Water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink…

Simple and easy to use, the pump-free Meta Bottle + Microfilter* combines a personal water bottle with a backcountry-ready water filter for hassle-free hydration. 

Water filtration technology has come a long way in event years with systems getting smaller and the advent of personal systems that you can take on a day hike becoming more mainstream. Platypus, the drinks bottle manufacturer has entered the market with the excellent Platypus Meta Bottle, a squeezy water bottle with a filtration system in the lid. Simply fill with water, squeeze the water through the filter lid and drink until your thirst is quenched. It really is as simple as that!

I’ve been using the Meta Bottle all summer (as well the new and improved Platypus Soft Bottles) and found it a great bottle to use if I feel I want to fill up from streams and mountain tarns. It just adds that extra bit of safety, even if I am pretty sure the water is OK to drink. It’s just so easy to use so why wouldn’t I?

The bottle comes in three parts – the main bottle which is made from BPA and BPS free rubberised plastic, the lid which has a nice wide and rubberised screw top lid and the removable filter unit. So you can remove the filter unit and use the Platypus Meta Bottle as a normal water bottle for use with tap water. It compresses really well so stows away in a pack for travel.

The Meta Bottle Microfilter meets all EPA and NSF guidelines for the removal of 99.9999% Bacteria and 99.9% of Protozoa, including Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E.coli, Salmonella and Cholera. It typically lasts for a 1000 litres and replacements can be bought. It’s important to note that although the Meta bottle itself is dishwasher proof, the filter isn’t, so be vigilant when washing it out.

The volume is stated as one litre, this is true if you remove the filter unit and fill the bottle through the top lid. If you are using the filter though the working volume is more like 0.75 litres as you need to remove the main lid to fill the bottle up. I didn’t even try to fill the bottle up through the top and through the filter as it looked a long and the whole idea of the Platypus Mega Bottle is fast, easy and safe water.

As with all these types of bottle, you need to us it often to get the best results and the more you use it the more natural tasting your water will be. It takes a while for the strange taste to dissipate but it does if you persevere and in any case it tastes so much better than Chlorine or Iodine (if you can get hold of it!).

Platypus have really come up trumps with the Mega Bottle, it’s priced well and it really works.  So there is no reason not to have one in your pack and fill up with lovely stream water whenever you are out in the mountains. I have decided to issue these as standard emergency water devices on all my expeditions.

The Platypus Meta bottle comes in two sizes, 0.75L and 1L and 6 colours and the filter unit comes in 2 colours.

SRP: Bottle only £16:00 and the bottle + filter £40.00

Available from selected retailers from Sept/Oct.

Dave Sarkar has tested and reviewed climbing, mountaineering and outdoor equipment for almost 10 years. He works as a qualified MIA both in the UK and Internationally: working full time as a mountaineering instructor and expedition leader for his company Wild Spaces. When he isn’t working in the mountains he’s playing in the mountains and enjoys all aspects climbing and mountain sports whether bouldering at his local crag or ice climbing; as long as he’s going upwards he’s happy!