The Grayl Ultralight Water Purifier and Why I Like it

[@massachusettsprepper]

All the products you showed are definitely good products and I can see where the benefit of this particular water filtration purification system works for you. And really the price is not bad for the container or the filters. Thanks for sharing brother.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Massachusetts Prepper Thank you brother. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. I've tried them all and really like this one.

[@AlanMETALMAN]

Interesting and made me think, as I need to get sorted with one of these systems after getting caught out miles from anywhere, on a hot day, last summer and realizing I had forgotten my drink! Never been so thirsty in my life. Thanks for sharing this buddy, cheers Alan

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Alan METALMAN I've been in that situation myself and there's no worse feeling my friend! There are many good systems out there, you just need to pick one that works well for you in your environment. Thanks for watching!

[@brigrills]

Another great video mate, a very honest review. I've shared it to my blog. All the best, Bri.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+BRI GRILLS Much appreciated, as usual my friend.

[@brigrills]

No worries, I always enjoy your videos.

[@Iridium242]

Nice system, I had never even heard of it. Kind of reminds me of a coffee press the way it operates. I will look into getting one of these, I do like my sawyer systems, but this is cool, less parts and less stuff to carry.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Iridium242 And it removes viruses, chemicals and heavy metals!

[@hydrodynamica9233]

Fantastic comparison! Just ordered the Grayl and sounds like ive made the best choice

[@weekendwanderer5514]

hydrodynamica I still love it.

[@jaarriaga1978]

Great video and great recommendation Weekend Wanderer. You actually summarized many of my same concerns regarding water on the go. I don´t like or use straws because I´m always with my family or someone I need to share water with. Also, in my area the main concerns are malaria, amoeba and arsenic in the water, which is hard to remove. I tend to mix several systems and carry different filters and purifiers to get the job done. Had never heard of this system but I´ll definitely give it a try. Thank you!

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Mixing some of the methods works very well--I should have pointed that out!! If you use the chlorine dioxide before or after using one of the filters, for example, you decrease the risk of becoming ill even more. Thank you for commenting.

[@stevensmith1911]

Great review. Very detailed. Thanks!

[@sweethomeboston2720]

Your investment in getting these items and testing them---hundreds of $$ and hours. Your personal experience review---PRICELESS (adjusted for inflation, of course) Thanks WW.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Sweethomeboston Thank you my friend

[@Maloneranger0311]

Good review. Can’t wait to get the new Geopress, with the multiple improvements👍

[@jkno]

Excellent comprehensive review, was waiting for it! I love Sawyer water filters but the lack of removing chemicals and viruses is not ok, especially in areas close to urban/industrial zones where water might have chemicals in it. I think this Grayl purifier is an excellent option.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+jkno It's especially good for urban areas. I really enjoy using it. Thanks for commenting my friend.

[@Lxcomments]

But Sawyer S1 and S3

[@lakrabid]

Unfortunately it is good to have redundancy in just about everything. This along with something like a survivor pro, msr pump system etc would be great. I don't mind a little extra weight for something as essential as water. I've drank water many times from fast moving mountain streams and never had a problem. Only time I will drink unfiltered water. Very detailed and thorough reviews and explanations.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+lakrabid Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@krystalmorrow2606]

We have been using the grayling for years now love it never had any problems in the back country.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

My experience exactly!

[@dennisjanda5081]

Thanks..Bought two Grayl's and can't wait to use them !!

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Especially good these days since they remove viruses!

[@hepeteresen3178]

Looks like a very nice system. I'll have to check it out.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+HE Peteresen Works really well and it's super fast. Does a liter in 30 seconds.

[@Petrockpress]

I loved my berkey bottles but I might get the grayl because my kids keep chewing up the plastic straws.

[@sosteve9113]

like i mention before,the Grayl ultralight water purifier is one i found very interesting i think i would like to use that one on my hikes atb Steve

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+so steve I really like it my friend!

[@obliviontactical7974]

Great review. Good points

[@RangerKooky]

Well thank you for the tips and dips

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Ranger Kooky Thank you Ranger. Stay safe.

[@wanderingneone]

thanks for the heads up. I ordered one for the same reasons as you, less parts, it's like a water bottle you carry around, and it eliminates virusses and heavy metals (that the other filters can not). Downside is the duration limit of the filter of course.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

I carry this filter almost exclusively now. I really like it, but more importantly I trust it. The filters are supposed filter 150 liters before having to be replaced, which is about 39 gallons. That should be plenty for a year to a year and a half of weekend outings if you only rely on external water sources. When you look at it that way that’s not too shabby for how it performs. I think you’re going to like it.

