How To Use LifeStraw

If you’re an average outdoorsy type and want to ensure that you’re going to be able to survive, then you’re going to need the best items for the task ahead.

Other than shelter, your next most important area to focus on is going to be water,  and staying hydrated can be a difficult task if you intend to do it naturally. Finding a safe body of water to drink from can be a daunting task, and it is a major problem for your health.

Today I will take a look at the LifeStraw, and how to use it out in the wild.

Precautions To Take When Looking For A Water Source

Before you head out and use the tips we have, it’s important to remember that all water taken from a natural source should be tested before consuming it,  unless it’s a matter of life and death, which hopefully it will not come to.

This is because there’s no possible way to tell if a water source is clean because there are various forms of pollution that you might not even be aware of.

Though a running source of water may look safe to the naked eye, there is always the risk of finding a body of water with pollutants.

Natural water sources carry the risk of contamination which include rivers, lakes, and fresh streams. 

Without you knowing, they could be contaminated with infectious diseases. You may also be unknowingly drinking from a water source that has a dead animal 100 feet upstream or at the bottom of the lake that is gushing toxins into the water.

What Is LifeStraw?

Lifestraw is a type of water filtration device that allows you to filter up to 4000 liters of water for one person for around 3 years. Although This all depends on how dirty the water you drink is, as the more filtering required, the more the filter gets used and so will reduce the overall lifespan. 

It can remove almost all waterborne parasites, bacteria, and microplastics. The basic edition is simply a filter that you drink from the tap and water comes in from the bottom, however, there are many attachments that you can use such as the LifeStraw cartridge which is a 650ml (22 US fl oz)  sports bottle that is BPA free.

In terms of the basic LifeStraw model, It can protect against 99.9% of bacteria including salmonella and E-coli, and the number of parasites that includes giardia and cryptosporidium. It also filters microplastics and will reduce sand and silt from the water.

You may also notice that It makes the water less cloudy and purer, and even the murkiest waters can find goodness in it.

How To Use LifeStraw

Before using the device We recommend soaking it in water first to repair it for its use. They also want to bring with you in case you want to travel with some water away from the source.

The first step is to place the LifeStraw into your body of water and allow it to sit for a couple of seconds. This will allow the water to suck into the product. Don’t forget to remove the cap on the bottom otherwise no water will flow into the filter.

You then take some sips from the filter and drink as you would like you are drinking through a straw. This Should allow you to drink filtered water without taking in any of the debris or particles.

When you have drunk all the water you require, remove the filter from the water and allow a few seconds for the water to drain out From the bottom. You should also look to blow out any excess water from the filter so it’s not to keep it stuck in the product. This is That when it dries, it Does not stick to the filter.

When you have finished using the filter and return to your home,  make sure to rinse the filter with clean tap water through both ends and once again blow out any excess water to give it a real good clean.

This step is important as it will increase the lifespan of the filter which should extend it to its 4000-liter use lifespan. 

How Effective Is LifeStraw?

Due to its relatively cheap price and simple design, you may be thinking how on earth can it be so effective at removing these problematic particles from the water?

We understand your apprehension as the thought of sticking a water filter into a muddy puddle of water and drinking From it is going to bring about anxiety in a lot of people.

We decided to give the device a test run and wanted to see how clear the water could be once filtered.

Using two jars, we filled up 1 Jar with the water which contains a mercury color, this represented our control jar. We then used the LifeStraw And drank from the same water source, whilst then transferring the filtered water from our mouths to the empty jar.

The result was quite astounding, and you see the difference between the two jars as the control jar was very brown, whilst the filtered water jar was completely see-through and clear.

But How did it taste? Other than having a slightly altered taste from Regular tap water, it was very drinkable and we would even go as far to say that this water might even taste better than some tap water from faucets that are low quality.

Final Thoughts

If You’re looking for a lightweight device that you can take on board on your outdoor Trax, that is cheap and easy to use, the LifeStraw is one of the best investments you can make.

The fact that it removes 99.9% of the bacteria, parasites, and microplastics it’s a testament to the fact that with this technology we can make drinking natural sources of water that much safer and enjoyable.

You’ll also be able to enjoy a long lifespan with this device,  although if you can bring along your water we would still recommend this option.