We will dive into the types of filtration first, then elaborate on the two systems, and lastly provide you with topics to consider when making a well-informed choice.

We are going to talk about:

• Filtration or purification
• Techniques (mechanical, chemical, UV, carbon or boiling)
• Built-in systems vs mobile systems (built-in system or mobile units)
• Topics to consider (where are you going to fill up, manual or electric, filtering shower water, heated water)
• Our water storage and purification plan for the future

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Make the right choice – filtration or purification?

Before we look at the different filtering techniques and solutions, it is good to know there is a vital difference between filtering and purifying. The difference is simple: only the purifier will eliminate viruses. Water filters work by physically blocking out larger microbes like bacteria and protozoa, but fail to catch viruses due to their small size. To clear your water from viruses purification is needed, which can be accomplished by methods like top-of-the-line mechanical filtration, UV light, or chemical treatment. If you take your water seriously, purification is the way to go.

We have written a blog fully dedicated to this topic. You can find it here. 

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Different techniques

Looking at the techniques, filtering will almost always be done by a mechanical barrier of sorts. Purifying, however, can be carried out by a range of methods and techniques. In the end, it depends on the technique that you use how safe and tasty your drinking water will be.

Below we will take a short look at the most widely used techniques used for filtering and purifying water.

Mechanical

With mechanical filtering, a physical barrier is used to clean your water. A barrier can be a porous material or hollow tubing blocking contaminants from passing through. Depending on the material used, it will stop bacteria, protozoa, or even viruses. Most water filters are based on this technique, and a higher standard of mechanical filtration is used for some widely used purifiers.

Besides being very effective, mechanical filtering is an effective and safe technique because often the filter will stop working once the filter cartridge is blocked or expired. You won’t risk using the filter while the filtration system has become ineffective.

Chemical

Using chemicals to make your water drinkable works well in some cases, but might not be the best long-term solution. The chemicals used will kill most microbes in your water and make it safe for drinking. However, some protozoan cysts can shield themselves from chemicals, making them very hard to eliminate. Besides that, chemicals need a long time to be effective and won’t take out any sediments. They will most likely also have an impact on the taste. Chemical purifying is mostly used as a backup, or on rare occasions when there’s no alternative at hand. You’ll sometimes see chemicals being used on smaller expeditions due to affordability and storage.

UV

UV light is very effective against microbes. UV light is powerful in destroying the cell’s DNA and will effectively inactivate bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. However, this system will only work well on clear water. Murky water hinders the light from passing through, giving you a false sense of safety. UV filters are great but are best placed after a sediment/mechanical filter. Make sure to replace your UV light bulb on time, as they do have a certain lifespan during which they effectively work.

Carbon

Carbon filters are often complementary to the techniques above. A carbon filter is ineffective against microbes but works very well to filter out chemicals and heavy metals. A filtration system that includes carbon is great in regions where chemicals (like chlorine) or heavy metals might be present in your water supply. It will also improve odors and taste.

Boiling

Remember, that if no filtration or purification option is available or working, you can always boil your water. Boiling your water for just a minute will eliminate protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. Do note that if you travel above 2000 meters, water will boil at a lower temperature and you might want to cook it a bit longer.

Comparing the techniques

	Pros	Cons
Mechanical	-Very reliable -Available in filtration and purification systems	-Can be expensive -It might be wise to bring a spare (bulky) cartridge along -The filter cartridge might require cleaning
Chemical	-Small -Inexpensive -Easy to use	-Might not work against all protozoan cysts -Waiting is required before the water is safe -Will most likely impact the taste -On long-term trips, it might not be feasible to bring enough tablets or drips along
UV	-Effective against all microbes -A great solution to include in your built-in system	-Won’t work in murky water -Standalone solutions might not be fully effective
Carbon	-Will improve taste and odors -Improve water quality by filtering out chemicals and heavy metals	-Needs to be replaced regularly
Boiling	-Will kill any microbes	-Costs time and a lot of fuel -Won’t remove any particles

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Built-in versus mobile systems

With some basic knowledge covered, it is time to look at the different systems mostly used in overlanding. If you are looking for your ideal setup, it is important to consider two options; built-in storage and filtration systems, or a mobile solution. A lot of factors are involved when making this decision, and there isn’t a right or wrong, as it all depends on your needs and wishes. 

Built-in systems

The built-in system is very comfortable to use and offers a huge storage capacity. In many cases, large water tanks will be installed in or underneath the vehicle. The system itself consists of one or more pumps, filtration units, and of course a tap. This solution will provide you with a certain level of comfort, making it feel like home. Additionally, the large storage capacity can be beneficial when exploring remote regions. But, you need to make sure the filters you choose are up to standard for the trip you are about to embark on. Built-in water systems often rely on a combination of mechanical filtering to clear the water of sediments, bacteria, and protozoa, and UV light to kill viruses. Sometimes even carbon filtration is included to cover the whole range of threats. To prevent contamination of the system some will even use pre-filters, which might even include a pump system that acts as a purifier.

Mobile units

Mobile units can be found in many shapes and sizes. They can be a simple handheld water purifier or a jerrycan with a built-in filter cartridge. For overlanding one thing is certain; if you are going for a mobile solution, you will need to store water somewhere. You will most likely get one or more jerry cans for storage. The big advantage is that they are easy to store, and a range of holders are available on the market. Another big winner for using jerrycans is compartmentalization, which means you minimize the risk of losing your entire water supply.