[@wanderingneone]

thanks for the feedback, it arrives later today, so I can check it out myself :-) btw one other question or remark: how can you know the filter needs to be replaced? This is a remark also with other filters really. How do you find out the filter needs replacement?

[@weekendwanderer5514]

You will no longer be able to push it down without help from Hercules.

[@wanderingneone]

that's easy enough :-) I'll just say to hercules to back off of my water filter ;-) thanks weekend wanderer, for your feedback. I think this one will be my fav, if it really works.

[@europa1387]

Good review. Just got one of these looking forward to using it. Take care.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Good luck with it. It filters out viruses too which is an asset these days.

[@craigbetts1586]

good review video, lots of choices there, thanks

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Craig Betts Thanks Craig. There's a filter for everyone!

[@jaarriaga1978]

My friend, I finally took your advice and got this one. It´s really wonderful, but, unlike you do in your video, I find it very hard to press the filter with the cap on. I take the cap out and it presses with ease. I guess it has some break-in period

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Armando Arriaga It does get a little easier with use, but I found the trick is to only lightly put the cap on. It needs a little airflow. I suppose you could use it without the lid but I'd be afraid of cross contamination. It also helps to twist a little when you try to take it apart after use to break the suction. I use mine all the time now for the peace of mind. It also improves the taste of the water which is a huge bonus.

[@jaarriaga1978]

Weekend Wanderer Absolutely, it'll be part of my EDC. Thanks for the advice!

[@alphapatriot8405]

Through and informative thnxs

[@thorsbeat]

I plan on getting this I have ordered the new renovo muv complete system.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+thorsbeat Good luck with it my friend.

[@jerbearnone2012]

Do you unscrew the lid halfway when pressing down?! It didn’t look like it. It is so much easier that way.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Yes, unscrewing it a bit keeps dirt from getting in while making it easier to press down. It may look difficult in the video but it's quite easy to do. Also, twisting it while opening to rinse off the filter after use makes taking it apart easier.

[@Denvercoder]

One additional point is that with the Grayl you can use the water you purify for other things like Coffee or Cooking. With the bottle or straw filters you would have to suck the water into your mouth and then spit it back into a cup to make your coffee.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Great point! The only downside to the Grayl might be its cost compared to some of its competitors, but to me it's worth it.

[@Denvercoder]

I got one of the stainless steel ones about 4 years ago. It was $80 I think and $20/filter. I think if you break down the cost $20/40 gal = .50 per gallon it seems a bit more reasonable considering that I used to pay over a dollar for a bottle of water at the store.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

If it was $100 it would be worth it and still much cheaper than a trip to the emergency room, lol.

[@kimurasquirrel]

Have you notice the filter clogging, is it has no real way to be back flushed? How about the difficulty of the press as the filter gets towards end of life?

[@weekendwanderer5514]

No issues with clogging. I just give it a quick rinse when I get home. The pressing does get more difficult towards the end but I use it a lot and replace it every year. Still cheaper than an emergency room visit!

[@kimurasquirrel]

@@weekendwanderer5514 Ive looked into this, and I can say that the capacity of the bottle while adequate for some is laughable in comparison to other filters that can also filter out viruses. It does have a major convenience factor in that you can hold filtered water right away in the bottle form and carry it instead of having to continuously pump it. However, even the geopress which only does 250L is 90 dollars, in comparison to the liberty life saver which is 110 bucks that does 2000L also allows you to hold water in the filter as a container and drink directly from it. Your talking about 8x the filtering capacity with almost all the same capabilities. In addition, you have other abilities such as cleaning and can use extended hoses for salvaging if you ever wanted.

[@jaarriaga1978]

I´d like you to compare your Grayl with the Lifesaver Liberty. They seem to be very similar but with some pros and cons over each other.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Armando Arriaga I'm not familiar with the Liberty. I'll have to research that one. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@OutdoorEnthusist]

Will the Grayl Geopress water purifier filter out fluoride? Does anyone know?

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Fluoride is very difficult to remove from water once it's added. It requires much larger filter elements than what's found in most filters and purifiers designed for backcountry use. The Grayl is great for removing pathogens, heavy metals, etc., but for fluoride none of these filters would work

[@OutdoorEnthusist]

@@weekendwanderer5514 Thank you sincerely, Harold

[@oldgoat8861]

WATCH VIDEO.....Very Good Comparitive on filters & Purifiers. A MUST WATCH !!!!

[@robertovelarde354]

Good review. Streamline it next time Pros cons. Done. Video would’ve been 10:00. Purchasing Grayl because of you though.

