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Holy Grayl or Major Fail? Grayl Geopress Water Filter Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ค. 2021
- Grayl wants to be the Holy Grail of water filters. Do they deserve that title? Grayl certainly can filter a lot of different contaminates including Bacteria, Protozoa, Chemicals, Heavy Metals, Taste, and even Viruses. But that alone does not make it the best. What about weight and size? Usability? Price? and more? I talk about all the things that make Grayl great and some of the things that make it not so great. I also see if Grayl can turn Coca-Cola (Coke) into pure clean drinking water? Be sure to watch till the end to find out.
The video that claims Grayl can filter Coke: • The Holy Grayl of Wate...
Grayl GeoPress Water Filter: geni.us/1PXVqO
Grayl Ultralight Water Filter: geni.us/eqrW9fW
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I originally purchased this for a BWCA trip. We use it for our kayaking trips also for day use where it's inconvenient to get out the gravity filter. We also use it on day hike with the kiddos. I agree with you it's not really a great option for backpacking, so heavy!!!
FYI the Grayl is not a filter but a purifier so can’t compare to the filters you compared too
I used my Grayl for the first time this summer in a stream in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the water was brown and orange from the iron ore. The Grayl made the water crystal clear and the taste was completely neutral. I was sold.
Edit: As pointed out by others, the orange color could have been tannins instead of the iron ore. Where I was drinking from were from streams that were just outside of towns that had iron ore mines in them and I grew up with well water that was full of iron and would stain everything orange.
I'm from Painesdale
How often do you have to change out the filter
@@coyoteblue9733 I have the ultralight bottle and filter, so mine is rated for 300 uses (or 40 gallons). I've maybe used it 30 times so far. I didn't use it over the winter so when winter started I simply removed the filter, completely air dried it for a few days, and reinstalled it. I've got 2 extra filters on hand now because of supply chain issues. They were out of stock for a while several months ago. I couldn't find them anywhere.
its probably worth the weight if backpacking. This guy is nuts
@@josephlam5063 it might be worth the weight but is it worth the price?
A Grayl costs a hundred bucks. The replacement filter is 30 bucks AND you have to replace it every 65 gallons.
A Grayl would be something to have on hand for if something contaminates your municipal water supply but if you're backpacking in the United States or Canada it's expensive overkill
My fiancé and I have had the Grayl (older) for two years now. We just bought the upgraded version. I will never go out on the trail hiking or camping without it. Down here in Florida, it’s quite polluted almost everywhere. If you’re on the Florida Trail it’s a must. Especially when you come up through miles of farmlands and groves. The runoff of pesticides/chemicals get into the majority of the water supply(canals/rivers). The coasts are just as bad with pollution that goes for miles offshore.
I understand it definitely has some added weight. Which can be a down fall for thru hikers. But, for safety and a piece of mind. It’s a definite winner! 🥾⛺️🌳💦
does it really filter out pesticides?
@@randomcow505 yes
...as it has a charcoal section YES!
Found your channel a few hours ago and have been watching and agreeing with many videos until this one.
My first experience with Grayl has been rather bad as well.
On the very first day I filtered water three times and by the third time the time it took went up to 24 seconds and it became extremely difficult to press.
Like you said, since you can’t back flush it I thought I made a grave error.
Since then I learned quite a few things:
First, you just need to learn at what pace to press. You shouldn’t apply too much force expecting to brut through the speed and cut it short. Steady does the trick.
Second, yes, just place it on the ground and use your body weight.
Third, clearly you should pre-filter the water and/or use a better source.
I bought a spirulina fabric (which is kind of like a nut milk bag) that has one layer of .2m (point two micron) which I use as a pre-filter.
Fourth, once you dry the filter a lot of the particles will fall off and the time it takes to press will go back down.
Fifth, the funny thing is I had far worse problems with the Katadyn Hiker Pro clogging and other issues so all in all I consider the Grayl to be one of the safer options if only for having less moving parts. Plus, the Katadyn has been found to develop micro holes throughout the layers which effectively makes it impractical to the point of being dangerous.
Sixth, with all due respect to the “difficulty” of placing it on the ground and using your body weight to press for 14 seconds… please… compare that time to most filters and it’s literally the fastest filtration system in the world. By the time you filled up one of those silly Sawyer bags or got the Katadyn out of the bag I would have finished filtering and drinking already and continued on my way.
I also found that the Katadyn gets heavier with usage and takes ages to dry.
From my experience the Grayl is much better at everything but one thing (that the Katadyn is better for) which is when you need to filter through a crack and slipping a tube into an underground stream.
In twenty years of backpacking and over seven years of backpacking combined and living a whole year in a tent while backpacking through half the planet, I have not once “had” to do that and had no other choice but that. Still. It is a theoretical point.
As per pre-filtration, I’ve seen someone collecting water in a nylon bag, allowing it to sit so the particles will sink then carefully scooping from the top, pre-filtering again, into a filter.
Not saying it’s ideal but if you don’t want to get stuck with broken gear seven day off of civilization, that is what you do.
Again, in twenty years of backpacking I have not once needed to filter mud.
