One of the perks of science and technology advancing is the ability to accomplish tasks easier than before. Take for example drinking water. It used to be that the only way to be sure the water you are drinking was free of any bacteria, cysts, protozoa, and or viruses was to boil it. This is still a tried and true technique, but it takes time and requires a fire.
by Grimm, a contributor writer
Along came the filters, and at first, they were big, slow, limited at what they filtered, and the filters didn’t last very long. As time moved on, technology advanced to where we have portable filters that take mere seconds to filter questionable water. One of these devices that is very simple to use and does only take seconds is the Ultralight Grayl water purifier.
There are a lot of different filters out there, each with their advantages and disadvantages, but what I look for in a filter is functionality and simplicity. In a survival situation, when it is unknown when life my return to normal, I want as few moving parts as necessary. More moving parts means more places for failure.
Ultralight Grayl Water Purifier Review
The Ultralight Grayl is essentially a cylinder in a cylinder with a filter. There are no cranks, pumps, or levers to wear out. The process of filtering water is as simple as filling the outer cylinder with dirty water and pressing the inner cylinder into it. Simplicity here equates to durability and reliability.
By using body mechanics and weight, the process is very simple and quick – as can be seen in my YouTube video review. This also has advantages because this action can be done many times without fatigue or if one is already very tired this operation could still be done. When it comes to the filter medium, I am an all-or-nothing type of person. Either the filter eliminates bacteria, cysts, protozoa, and viruses or not. I don’t want to have to filter my water twice. Even though many first world countries need not worry about viruses in the water it never hurts to fully be protected. The Grayl purifier cartridge does all these plus chemicals and heavy metals. The cartridges are also replaceable and changeable to a tap water filter which is a nice feature as well.
I have had the pleasure of knowing Grayl for many years now. During that time they have morphed into the company that they are today. I have experienced their products firsthand as they have changed. I have one of their first Grayl filters which was a stainless-steel version. This version I cherish because it started it all but because it has something that the Ultralight Grayl does not.
Replaceable Cartridges
As I said earlier, the cartridges are replaceable. This is convenient up until you read that each cartridge only has 300 uses or 40 gallons. True for the hiker, camper, or week-long vacationer, this is not an issue. Honestly, for those activities I can’t think of many other water filters that can do better. Now, when SHTF and the certainty of life returning to normal is fleeting, 40 gallons does not seem as good anymore. Of course, you could stock up on more cartridges, but at 25 dollars a pop that could get expensive.
This is where I return to the stainless-steel version. If the cartridge is no longer functional, the outer stainless-steel cylinder can be used to boil water. This means you could still process water. Unfortunately, this version is no longer made, and I hope in time they bring it back. Something else that might detract you from the Ultralight Grayl is the price (around 70 dollars). It does come with a cartridge, so you are ready to drink safely right out of the box, but keep track on how many times you have used it till you need to replace that cartridge.
Is the Ultralight Grayl for you?
Only you can answer this question, but I will tell you that I have one in my Jeep and one in my day bag. I value their simplicity and speed. They are my first wave of water filters. For the hikes, camping, unforeseen adventures or break downs the Grayl does its job and does it well. It hardly weighs anything empty, and with very little effort or time I can have 16oz of clean water to slake my thirst. On the other hand, when it comes to prolonged survival situations, I will be glad that I have my second wave filters that I know will go the distance without breaking the bank. Check out the video for more thoughts on the Ultralight Grayl.
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