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LifeSaver Liberty Bottle Review

By Dave Roberts   

on July 8, 2018    5/5 (3)

LifeSaver Liberty Bottle Review

Dave Roberts reviews the LifeSaver Liberty water filter that doubles up as a bottle.

The LifeSaver Liberty

is the worlds’ first and only portable water purifier which is a bottle with an inline pump combined.

The LifeSaver Liberty is designed for anyone in the outdoors who wants to ensure plenty of clean water on the go. We tested it while out on walks, but would be useful on wild camps and feasible in a small running pack.

Comprising of the main bottle, you can fill the compartment up with water directly from the source, or use the siphon kit for when the water source is a bit less accessible. Fresh water is just a few pumps away as you pull the lever out and build up pressure, with the purified water then flowing out in a generous enough stream.

You can also fill it with water and carry that with you, with a small lever sealing the filter up for transportation. The lid is held on with a loop so you can attach the Liberty bottle to your pack with a karabiner.

What are the main features?

Before you use the LifeSaver Liberty, you’ll need to properly prime it. This is simply a matter of filling it with water and pumping it out a few times in order to clear the filter. Be warned – you’ll need to read the instructions properly and ensure that the LifeSaver Liberty is stored with water in the compartment at all times. If it dries out then it becomes useless, just don’t ask us how we know!

Designed to remove virtually all viruses, bacteria and cysts (by virtually all, it’s 99.99% or better) and filtering up to 2000 litres of water, with FailSafe technology meaning that the filter will stop working as soon as the filter membranes are clogged. You can easily replace the filter – for around £50 – which is only around 2.5p per litre. Not only is that cheaper than stopping at the garage on the trip in, but you also avoid buying more and more infernal plastic.

In use, the LifeSaver Liberty was really simple. As we’ve already mentioned you fill the compartment and pump, ensuring that the white lever is in the ‘on’ position.

The supplied scavenger hose has a prefilter and makes filtering the water a breeze. No more having to go on all fours to try and get to that trickle that’s just out of reach when you can lower the hose into the source and pump. Of course, if there’s a flowing water source then you can fill the Liberty directly, which is great to give you a had start before pumping.

On the downside, the bottle only holds 400ml, which means that you’ll definitely need another bottle to carry more water. So look on the water carried by the Liberty bottle as a welcome extra rather than your main source. We used it when we stopped to fill ourselves up and you could easily fill whatever other bottles you and your companions happen to be carrying.

It takes around a minute to filter a litre of water, which isn’t a full minute of pumping until you get cramp in your hand and give up. A few initial pumps pressurises the Liberty, and a few more to keep it pressurised and you’re done. Finding water has been a logistical nightmare in the testing period as many smaller water sources higher up the mountains have dried up, so we often had to resort to tarns and stocking up from valley streams.

If you’re looking for a portable water filter for walking, wild camping or whatever outdoor activity that gets you out of the house, then the LifeSaver Liberty is a good choice. We’ver used all sorts of water filters in the past, from a traditional Katadyn to the Sawyer Microfilter and Lifestraw, each with it’s merits. The LifeSaver Liberty is more expensive than a Sawyer Microfilter, but the filtering is effortless owing to the pressurised bottle.

It’s also useful for groups, so makes an ideal choice for sociable walkers or outdoorsy families. £89 means that the water costs under 5p per litre initially, dropping to 2.5 with a filter refill. You’ll also be doing your bit for the environment as you won’t need to stock up on plastic bottles on the way.

What The Manufacturer Says

The LifeSaver® Liberty™

  •  Removes:
    • Virus – 99.999%
    • Bacteria – 99.9999%
    • Cysts – 99.99%
  • Independently tested to exceed full NSF/ANSI P231 and WHO2011 ‘Highly protective tier’ drinking water standards
  • Comes with 5ft Scavenger Hose for drawing water directly from source, meaning:
    • Easier accessibility to water
    • No need to get hands wet
    • Filter larger volumes in one go
    • Ability to filter directly into additional containers
  • Filters up to 2,000 litres
  • Filter Cartridge is replaceable
  • Replaceable Activated Carbon Disc for removal of chlorine, taste and odour
  • FailSafe technology – Once the filter membranes are blocked, water can not pass through, keeping users safe
  • 400ml capacity
  • Fast flow rate – 1.2 L/min
  • No chemicals or electricity required
  • No strenuous sucking or pressing required
  • Easy to use Flow Valve to control flow rate
  • Transparent windows to see water level
  • Hook on lid for your carabiner
  • SteriTouch® antimicrobial materials used
  • Product materials and water effluent both BPA and BPS free

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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