The bottom line is that there’s simply no competition and the comparison is erroneous at best.
No other filter filters what the Grayl does.
Where you see weight and bulk, I see very cheap life insurance.
I prefer cutting on a shirt and lighter weight sleeping mat but not risking screwing up my health for all eternity from some sinistre bacteria or worse, a virus.
Any portable filter will be gambiling but using any other filter will be gambling a lot more.
Obviously, if I was backpacking through places like northern England or the south of France where I know there is clean water shooting up straight from a spring, then the Sawyer or Katadyn would suffice (if at all necessary) but if I’m setting off on a year long backpacking trip and I have no idea where I’ll end up and/or I’m going to a third world country and/or I’m not sure about whether there’s pesticide spraying, etc, then the Grayl is the best option. In fact, it is the only option.
Very authoritative and detailed. Thank you!
Amazing comment
This is one of the times where the write up is so detailed that you could’ve made a video to explain your pros and cons and maybe gained a a decent following
How do you find places to set up a tent where you wont have trouble with local authorities?
I've always wanted to go on a huge backpacking trip but so many unknowns keep me from trying. Obviously you might never see this but if you so a quick tip would be amazing just to get me started knowing where to look.
Great write up, thanks for taking time to do this!
I bought a Grayl Ultralight for everyone (4 people) in my family. While it may not be perfect, I feel that the added piece of mind in that it will get rid of viruses was worth it.
It brought you piece of mind? Didn’t know minds come in pieces now… 🫣
@@captcooper5159 I bet you never make any typos. :/
@@stonew1927 never :-)
@@stonew1927 It's still a funny typo or spelling mistake..
How can it filter viruses and not coca cola?
Because I travel extensively across the Americas I got the Geopress. Recently used it for a week in Lima, Perú. I used it 4-6 times a day using tap water. Was a great change from buying bottled water. The morning I fly back to USA I emptied it, pressed it 3-4 times while empty and had no problems with airport security.
I've owned Sawyer products for many years, and they are always my top recommendation. I just recently bought a Grayl, and it is now my top recommended filter. I'll soon be doing a video review on it.
Your last upload was 4 month ago, about Ukraine (yesterday's news). You promised you'll do a video "soon". I was gonna watch it.
Can I just admit I got the grayl because it looks cool. As always, I carry a hydra blue filter as a backup. Always carry a backup. The lightest, smartest decision you can make. No clean water and your trip is a bad one.
Great video.I have noticed, most reviewers are not much more than glorified salespeople for the product.They tend to give good reviews for the good things of the product but fail to give a complete and honest review. I understand that's how most of y'all make a living. Nice to see someone like you being honest and letting us make a decision based on your results.
Thank you! Earlier today I was evaluating a tent that was sent to me. The whole time I kept thinking they are going to regret sending this to me because it seems gimmicky, difficult to set up, and all together impractical. But I’m going to give it some more time to see if it grows on me. We will see. Thanks for watching
Agree completely. Authoritative and balanced!
For anyone watching, the smaller and lighter version of the geopress is called grayl ultrapress
A GRAYL Ultrapress filter replacement costs about $25. Assuming a user is filtering reasonably clear water with low turbidity, it will provide up to 250 clean and safe half-liters of drinking water. That’s 10 cents per press. A great value by any measure, and safer than all of the other filters that don’t remove chemicals or viruses. I got the new Titanium Ultrapress, and have Amazon auto-ship me a new filter every 3 months, just so I’ll have spares when I need them. I’d suggest a 2-3 liter water bladder or a big Nalgene bottle to pour filtered water into for extra storage if you need it. GRAYL is awesome, and cheaper than getting sick even once. Happy trails..
I know I’ve seen others say this, but your overall production quality is nuts. Really enjoy your videos.
Thanks! And thanks for watching!
I have both the Grayl Geopress and the Platypus Quickdraw. I pretty much agree with your assessment with a slight twist. If I have the space and I have the weight allowance I prefer the Grayl for its ease of use and purification abilities. Usually this would mean while traveling, on a short backpacking trip, or on a day hike. I don't mind overkill when it comes to purifying my drinking water. If I'm using the Geopress indoors, e.g. a hotel room, I find it's easiest to set it in a sink, place both bent elbows on the pressing points, and lean my body weight on it. If space is a concern, I want something lighter weight, *and* I'm fairly certain a simple filter will suffice I would take the Platypus Quickdraw with some extra Platypus 1 liter pouches and/or a bladder. I like having both filters and having the choice as to which one to bring depending on the situation!
Absolutely love my Grayl the fact that it filters out viruses and heavy metals is everything 🙏🏼
That’s great! I’m glad you like it. I like that about it too
Great if you’re a city slicker
@@signalsoldier28 actually pretty great for everyone turns out. I can get off the combine and pull water from the creek instead of carrying water bottles around all damn day 👍🏻
My Grayl is awesome. Highly recommend this product👍🏻
@@ZachBrimhall yeah depends on how you’re using it. It’s good for filtering tap water and nothing else.
