more LifeStraw offers regarding its product range and charitable endeavors, even if you’ve probably seen the company’s iconic filter.
What is LifeStraw?
To thoroughly comprehend its purpose and mission, yoIt’su must be aware of LifeStraw’s origins. The idea for LifeStraw originated from a collaboration between Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, founder of LifeStraw, and his father with President Carter and the Carter Center to eradicate guinea worms.
In the middle of the 1990s, LifeStraw developed a pipe straw filter from that collaboration that eliminated guinea worm larvae from drinking water. Since the straw’s creation, LifeStraw has helped significantly impact eradication, with just 14 occurrences recorded globally in 2021. Eliminating guinea worms has been a top objective for the company.
Though LifeStraw first collaborated with the Carter Center, it has since grown to take on additional humanitarian projects, such as supplying filters to impoverished populations, assisting with disaster relief efforts, and even funding the construction of a maternity facility in Kenya.
However, LifeStraw leverages retail to pay for this incredible job rather than depending on grants and donations. No matter what product you purchase, LifeStraw’s Give Back Program enables every transaction to provide a kid in need with a year’s worth of safe water.
How does it work?
You can drink from unsafe water sources with no worries, thanks to the simple-to-use LifeStraw portable water filter. It may easily fit in your pocket, glove compartment, or first aid or emergency kit. It will be available and ready when you need it the most because it has no shelf life or expiration date.
Usability and portability
The LifeStraw is a straw-shaped filter with two ends, one of which is used to put it into a polluted water source, such as a lake or stream, and the other is meant to be put in your mouth. With only two simple steps—putting it in the stream and then drinking it—it is incredibly versatile for that quick drink.
The straw itself weighs about two ounces and can filter 1,000 gallons (or 4,000 liters) of water before the filter needs to be changed.
When submerged in contaminated water, the membrane microfilter on the straw’s filter side eliminates 99.9% bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and debris. There isn’t a sophisticated pump or any other moving components that may break with prolonged use.
In addition to a larger filtration system, the LifeStraw is small and light enough to go on mountain bike rides, short hikes, and even longer camping expeditions. It can be fastened to the exterior of a camping bag with some cable because it is nine inches long and a little over an inch wide, making it easy to slide into water bottle pockets.
Maintenance and cleaning
Because sediment and bacteria tend to clog the holes where water passes through, hollow fiber filters like the LifeStraw operate more slowly over time. But by backflushing, you may extend the life of your LifeStraw. This is done by gently blowing into the LifeStraw after drinking to force any leftover water out of the “unclean” end and clear the filter.
The company, LifeStraw, recently increased its projections from 1000 liters to 4000 liters. The quantity of sediment in the water you filter and how often you backflush will influence this. Open the mouthpiece and bottom caps after use, backflush with chlorinated tap water, and then allow to dry. Avoid freezing it since doing so might ruin the filter.
Safety
These days, there are many different techniques to filter or purify water. However, many use strong chemicals, require lengthy waits, or don’t completely filter out all possibly dangerous substances. However, the LifeStraw Personal Water Filter has undergone thorough, intensive testing.
This filter has been tested using EPA, NSF, ASTM, and FDA guidelines. You may feel confident knowing what you put into your body because it lacks chemicals and dangerous ingredients. Locate a source of flowing water, and then sip away. It is that simple.
Price point
The LifeStraw makes personal filtration accessible to everyone, unlike certain portable filters, which may be pricey. Despite having a long lifespan and being highly well-liked, it is one of the most affordable filters on the market. Because it is so inexpensive, you may buy many and keep them in various areas where you might need them.
How to use a LifeStraw
You may use this tool in a variety of circumstances, some of which are listed below:
- Travel. Put this gadget in your pack if you’re going somewhere where the water quality concerns. Despite weighing only 57 grams, it can spare you from major problems.
- Camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking. This is a tool for campers as well as outdoor adventurers. Drink right from any water source for convenience.
- Emergencies. This is the quickest method to obtain water in the case of a natural catastrophe or other survival crisis. This emergency water filter doesn’t require any care. After drying it by just leaving the caps open, you may store it indefinitely and use it as needed. No batteries or swappable components are required.
FAQs
Does the LifeStraw have an expiration date?
No. There is no shelf life or expiration date for the LifeStraw. It can be kept for a very long time.
Does the LifeStraw eliminate Giardia, Salmonella, and E. coli?
Yes. Over 99% of all waterborne bacteria and protozoa, including E. Coli, Salmonella, and Giardia, are eliminated by LifeStraw.
Conclusion
There is no reason not to love LifeStraw. It can give you clean and safe drinking water, despite having an almost negligible weight. It’s easy to use, easy to maintain, and easy to carry around.
Jay
Jay is a health and wellness enthusiast with expertise in water quality and nutrition. As a knowledgeable advocate for holistic well-being, Jay successfully manages Type 2 Diabetes through informed lifestyle choices. Committed to sharing reliable and authoritative insights, Jay combines firsthand experience with a passion for enhancing health."