[@robertfiala1540]

Hi Weekend Wanderer! First of all, thanks for a very informative video, respect! I have a question: i ma going to central america, particularly visiting el salvador and honduras. I guess it should be ok using the filter when drinking tap water there, right? Apart from that, how is it supposed to be maintained? i mean, should the bottle be dissambled in order to have the cartridge dried? thank you in advance, Robert

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Hello Robert. The filter should work out very well for you. It really requires very little maintenance. You can just rinse it I let it air-dry. Have a great trip!

[@robertfiala1540]

Thanks @@weekendwanderer5514 for quick response! Glad to hear it is going to work out. I am leaving for El Salvador tomorrow:) it got the bottle only last Friday and the user guide says that it is supposed to be drying for 48 hours between uses..it seems to long to me...anyway, thank you once more, best wishes!

[@Beking_o7]

@@robertfiala1540 WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF MY PURIFIER CARTRIDGE? An unused cartridge lasts 10 years if properly sealed. Store in a cool, dry location. Between uses, if you care for them properly, your Purifier cartridges will last up to three years after first use. The one part of the technology that will degrade is the Activated Carbon (which filters heavy metals and chemicals). Activated Carbon absorbs impurities from the air, so it naturally degrades over time once unpackaged. You can limit this effect by drying thoroughly, then placing it into an airtight bag. u dont have to dry the cartritge between uses, i mean if u want to drink from bottle today and tomorow and a day after that, dry the cartridge and put it in airtight bag if u are storing it for a longer period of time after its used.

[@flitsies]

I liked your presentation it was good, I'm thinking of buying a water purifier and have been thinking about this bottle, but the price puts me off. At present I use distilling and I find that pretty good. However that can work out expensive in an area where electricity is high in price. So I'm left considering a new system which brought me to this bottle. Now there are a few issues people have been saying about this bottle that after a few times the filter gets clogged up. Have you found any issues with this bottle over the time you have used it and how frequently have you used it?

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Thank you for watching and commenting my friend. I now use this as my primary purifier and have never had an issue with clogging. I always rinse it off when I get home, but I do that with all my other filters too. It is expensive compared with its competitors but I think the peace of mind is worth it. Besides being fast and efficient another thing that I like about it is that it dramatically improves the taste of the water. I will definitely buy another one when the time comes.

[@flitsies]

Thanks for your response I will definitely give this some more serious consideration. Distilling takes quite a long time so this may well be worth the effort and cost. Thanks again.

[@flitsies]

Just one last question in relation to the water that comes from it, have you done a ppm test to get an idea of how many particles per million are left behind. I do this from time to time with my distilled water and find it is virtually always between zero and 2. Now my water supplier claims the water we drink is clean and safe, and yes it won't kill you straight away it seems to be a slow process, and why I say this is because of the amount of disgusting stuff that comes out of the water when I distill it, it is quite shocking. So it would be interesting to see what the ppm of a glass of water from the grail purification bottle shows up, I've not seen anyone do this test on any of these types of devices. I'm also under the impression it is not very good at removing salt, which I find odd.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

I have never done that but I'm sure someone out there has. You could probably contact the company directly through their web page. Let me know if you find out.

[@flitsies]

Sure will, I find Distilling the water from my tape has made a huge difference to my health. I was seriously surprised how dirty the water was, it supposed to be clean and good to drink but after doing the ppm test I first discovered it was over the supposed safe level which is 200 also even though they claim there is only a trace of fluoride put in the water what ever it is I see in the bottom of the pan is so disgusting It shocked me, it also shocked my other half who at the time thought I was turning into one of those crazy crank people worrying about everything, but I don't and now we both use either distilled or water we know does not contain fluoride, we get enough in our toothpaste. But yes if I manage to find out I will let you know.

[@theartofprepping]

Great video, interesting purifier. Not sure if I would agree with Grayl that 10.9 ounces is ultralight. For those interested the Grayl purifier is on sale at Amazon for $47.95. The replacement purifier section is $19.95. Sawyer Mini typically goes for $20, weighs 2 ounces and filters 100,000 gallons. Berkey Sport bottle goes for $24-30 and filters 27.5 gallons of dirty water. Lifestraw typically can be found for $15-20 and filters a maximum of 264 gallons. Everyone be safe!

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+The Art of Prepping Thank you for doing that research my friend.

[@sweethomeboston2720]

BTW If not for copyright laws, it might have been instructive to insert the clip from Back to the Future III in which Marty McFly sits down to a meal with his ancestors in the old west and they give him drinking water that looks like mud soup.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Sweethomeboston Lol. I don't think any filter could deal with that!

[@steeeeeeve9173]

Anyone ever tell you you sound a lot like Bob Odenkirk? Thanks for the informative video.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

You are the first, my friend. Lol. Thanks for watching.