Hello Steven, I believe you have been quite thorough in your review and explained everything as it stands! A well researched and presented video! Thank you. As a sales professional who travels to various developing countries (and of course even within India!), I am in tandem with your viewpoint that this could benefit travellers such as I. I will be actively considering buying the Grayl soon. Cheers…..
Grayl bottle is my choice for water filters on trail, sure it’s a little heavier than be free or others, but the filter is so much better, allows so much more water through and is so much more convenient. Love it
It only manages 3 log removal of cysts and Protozoa though. That’s well below what you need for safety if sick animals or people are contaminating the water. A hollow fibre filter is much more effective against those. Plus you have no way of actually knowing when a Grayl’s filter is all used up.
Okay, I am thinking of this as a great household item when the city water goes down , contaminated or drinking from well or other sources that may have contamination or virus issues. In this case, depending one the situation, I think it would be wise to pre-filter the water with something like a Sawyer squeeze.
During certain weather events, the city water plant may be shutdown, have chemical contamination, or in droughts taste like chicken poop in this part of Oklahoma. In the west, no telling what may be leftover from old oil wells. Even a well that has good clean water except for salmonella, their may be chemicals from agriculture or energy production that leached in. This would be a good supplement to make sure the water is safe.
In the old well when hunting, we typically let it run till the red sand clears up then drink from it. Supposedly the water filters in a sand layer for 1000 years, but doesn’t mean something hasn’t contaminated it or the pipes.
I think the Grayl is perfect for situations like those. Thank you for the comment and for watching
you mean we should prefilter with sawyer even when using grayl?
@@Aethelhadas I bet you'd get more mileage out of the grayl that way.
I love my Grayl. We use it for drinking water.
My well has a lot of iron dissolved in the water table.
The Geopress gets the stuff out easily.
That’s great! How often do you have to replace the filter?
You could just have a Walter filter that would filter your entire water system before entering your homes water supply. Probably cheaper than the the grayl long term. Just a thought 🤷🏻♂️
I don’t care if the bottle is heavier than other options. I’ll carry less granola. Lols
Being able to purify around 65 gallons of water is amazing. PURIFY. There isn’t much that removes everything this thing does, and there is some nasty stuff out there.
My max is 15 gallons on good quality stream water.
@@FT4Freedom is that what your model is rated to do?
They advertise the larger model as 65.
I think you may have missed the most important distinction of Grayl and that it doesn't just filter, it actually purifies water, which are two different things. I also disagree with your opinion that this would be more suited to someone travelling to developing nations. Filtration and purification are just as important in the back country as you can't always guarantee the safety of your water source even in the wilderness - all sorts of animals and insects breed, die and deficate in the water. The cost and weight of the Grayl in my opinion is worth it. The last place you want to get sick is in the middle of nowhere and miles from a doctor or mobile phone reception.
Well stated and I 100% agree!!
He says this at 5:44
Did you watch the whole video? He does say it "purifies"?
No one talks about this but the fact that you don't have to get your hands wet to fill it up is very handy in cold places to avoid freezing hands.
Very true. I don’t have to with my platypus quick draw either
This was a great watch thank you! I have had the Grayl Ultrapress the past year. And yes for backpacking that i have down it is not the best. However, now I am in Peace Corps in Rwanda were a big problem is parasites (Schistosomiasis/schisto) and there is little to no water/plumbing infrastructure. I have not gotten anything yet and its been a great traveling item.
From a kayaking/ canoeing perspective it is amazing. We use gravity filters at camp, but on the boat or as a backup group filter, the grayl is a winner
I can see it being a plus in a canoe. How hard is it to press while in a kayak though? I can’t see myself getting enough force/leverage while sitting in my kayak.
@@MyLifeOutdoors I'll let you know in 2 weeks after my next trip. I used it on shore for an overnight trip. I imagine you'd have to press it against your chest and while wearing the paddling jacket for some padding
@@tysonjez please do. I’m interested to hear how it goes
@@MyLifeOutdoors so I used it in a kayak. Definitely worth it. Takes a bit of muscle to use, but being able to drink normally vs feeling like drinking a milkshake makes it worth it. About 30 seconds and you've got a full bottle to chug at your leisure
@@tysonjez thanks for taking the time to come back and report. I might take it on my next paddling trip.
Found your video very interesting, and admit all the cons you've said are cons for me as well.
I live in Australia, and use my geopress when doing kayaking, bikepacking and hiking, and combining all three. I live near the Murray River, which is one of Australia's longest rivers, and used for agricultural irrigation - as well as drinking water etc for towns. This is extremely common across the board for Australia. The issue with using your rivers for irrigation and drinking water is that there's plenty of agricultural chemicals and waste end up in it, not to mention the European carp issue. When it ends up in people's taps and houses, it's been purified and is completely safe. That said more often than not, you're completely fine using the river water if you're only out for a night or too and just use a standard filter (love my katadyn), but week long trips out in the Aussie bush, no reception, no one around is another thing. This is where I think the Grayll excels.
In regards to the particulates issue, I generally always use a milbank bag going directly into the grayll, never had an issue with this method.
