I was looking around for a water purifier to use on backpacking trips, and for more wilderness camping where the water could not be defined as potable.  Many of the campsites we stay on even when not backpacking have tank water that really should be purified first.  Many backpackers I have met don’t bother with purification at many water sources however I purify at every source that is not a verified water supply.  Why? Well I had a bad experience backpacking when I was younger drinking water from a stream on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition hike and since then have always purified water.

I was after something simple to use and rather than a pump filter and something other than chemicals… My search came down to looking at UV purifiers.  There are the stick purifiers you stir around and then also the All Clear from CamelBak.  What I like about this one is that the head unit is a bottle cap so screw this on your bottle, agitate for 60 seconds and your ready to drink, very easy.

I have put together a video review below from when we were on the Thorsborne Trail… