Gear Review: Platypus GravityWorks Water Filter System
Review: Having used a pretty wide spectrum of water filtration systems, I can say, gravity feed systems are by far my favorite. The biggest advantage is the ability to filter large quantities of water with minimal effort, with the added advantage of being able to do other activities while the water is filtering. So in some respects, this is a general review of all gravity feed type systems, but i’m most familiar with the platypus gravity works system, because that’s what I have been using for the past 3 years.
The principle is very simple… Fill a bag with water and hang it off the ground (I typically secure it to a low tree branch or camp line, but I’ve used a hiking pole or simply held it up in a pinch), attach an inline filter to your “dirty” water bag, and then allow gravity to do it’s thing. The system comes with a “clean” bag, but I typically filter the water directly into whatever im using (bottle, pot, etc…) on an as needed basis. Water is filtered at roughly 1.5L per minute, so even if you are filling a hydration reservoir, the whole process probably won’t take more than 5-10 minutes.
Imagine the following typical scenario on any backpacking trip… You’ve just gotten to camp after a long hike. You’re tired, it’s hot, and it’s probably sometime in the afternoon. You drop your pack and trek down to the lake to pump water for the evening. You set up your pump system, squat down at the water’s edge, and begin the tedious task of pumping several liters of water while the sun beats down and the mosquitos swarm your face. All told, you’re probably down there for 20 min or more, and when you’re done, you’re even more tired than you were before, and you’ve got several bites. Not to mention, you still haven’t set camp. Now imagine that same scenario with a gravity feed system… You drop your pack, fish out a water bag, and fill it at the same lake. You walk back to your pack, grab the filter, and hang everything off a nearby branch. The water filters itself while you set camp. And in that same 20 minute window, you’ve got camp ready, plenty of fresh water, no bites, and you’re ready to kick up your feet and relax.
Do yourself a favor and use a gravity system. Pumps suck. Iodine doesn’t taste all that great. And don’t even get me started on life straws. I also recommend purchasing an extra filter cartridge to swap to if the filter clogs up during a trip. Platypus recommends backflowing the filter to clear debris, which has worked fine for me, but as a general rule it’s always a good idea to make sure you’re covered when it comes to water.
Dimensions: (Filter) 2” x 8.5” / (reservoir) 17.7” x 9.1”
Weight: 11.5 ounces