I agree! If you are concerned about chemical runoff Grayl is your best bet. In that case it’s worth the weight for me. Where I spend most my hiking is in the mountains of North American near the headwaters of the streams I’m drinking from. Parasites and bacteria is all we really have to worry about so the weight isn’t worth it. But I do think it’s a great well made product. Thanks for watching!
Thank you, Daniel. I plan on bikepacking across Australia later this year and have been looking into what filter to get for a while now. So your comment is of much help. I'll probably get a Grayl soon and try how it works for me.
I actually think its a pretty nice filter. Most people carry a nalgaen bottle in their waterbottle pocket anyways. So picture a waterbottle that is also a water filter. 350 presses is quite alot. Might not seem it but think about how many nalgaen bottles of water you drink on a trip or smartwater bottles. Aslong as water sources are available where you hike like they are where i hike. Then bam! Waterbottle filter in one. My only real concern was as you say the pressure it takes to fill it up. If you were injured on trail this could be a problem. The grayl is heavy duty though and should not fail you in that respect. Fill, press, drink!! Not many filters can do that. If you buy just buy with an extra $25 filter and always carry it with you and i do not see this water filter failing anytime soon. Weight is a bummer where as the most expensive katadyne filter at $300 weighs only a pound. But cost and ease of use even this filter out for me. I don't plan on filtering soda pop anytime soon either but i get it. Grayl has filtered some of the nastiest water ive seen and its crystal clear and safe to drink everytime. Good review man!!
I appreciate your perspective. And I agree if you need to filter chemicals or fear viruses in the water it’s the best option for the price. That’s just not my situation 99% of the time. And I get the nalgaen comparison. My only retort is my Nalgene will hold almost twice as much and still manages to take up less space. But granted I’d still have to carry a filter. It’s a nice filter, well made, works well. Just not going to be my go to for my next hike. And as far as the coke. Yeah, I would much rather drink the coke than filter it. I spend most nights on trips wishing I had one. I just wanted to see if it really could do what the science channel (of all places) was claiming. No fault of Grayl (except I’m sure they were aware the science channel was going to put that out and I’m sure they thought it would make them look good). At the end of the day, I’m glad you like it. And I’m glad you’re here and commented. Thanks for watching.
@@MyLifeOutdoors it works…how can you not like it
@@christianb8228 idk I have other filters that work and take up less weight and space. But it has its place. Thanks for watching!
@@MyLifeOutdoorswhich ones? Il going long time trip to south America, and I would be happy to know about a filter, which filters same, but can filter more L. I cannot go on backpacking trip with 10 spare filters in my backpack 😅
A Milbank bag or even a simple cotton bandana can help dramatically with particulates. I've never had water shoot out. And never had a problem pushing the filter down.
I too bought my grayl for traveling India, I have stage 3CKD so good clean water is essential, price is nothing compared to piece of mind and safe water. Nice video and I agree not suitable for a backpack, unless dirty water is going to be an issue
Is it working well for you you? I’m also need one for.an India trip
I'd say it actually made me want it more. The cons helped adjust my expectations, but something portable like that (in a car/travel sense) sounds like a great option that could also be used for the occasional backpacking trip, as well.
Thank you, as always for the honest review.
Awesome man. Thanks for your opinion on it. I picked up the GRAYL for the very situation you said it would shine in: travel through developing countries with potentially contaminated water systems. I’m recently back from a trip and it worked beautifully. I did however notice all those little things you did as well. The inability to easily place it into a pocket, the weight, the limited capacity. But the peace of mind it offered was worth it to me while overseas.
Totally agree! I’m going to keep it around for situations like that. I have also spent some time kayaking the Rio Grande on the border. It’s notorious for chemicals in the water. I would take it there too.
@@MyLifeOutdoors How hard is it to press down the GRAYL filter? Have you seen women struggle with using it? I'm a 100 lb woman moving to Ghana for 9 months, and I'm debating whether I should purchase the product to keep in my home. Am I better off just boiling my water?
@@thewayfarerswaystation5907 I haven't had a problem doing it. The trick is to put it on the ground and then your body weight and gravity make it easy.
The Grayl geopress is awesome……. for some situations. For the ultralight hiker it’s going to weigh too much and not carry enough. For me it’s perfect. I do a lot of rafting and packrafting and the convenience to just lean over grab water and filter it on the go is ideal. I have a hiker pro pump as well and found I put off drinking because I have to pull over and get the pump out and fill a bottle. With the Grayl I just scoop up another bottle full as soon as it’s empty.
Saying the Grayl does not filter turbid water is analogous to my 150.00 knife not cutting granite. No filter is advised to filter turbid water. I clip my grayl on outside of pack. My favorite in the U.S. is Katadyn Be Free. Outside U.S. Grayl. Bring a platypus or Nalgene canteen for filling. No problem. Very well done video.
Point well made. Iv never used the befree but have really fallen in love with the QuickDraw by platypus. It can’t do turbid water either but at least has a way to backflush if you try to.
