Review: LifeStraw Steel Personal Water Filter

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When it comes to filtering water while on the go, the LifeStraw personal water filter rocks.  It is lightweight and easy to use, and, in sort of a perverse way, a lot of fun.  That said, I do not mean to poke fun at the very important task of ensuring that drinking water is safe, but it sure does help when the experience is pleasurable.

Do I love my LifeStraws?  You bet.  I own three of them, one for each of us and a spare.  So, when I learned that there was an all-new LifeStraw Steel, I became excited because the all-new LifeStraw Steel includes a 2-stage filtration process instead of just one.  How cool is that?

Today I am thrilled to introduce you to the newest member of the LifeStraw family of water filtration products.  In addition, thanks to long term Backdoor Survival sponsor, Eartheasy.com, I am able to offer one LifeStraw Steel to a lucky reader in an exclusive giveaway.

But first, let me tell you about the LifeStraw Steel and how to use it.

How to Use the LifeStraw Steel

This is not your momma’s LifeStraw.  Setting aside what I felt was obnoxious and excessive packaging, the LifeStraw Steel was a cinch to use.  It comes with a little instruction booklet that does not take a PhD in reading manuals to figure out.

Basically, you remove the caps at both ends, stand the LifeStraw in your cup, bucket, or other water source, give it 15 seconds and you are good to go.  It is as easy as that.

Those of you that have been around for awhile might recall that learning to use the original LifeStraw was more of a challenge and that it took a few tries to get it right. This time, it was easy peasy.

I do have a couple of tips for you.  First of all, if the LifeStraw Steel has not been used in awhile, you are going to want to draw up some water then blow it right back out to clear out the filters.  Then, when you are done drinking, blow it out one more time to remove any residual water from the chamber.

An additional step, and something that I do, is spray the spout with my DIY AntiViral spray before and after drinking.  This is totally optional but something I like to do as a matter of course.

Remember when I mentioned the fun part of using the original LifeStraw?  With that unit, blowing things out at the end resulted in a stream of water coming out – kind of like a human squirt gun.  With the LifeStraw Steel, there was only a bit of water and a few bubbles so the stream was not so dramatic.  Still, you are not going to want to skip this step.

The caps covering the spout and the carbon filter are tight fitting, especially the cover to the sipping spout.  I found I had to line it up then firmly push it in, creating an airtight seal.  Don’t try to twist it closed; there are no threads and your efforts will be fruitless.

What Else Do You Need to Know?

Here are some facts about the LifeStraw Steel.  It will remove 99.9999% of bacteria (such as E. coli) and 99.9% of protozoa (such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium).  As with the original LifeStraw, it does not remove viruses nor does it desalinate.

On the other hand, it reduces organic matter of a chemical natures, as well as chlorine and foul odors and taste.  There is no aftertaste whatsoever.

The LifeStraw Steel is contracted from durable stainless steel and is designed to filter 264 gallons of water.  The replaceable activated carbon filter is replaceable and should be changed after 26 gallons.  One important consideration that it shares with the original LifeStraw is that it has no shelf-life.  There are no moving parts and nothing can go bad.  This means you can store your LifeStraws pretty much indefinitely.

Given its light weight and compact form, the LifeStraw (both the original and the LifeStraw Sreel model) is perfect for bug-out-bags and emergency kits.  Not only that, for prepping purposes, it makes good sense to keep at least one for each family member in your car so that you have some way of filtering questionable drinking water while traveling or otherwise on the go in the course of your daily life.

Regardless of how you plan to use the LifeStraw, I recommend carrying a fold up cup, Nalgene water bottle or canteen.  You can then fill it with water but sip the water through a LifeStraw while drinking.

The Giveaway

Here is the part you have been waiting for.  To enter the giveaway, you need to utilize the Rafflecopter form below.  Select one or more of the options after signing in using your email account or Facebook, the choice is yours.  The best way to start is by clicking on “Free Entry for Everyone”.  After that, each option you select represents an additional entry.  There are a number of different options so pick and choose or select them all.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The deadline is 6:00 PM Pacific next Tuesday with the winner notified by email and announced on the Rafflecopter in the article.  Please note that the winner must claim their prize within 48 hours or an alternate will be selected.

Note:  This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States.

The Final Word

The advantage of the LifeStraw Steel over the original LifeStraw is the two-step filtration process.  As I mentioned previously, in addition to the hollow fiber membrane (filtering out virtually all bacteria and protozoa), the LifeStraw Steel water filter has an activated carbon capsule which reduces chemicals such as chlorine while reducing organic compounds (including pesticides and herbicides), odor and bad taste.

In addition, it appeared sturdier and more impervious to damage due to its stainless steel construction.  Obviously, this is not something I tests.

Finally, I love that for every LifeStraw purchased, one school child in a developing community
receives safe drinking water for an entire school year.  Doing something good for someone more need it always a good thing.

I would like to thank EarthEasy for sponsoring this giveaway and hope you will take a few moments to enter.

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

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Below you will find the items related to today’s article.

LifeStraw Steel Personal Water Filter with Two-Stage Carbon Filtration:  The LifeStraw Steel includes the dual filtering action of both a hollow-fiber membrane and activated carbon capsule.  It removes virtually all water-borne bacteria, protozoa, and sediment plus some chemicals. I found the LifeStraw Steel to be a cinch to use.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter:  FREE SHIPPING! The LifeStraw is considered the most advanced, compact, ultra light personal water filter available. It contains no chemicals or iodinated resin, no batteries and no moving parts to break or wear out. It weighs only 2 oz.  making it perfect for the prepper. For more information, see my LifeStraw review.

LifeStraw Family 1.0 Water Purifier:  The Lifestraw Family contains no chemicals, no batteries and no moving parts to wear out. It features a a high flow rate and is the perfect solution to your portable water purification needs – whether bugging in or bugging out. Read my review here.

LifeStraw Go Water Bottle with Integrated 1000-Liter LifeStraw Filter:  The Lifestraw Go integrates the fantastic LifeStraw Personal Water Filter with a sippy-type bottle.  It is like getting two for the price of one.  The included carabiner hook makes it easy to attach the LifeStraw Go to your pack.

Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth BPA-Free Water Bottle, 1-Quart:  I love my Nalgene bottle and have them stashed in all of my kits.  Where as the wide-mouth version is great for using outdoors, around the house I prefer the narrow-mouth version.

The Prepper’s Water Survival Guide:  You can survive up to three weeks without food, but only three days without water. When catastrophe strikes, having enough water can spell the difference between life and death. This book offers a step-by-step plan with straightforward information you can easily follow.  Written by my friend Daisy Luther, I recommended the book for everyone’s survival library!

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