Initially reaching popularity with their LifeStraw portable water filter (which Time magazine named Invention of the Year), Vestergaard is a reputable, family owned company that manufactures outdoor and survival products.
Today we are reviewing the LifeStraw GO, a superstar sequel to their original invention.
This water bottle filter is a both a portable water filter and a sturdy, BPA-free water bottle that
you can carry around with you every time you’re camping or traveling.
Features
On the outside, the LifeStraw Go seems to have it all. And that really is the case when you start playing with it.
The whole bottle filtration system consists of two parts.
The water filter (hollow fiber membrane with the carbon filter on top):
…and the bottle with the cap:
When combined, you get a complete water filtering device that you can clip onto your belt and bag.
The simple part of this unit is the actual bottle itself (with the cap).
Needless to say, the bottle is extremely well built.
Sturdy, BPA-free plastic can hold up to 23-ounces, and is leak-proof.
The sturdiness comes from the type of plastic used in production, Tritan — one of the toughest types of plastic out there, and also the most environmentally friendly one at that.
The cap features a silicone mouthpiece that pops out (mouthpiece is replaceable) and closes in a snug fit, so it completely seals off the contents of the bottle.
And while there’s not much more to say about the bottle itself, the filter that goes in it is in a league of its own.
Based on the original LifeStraw portable water filter, the Straw that goes inside this bottle is a work of art:
It’s a 2-stage filtration system that consists of a hollow fiber membrane and a carbon capsule.
The membrane micro-filter is made out of hollow fiber membranes which have 0.2 micron microscopic pores.
These pores trap bacteria, parasites and microplastics when you draw through the straw, and thus filter the dirty water, making it completely safe to drink.
The carbon capsule in the LifeStraw Go is used to absorb other contaminants.
Both of these obviously need to be replaced from time to time:
The maximum volume you can get with the straw is a thousand gallons or 4.000 litres (which means one set will last for months) and the carbon filter will need to be replaced every 26 gallons or 100 liters.
Besides bacteria, parasites and microplastics, this filtration system also reduces chlorine and can filter up to 99% of all waterborne bacteria and waterborne parasites.
Best of all, it does so without using any chemicals.
The filtration system goes down to 0.2 microns which ensures there’s no aftertaste or odor. I sincerely recommend keeping the carbon filter on at all times, to ensure maximum filtering.
When I first bought it, I filtered water from a muddy stream near my house and I can tell you that the LifeStraw Go took that murky water and made it completely tasteless.
As a bonus, you can clip the LifeStraw off completely and just use it as a a portable water filer, without the water bottle.
How to use the LifeStraw Go water bottle?
It cannot be simpler.
Take the bottle and dip it into the water source (or fill it up with water if you’re under a waterfall).
Attach the membrane filter to the bottle cap and screw the cap back on.
Use the silicone mouthpiece on the straw to suck the water in. The water gets filtered as you suck in.
Just like that, you have clean water everywhere you go.
Since the straw goes almost all the way down, you won’t end up with too much water at the bottom and there will be room for sediment to settle (trust me, you don’t want to drink the sediment).
LifeStraw water bottle video
Check out this quick run down on the LifeStraw Go and its features.
Conclusion
LifeStraw Go water bottle filter is probably the best $25 I’ve ever spent.
It’s sturdy, durable and, most importantly, it will keep you alive in the wild.
Just find a water source, fill it up and you’re good to go.
As a bonus, you can use it in your day to day life, as God knows we have more than enough plastic around us. We don’t need to drink it as well.