I used my Grayl Geopress for the first time camping in Congaree National Park in South Carolina. The first few times I filtered out the dirty water from its various streams and creeks, it did not take too much force. Water filtered by this filter might have been the best tasting water I've ever had.
After a little while of filtering this super dirty water I needed to press down HARD on the filter for 60 seconds or more to filter it.
I cannot find any resources online for backflushing the grayl filter, either. I think from now on I will carry some kind of cheesecloth or finer filter to cup over the bottom container's opening when scooping water.
Carry a coffee filter 👍
The grayl can hold up and transport up to 1l of clean water itself. So it is also a bottle. It not so much bigger than a 1l canteen and if you add the weight of a 1 l nalgene to another filtering system, the added amount of the grayl is not so much as it seems at the first glimpse.
Backpacking , I just fill up my 2l bladder in backpack and my grayl . It’s not as much of a pain as people say it is , but I don’t mind the work of filtering it and knowing I won’t get sick …. 👍
The carrying capacity of the largest Grayl (according to their website) is 24 oz, so just three quarters of a liter. So you're right that it's also a bottle, just not a liter. If you want to carry a liter you'll need another bottle.
I have an emergency backpack for myself and every member of my family for a worst case scenario grab and go bag. Not going into details of the bags contents but every one of them is the same including 3 days of generous food portions (enough to stretch to a week per person), basic emergency medical, and each bag has a geopress and 1 backup filter. My thinking is we live in a wet area, tons of creeks, rivers, lakes, ponds. Worst case scenario you can at least stay hydrated and have safe water to drink. I have other measures for a situation where there’s maybe a little more time to load up the truck and whatnot, these bags are merely a grab a GTFO measure.
I do agree with you though, they are a bit of a hassle and definitely are heavy. But my packs are all under 12lbs so I say almost 2 pounds of that being water to keep me alive, I can live with it.
I've used my Grayl at least 100 times, and I've never had water shoot up the sides like that. Also, using body weight to press/filter water instead of working a tiny pump with your arms is so much more efficient. You're correct about the bottle being a bit heavy, but the quality of the bottle and the filter makes up for it. Your videos are great, but this one was pretty off for me personally.
I really just like the piece of mind. My husband has a thing for going to Mexico and South America and this is a great way to ensure that the water is safe to drink in areas where you can't be certain whether the tap water is safe to drink. It saves a lot of money on bottled water.
While the seemingly low overall capacity can be seen as a drawback, it is much better than some of the other systems out there as far as shareability goes. You can press and fill many containers. I've had a couple instances with user error as far as having some water shoot up at me, but once I figure it out what I was doing wrong I haven't had any problems since. Mostly it was me not making sure that the filter was lined up properly.
Yup, can't deny that it is a little on the heavy side, but I like it a lot. I bought this to replace an older much heavier system that I could no longer find filters for. If they come out with one that has a longer lifespan as far as the amount of water that can be filtered. I would jump on it in a heartbeat.
That other video is a complete lie 😂😂😂😂. Man... Your the man! Facts don't lie! Keep up the good work!
So I watched it again after a similar comment and noticed they only filtered like 1-2oz. (They didn’t say that though which is shady to me.) Where I did a full 12oz and that after extensive testing of the filter. Grayl might be able turn 1-2oz clear with a brand new cartridge. But I bet a large portion of the sugar/corn syrup is still present. And I bet that cartridge is spent after that. Who knows maybe I’ll get a new cartridge and try again
Finally a good review ,the best part of the video is when you said it’s more for people who travel outside the country!
✌🏼✌🏼 most videos I saw were only doing pros not cons !
Love your straight-forward, no nonsense, and concise reviews.
For me, it depends what I'm doing, and where I'll be doing it. On day hikes here in upstate NY, I carry a Grayl, and no other water bottle. There is water everywhere up here..... But there are also farms everywhere, and along with them, lots of chemicals. The Grayl filters out all of that crap, AND holds my water. If I'm going to be carrying stuff over long distances, or for multiple days, I'll probably switch out to a Sawyer, as it's way lighter and can be back flushed. For travel, it's the Grayl again, for all of the reasons you mentioned. Different tools for different jobs I say.
I am concerned about the chemicals too in OK. I think it may be easy enough to pre filter with a Sawyer to save the grays from the heavy stuff, and let it handle the small stuff and chemicals. Also might be good when we have no drink or boil orders on our tap water because of treatment shutdown or being overwhelmed during drought when a lot of runoff from chicken farms seems to bypass the city systems.
That has been by far the best filter water bottle I’ve used. I love mine. Great video
The Geopress is perfect for canoe river trips in the Missouri Ozarks. That’s where it really shines.
I use it for Moto Camping, weight and bulk is fine for me. You got the same colot as me. I use mine as a travel filter to filter municipal water in hotels and campgrounds instead of humping bottle water cases. It is my filter of choice and works great for my coffee water needs. I have an old sawyer for hiking needs. And a Berkey with black and arsenic filters then a Pure Water distiller dripping through a charcoal bag to pollish the water I use for coffee at home made from Indianapolis water.
You hit pretty accurately on a lot of points. Some of the cons, however, aren't really a big issue if the user reads the instructions and employs a bit of care and common sense. I agree that it shines for travel.