Of course, this water isn’t purified yet. Therefore you can opt to boil the water or filter it once you put it in your cup. This can be done via UV light or chemicals. A more popular solution amongst overlanders is the LifeSaver Jerrycan, with additional storage jerrycans if necessary. The LifeSaver Jerrycan provides an 18-liter storage capacity and has a built-in filter cartridge that purifies your water, getting rid of any microbes including viruses. It also includes a carbon disk to filter out any chemicals or heavy metals.

Comparing the systems

	Built-in system	Mobile system
Installation	-Intensive. -In case positioned underneath the vehicle, it enhances off-road performance.	-A basic storage solution will suffice. -Place them as low as possible on the vehicle to keep the center of gravity low.
Costs	€€ – €€€	€ – €€€
Comfort level	-Very comfortable in use (home-feeling). -Great for long-term travel.	-Often more basic (camping-vibe).
Ease of filling	-Can be challenging depending on access, hose connections, etc. -Easy at campsites or fuel stations.	-Very easy, as you can bring the storage container to the water source. -Great for regions where access to the source is limited for vehicles.
Capacity	-Often a large capacity is installed, ideal for desert environments.	-Often smaller capacity, but easily scalable with jerrycans.
Failsafe	-Dependent on electricity and a range of parts/products.	-Dependent on the device, but mostly very reliable and secure due to its minimalistic design.

Topics to consider

Before you make your final choice, it is important to consider a few other factors. It is important to visualize how much water you need, where you fill up, and if you want to rely on electricity for your water supply.

How much water do you need?

The amount of water you need depends on the amount of people in your group, the region you are traveling through (cold or hot), and whether you will use your water solely for drinking, or for cooking, dishes, and showering as well.

How much water you need to bring along also depends on how long you need your supply to last. In well-developed regions, you don’t have to worry too much about a large storage capacity. But as soon as you start traveling through remote regions, you want to bring enough water with you, including a buffer.

For us, we use about 14 liters of drinkable water a day, for two persons and a dog. We mostly use this for drinking and cooking. Additionally, we use a maximum of 5 liters per day for dishes and showering.

Where are you going to fill up?

Another big factor that will influence what system is right for you, is the water source and its accessibility. Built-in systems are great but often require filling with a hose. This means you can easily fill up at gas stations or campsites, but it might be more difficult to fill up your tanks in a remote village in West Africa. Nevertheless, nothing is impossible and you can always work with a combination of hoses, funnels, and a bucket.

When looking at mobile systems we like to focus on a purifying jerrycan, as this is the system we’ve seen most travelers use. This purifier will almost always work, as you can transport the jerrycan to the water source. It works well at rivers, waterfalls, bathrooms, or village wells. In our opinion, this mobility and usability is where products like these shine and stand out from the built-in systems. However, its smaller size will result in more frequent filling compared to a built-in system.

Try to visualize where you will be traveling and staying, and figure out where you can fill up your water in these situations.

Manual, or with electricity?

Making the right choice here will make the difference between enhanced comfort, or a more failsafe solution. In general, every built-in system will run on electricity, enhancing comfort and making your water solution feel like home. However, you will be dependent on your electricity supply and an electric pump.

Many portable solutions will need manual input to make them work. Most of them will work by pumping water through the filter. This might be less comfortable than just flipping a switch, but you are certain it will work no matter the situation you are in. This certainly is a more failsafe solution.

Filtering shower water?

Filtering your shower water isn’t a necessity per se, and many people don’t. However, contaminated shower water might infect you with worms or other microbes, which might enter your body through for example the eyes.

With a mobile solution, it can be difficult to include the option to filter your showering water. The LifeSaver Jerrycan does offer a shower extension, but water output is marginal there. Whenever we fill up our shower bag with less-than-ideal water we try to use a portable handheld filter to fill it, minimizing the risk of contamination. But, in general, we use unfiltered shower water.

With a built-in system, it is quite easy to filter your shower water. Just run an extra line after your filter and you will be fine.

Heated water

Lastly, we want to talk about heated water, as this can make the difference between a horrible shower and ultimate comfort. Most people we’ve met on our expeditions, don’t have a way to heat their water. On rare occasions, we have heated our water on the stove, to take a slightly comfortable shower above the Arctic Circle, or comfortably do our dishes.

If you are traveling to colder regions, it might be worth diving into this topic, as it can make or break comforts around base camp. In general, heated water is reserved for built-in systems where water runs a 12v or gas boiler, or goes through a heat exchanger in the engine. Keep in mind that if you are bringing water tanks into colder regions, they might freeze up.

Our future water storage and purification plan

Over the past eight years, we’ve tested a range of filtration and purification devices. Currently, we rely on our LifeSaver Jerrycan to provide us with safe drinking water, accompanied by additional jerrycans for storage. Besides that, we have a few hand-held purification devices that are great for hiking and serve as a backup.

However, with our plans to enhance comfort around camp, and prepare the vehicle for longer off-grid travel in arid regions we are looking to install water tanks underneath Rafiki, combined with a pump and a purification system. We hope to get a storage capacity of 100-120 liters that can provide us with on-demand drinking water. In theory, this system will make life around our base camp much more pleasant and should sustain us for at least a week off-grid. Although this system might be the foundation for our future water supply, we will most certainly bring along our LifeSaver Jerrycan as a backup.

Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss our experiences and see what suits your needs best.