[@krystalmorrow2606]

Take the lid off when pressing down to filter

[@heartoflions7138]

Krystal Morrow negative; leave lid on to prevent cross contamination if it squirts up around the edges. Grayl recommends loosening the cap 180 degrees to alleviate pressure.

[@Revenant1431]

Thanks WW. Have a great weekend...Wanderer

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+John Kriski Same to you John.

[@Wulfdane]

It is a great product and it works, I have one for camping. But if you're just filtering tap water, it's not worth getting - cheaper alternatives.. This is something for people who travel and/or spend a lot of time outdoors or want it for an emergency.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Exactly right. Not a daily water purifier.

[@DEXTER3]

So you are saying that others have too many parts, but at least you have the ability to backwash/wash those filters. What can you do with the GrayL? You cannot wash the filter, and that filter will clog the same way as others. Also.. how to you know that it really removes viruses/bacteria/etc.? Did you test it in a certified lab, or you just believe in marketing? I cannot find a single review on the grayl that talks about going to a certified laboratory, and tested it with everything they're saying it removes.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

You should not use any product you lack confidence in. I buy bottled water without having each bottle independently tested in a lab because I trust that certain standards need to be met. My research and extensive use of the Grayl for over 2 years have convinced me that this is the best product for me. It may not be the best for you if you have doubts. In that case you may want to stay with what you're currently using.

[@mattmcclung3183]

Please make more videos.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

More coming Matt. I've been lazy!

[@adkmtns5726]

Outstanding filter BUT...you must maintain and dry out the filter on a regular basis. If not you will get Mold in there and not know it.

[@radradR0bot]

um the life straw does up to 264 gallons not 25

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+radradroadbot You are correct my friend. Thanks for catching that.

[@radradR0bot]

Weekend Wanderer no problem. I'm sure it's very dependent on the condition of the water. I didn't realize how many filters DON'T filter out viruses. Thanks for making me aware. I'm definitely rethinking some purchases. Very informative video.

[@TRu44-560]

Liked your review, new sub. 😀

[@TRu44-560]

Tastes like pond water, Love pond water😀🙃😀

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Thanks, and welcome!

[@DIY-zx3qq]

the press seal is a risk

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Has one failed on you?

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Interesting review. Respectfully disagree in part, after visiting their website and reading FAQ & related information there. They state the Grayl removes MANY chemicals and heavy metals, not ALL of same. They also state *filter life is dependent upon quality of water source*. After reading their information, I understand why. This isn't a mechanical filter. The materials used to capture organisms, chemicals and heavy metals can only absorb so much. Same principle as other carbon filters. One of the on-going expenses of any filtration based on using this. Have some concern when I saw the force you used when you filtered the water. From their website: "can leverage your body weight for mechanical advantage." A gravity fed water filter, for example, doesn't need physical strength to operate the filter. I have no qualms with this filter, for anyone who understands the ongoing expense, if heavily used and/or water conditions are challenging. Filter, itself on sale at $47.50. Purifier cartridges on sale at $19.60 according to their website. (Good for 40 gal, 150 liters / 300 uses.) At a gallon a day, that's a short time in an extended emergency situation with a clear water source. In the US & Canada for example, as a general rule viral contamination of water isn't considered to be an issue, as it is in developing countries. Unless we have a pandemic of water borne/transmitted viral disease, where I live, a filter that removes bacteria, protozoa, cysts, etc. is enough for me. If such a pandemic happens, in this area, boiling water, chemical treatment and SODIS are viable options with much higher potential yields of potable water. Lastly, I respectfully disagree with your presentation of the Sawyer Squeeze with all the "stuff" it needs. I own 2 of them along with several Mini. The Squeeze doesn't come with a straw. If either the Smartwater flip-top cap or the Sawyer cleaning coupling is used, the backflush syringe isn't needed either. I saw you had one of the caps on your Squeeze. At a minimum all that's needed is 2 water bottles (one for clean and one for raw water) and the Squeeze, replacing the push/pull cap with a Smartwater bottle cap. That's approximately the same as what you had in the video. The Grayl and extra bottle to receive filtered water. Everyone's circumstances are different. What works for one, may not work for another. It's good to know what's available. As you said, also to know the pros & cons. Thank you for sharing. PS Disclaimer. I have no vested interest in Sawyer or any other brand of water filter.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

+Oldtimer Lee Yes, they all have their limitations but for the money I think it's one of the better filters out there. Thanks for commenting my friend.

[@robertovelarde354]

13:53. Lmfao

[@kimberlyvanderpool2634]

Beaver Fever. LMAO, pretty sure that means something completely different.

[@weekendwanderer5514]

Not touching that with a ten foot pole ☺️