It's hard to judge a "coke filtration" vid when it has cuts. Docks YOU points, even if you're correct. Worth noting...
I haven't tried mine in very turbid water at all, and as bougie as it sounds, I'd probably ATTEMPT to prefilter if it were an option. I can say even testing it against tap water, the difference is insane. It smells like pool water in comparison from the chlorine alone. The taste however, is barebones flat and makes me consider hydration salts to compensate the lost minerals. It is indeed heavy to press, and I imagine the smaller ones might be harder still. I think you hit the nail on the head with where an area of it shines: travel. I wouldn't write it off as a backpacking rig 100%. There's a trade off all around. It is tough to "dispense", and I wouldn't want to do it hungry. The Sawyer mini requires some maintenance, especially with darker, more turbid water.
All that said, save yourself the $30 and buy a plain white rig and spend the extra on a spare filter if you're into it. I'm gonna test mine more thoroughly and see if I still have the Grayl bug, but so far I've been content. I think a key is knowing when a tool fits. I won't go dipping it in mud and expecting miracles.
Just got back from a trip in Tamagami, Ontario. My buddy was using the Grayl while I was using my 4 litre GravityWorks Platypus. My water tasted like lake water. It was safe to drink and all but just didnt taste that great. I just got home last night and ordered the 16oz Grayl. Ill still keep my Platy and filter the water from the Platy in the Grayl when I just want drinking water. For cooking ill still use the Platypus.
You went over all the problems I have with grayl. I honestly think it isn't very good for most intended use. I think it was designed for a city life filter than a travel outdoor filter. If i could return mine i would.
I love the Grayl. I will usually just bring an extra1 liter water bottle and will refill it from my Grayl. The Grayl combined with the 1 Liter is good for about a day to a day and a half, depending on how much water you drink.
I bought a Grayl Geopress earlier this year and have tried it out both traveling and hiking. While it is not perfect, I think the end of the review actually is the worthwhile part . . . for the right market it is a very good product. If you are traveling and/or involved in outdoor sports in locations where viruses, chemicals, and any other material the usual filters won't remove are an issue it is the easiest and fastest method. For simple domestic hiking in the US it may not be completely practical. By way of background, I have 40+ years of experience outdoors (hiking, camping, military, and gulf coast post hurricane fun). During my years of experience, I have tried most of the readily available water filtration, treatment, and purification solutions. The simplicity of being able to put fairly clear but otherwise hazardous water in and know that I will get clear water that is useable out is worth the space and weight. Especially overseas the other options, usually involving two methods of treatment/filtration are as much or more of a pain than the Grayl. There are plenty of situations in which I would not bother with it and would use something lighter or easier. But for when you absolutely have to have clean water now in one step, it is the best I have tried.
I took a Grayl Geopress on a 9-day 50+ mile backpacking trip with some Scouts. Between the crew members we had several water treatment options but everyone preferred the water from the grayl, hands down. One water source was so foul smelling and discolored that nobody would drink it even after the other water treatments. We ran it through the grayl and it got rid of the smell, the color, and made it taste clean and pure. It was worth the weight and bulk in my opinion.
I agree it’s really not practical for off grid hikers. For all your he reasons you’ve stated. That said I to mine to southern Mexico last year for 3 months. I stayed most of that time far away from municipal water. The water that was available was from a large far above ground cistern that was open to the on top. For this the Grayl was a great asset. Back in the states it works effectively removing chlorine and bad taste from municipal water. And yes for camping I leave the Grayl st home and use the Katadyn!
The straw cost around the same price as a Grayl filter. But is capable of filtering 1k gallons of water. But like u said, "Grayl is filtering about everything" even microplastics (those are everywhere btw) So yeah, having one Grayl, straw, and something to boil water in is probably THE BEST! way to backpack.
I have been using it for fly fishing and it has been perfect especially with how quick it is to filter and since I am always on the water I can just carry grayl and I don't need to bring any additional water bottles with.
that right here made my decision to by it . ill be taking it to austria next time i go fly fishing there
I'm on board for the fact that it can screen all those toxins especially chemicals. I live in NJ so I'm glad.
If I’m hiking in Florida, where there’s a lot of pesticide and herbicide runoff in the canals, or along the CDT in stretches where I’ve got to get water out of cow ponds, then I’d probably prefilter my water with a Sawyer and use the Grayl as a finishing filter. Other than that, I’d just use a Sawyer in most conditions.
A few things,
1 - People need to stop commenting about the weight. Weight with something like this is not an issue it's a preference.
2 - Grayl is not a filter, it's a purifier.
3 - Pressing it requires both palms (one on each side) he did it one handed
For someone who travels by bicycle, grayl is amazing. It fits great in an expanded bottle cage and is very quick to filter a lot of water. Plus, it improves taste substantially.
I work overseas several times a year (one-month stays at Airbnbs) and I am tired of buying and carrying large jugs of water. So basically I would be using it to filter tap water in foreign countries. Would you recommend the Grayl for this type of setting? Another reason is that I just want to stop buying endless small plastic water bottles while on the road.
Yeah, its size and weight give pause, but IMHO its positives outweigh its negatives. I think some pieces of equipment are worth the extra weight, including the Grayl, which I will be using for bicycle touring and family / business trips.
If it works for you that's great. I like it, I just have other filters that will do the job at a fraction of the weight and bulk.
@@MyLifeOutdoors I appreciate the time and effort you invested into this review and for putting your video together for it. Great channel - liked and subscribed!
@@MyLifeOutdoors what other filters do you recommend that will stop viruses and heavy metals? Most others don’t, so I’m curious if there’s a good product out there for me that I don’t know about!
A comment to note that I don't see many talking about is the ability to refill the Grayl to top off if needed. I like mine I use it almost everyday while working on job sites where my water might be a garden hose.
Good point. Do you extend the bottom and keep water in there even when the inner bottle is full?
I suppose you would get some back flush pulling, and the filter would keep some of the water in the clean cup so you could top off. I would've liked a relief value in the cap so you could tighten the cap while you press down.
You absolutely, are the ONLY one that has answered ALL my questions. Thank you.
Happy I could help
Awesome video you have valid points.
If your a fisherman and your working streams and don't wanna bring a camel pack
Or multiple bottle of water, the grayl is awesome obviously you're not pulling water out of a mud puddle you're more likely gonna pull it from a stream, river or lake. It definitely has its place in the world. $100 to not be gut sick, great investment, obviously if you're back packing probably not the best, but again it has its place. Awesome video thank you.
I‘m using it for 2,5 years now, mountaineering, trekking usw. It’s convenient to be somehow independent from fresh water supply. Get some freshwater from a cold mountain spring beats everything in the summer. And the kids love it. Even 7-8 years old kids can „press it“, it’s a bit hard for them, but they‘ve always succeeded. You never know, if there’s a dead animal in the creek.
Hi I'm going for a long term trip in Peru. Wanted to ask how do you know, when you need to change the filter ? Thx 😊
@@Miska_Lada 1 filter lasts 350 fills.
I have one of the earliest editions of grayl, bought it through Orvis. my opinion was that the earlier versions were better for people that were backpacking. it was easily my favorite filter at the time. I could really tell that it was for travelers and people who weren't hiking/backpacking long distances. like you said. also that you had options for filters, depending on what you were doing. its nice to see the stream lining for their processes for filters. it didnt have the rubberized bottom but I miss the flat top lid that it had.
It's funny because my wife got one for the JMT and I thought it was a stupid concept, but it actually worked really well. I brought my MSR pump and basically never used it. We also would often end up filtering water for others on the trail. I could filter enough water to fill my 2.5l bladder in a couple minutes. That would be 250-300 pumps on my MSR and I usually have to take a little break every 100 or so as it begins to hurt my hand. I would point out you are doing it wrong. They is no need to put any force into it, that actually can make it slower and less effective. Just leave your table at home, put it on the ground, use your body weight and let gravity do the work.
For a biased vid,backpacking, you are spot on. But you mention how great this is for travel. Kudos to you for an honest straight up review!
Everything has its pros and cons. Amazing video!
Profound.
FYI - So at 21oz for large version and 65 gallons limit per filter that’s 410 uses before you need to replace filter.
How is there any question other than "How do I drink the cleanest water possible to keep my body performing in the backcountry?"
Any argument of weight between 8-10 vs even 32oz is moot. All of us have an extra 5lbs+ of fat on our bodies and all of us could get stronger. Work on ourselves instead of cutting corners to shave ounces from gear that is a static variable.
PS. Appreciate your videos and have purchased 60%+ of my gear from them. You're the pragmatic intellectual of overthinking and some of us can relate. 👍
Loved the intro, but definitely was let down that it couldn't filter the Coke! I was ready to be amazed!
Here is the video that claims it can. I agree very disappointing: m.th-cam.com/video/v6KBxPkNITo/w-d-xo.html
@@MyLifeOutdoors those guys are full of it!
it can filter orange lemonade to clear
Just catching up! Loved the intro. I think I just need to start using the quote "he chose...poooorly" way more often now.
It’s a great line!
I love my Grayl (Ultralight) -- travelled three weeks in Peru (surely amongst the filthiest water in the world) and did not get ill). Think you'd find it easier to press if you put your weight above it, rather than on level.
If you could carry all of the water that you needed for a trip, you wouldn't need a purifier.
this is very informative, I was about to buy one but now I'm thinking twice.
Buy it
Thanks for sharing, nice review. Recently, I bought the Grayl Geopress and I'm really happy with it! Easy handling and clean water ... perfect! :)
Great video-the perfect amount of information under 10 minutes.
I was considering buying one for my backpacking daughter who explores southern Colorado and Moab. However, she weighs 110lbs and now I doubt she has the strength to push the water through the filter
Since filming this I’ve come to learn some backpackers love them. I’m still not a fan. But I’m glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching.
She'll easily be able to do it
Thanks for the video. I'm looking to upgrade from a sawyer squeeze to something that will filter heavy metals. ...the search continues.
I like it, I live in Florida so we got some nice springs and we got also some of the most murkiest devils muck. It’s perfect for the spring water, but with its set up and my fear of gators, it requires a very special set up of: bucket + line, before daring to get water anywhere with it
Perfect for where I hike in Western Australia. Very few water sources and mostly all contaminated with farming - either pesticides or fertilizers. So this will be perfect.
I just bought a Lifesaver Wayfarer. Haven't used it yet as it has to be "primed" and once you do, you have to keep it wet and store more carefully, so I'm not gonna do that until shortly before the first time I take it out.
But by the claims, it bridges the gap between this and a pump. Filters the same stuff as the Grayl, operates like the Katadyn with comparable weight. And if you really want you don't have to take the charcoal filter element with you to shed an ounce or two more. Filter lasts longer than the Grayl, but much more expensive (though seems about the same as other pump filters). I plan on taking this with a sawyer mini backup since it's so light it's basically "free".
How would you say Grayl compares to a Lifesaver Liberty water bottle?
Personally find the grayl an easier set up in the fact i can just scoop up, filter and empty in to my larger bottles quickly and easily... Plus just feel safer with a better filter
I tried the coca cola trick. It absolutely doesn't work... The first time. I used a 2 litre bottle of coke and filtered the whole thing. Then I did it again, and again... All up I filtered it 6 times. It actually was almost clear at that point.
Folks in Flint and Jacksonville using grayl waterbottles have had more success in getting "forever chemicals" and other contaminants out of their water than with lifestraw or sawyer so there's that plus!
Thank you! I needed this list of cons!
Never heard of Grayl. Thanks for the video. It’s hard to imagine switching to it since my Sawyer mini, for all of its faults, is so relatively quick and easy in comparison and it weighs 90% less, costs 75% less, and filters more than 1,500 times more water than a Grayl before needing to be replaced. The Sawyer doesn’t filter out viruses or chemicals, but those are nonexistent in the mountain streams where I backpack. So clearly I do not fit Grayl’s target demographic.
I live in a heavy agriculture area so it’s safe to assume most of the streams are contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers etc. the fact that it filters out this stuff is the main reason I got one.
I think the main solution here is to Bring a hydration system for your pack and use your Grayl to Refill that 3L capacity
Thanks a lot for showing good and bad stuffs of this filter bottle
Everything you said is true, but it’s still my pick for the reason that it will filter out almost everything.
I have a Grayl, Sawyer mini, and a Katadyn BeFree. I prefer my BeFree. However backpacking here in MD I have encountered a few streams (roadside, and near farms) where I felt using the BeFree or Sawyer would be sketchy. I currently balance between weight and comfort and I am considering making a few trips with the Grayl to see if the cons outweigh my fears.
Yeah the Grayl is a good choice for streams potentially polluted by farms. I would carry the weight for that peace of mind.
Could I use this around cities? City rivers and such. I want to do some stealthy over nights in my city but not a lot of public water sources. Seems to get rid of the really bad stuff but I've not heard a solid awnser on use in a city yet
It certainly will make the water safer! Will it make it completely safe? I don’t know 🤷🏼♂️. If you try it I’m interested to hear what your experience is.
If you are backpacking the the US, Canada, or Europe, the issue is really just giardia. There are a LOT of lighter and less bulky water filters that will filter out giardia just as well as this one.
Love mine, mainly for the filter. Haven't had any problems pressing however I always strain through my bandana if water is bad. But here in PNW thats rare. Same with needing to carry water.
Buy a sawyer filter and pre filter your water before filtering through your grayl if the water is that bad ,
I have a grayl and very happy with it .
For the quality of water you get it's worth the price and using a cloth to pre filter will keep it from clogging. Being able to filter quickly into a container and have enough with one filter to get coffee and breakfast in 8 seconds is as convenient as it gets
The 24oz can be backflushed with an aldi 15oz tika masala glass bottle, 🤣. Fill the inner bottle to 1/4 full with purified water and put the glass bottle in and push. Untwist filter and push glass out from bottom and repeat steps. Do it 5-10 times. Easy.
I think one of the main use cases for Americans will be filtering out farm runoff / pesticides / herbicides / chemicals, etc. Grayl only says it will remove "some" of these, but the fact it does remove some is a step up.
I like the Grayl a lot. But with all water filters. I actually travel and carry a shemagh traveling and hiking and camping. Because I’ll fold my Shemagh a couple times and place it over the water I’ll filter or boil from wherever I get it. Just to get all the big and dirty crap out. And then use the filter “of any kind” or boiling it too. It saves the filters life and makes it easier. Also if it is hot out, you can wrap the Shemagh after around your neck to cool you
First of all, i really like your videos. Great stuff, artfully explained!
I just like the idea of not having hepataitis viruses in my water, this stuff is pretty resilient. Also i´m from europe, and there´s like farms and agriculture everywhere. So nitrate (?) is a thing. If you dont want to carry your 9kg or liters of water for a 3 day trip. This is my go to. Sry for typo and english, it´s not my foreign lanuage.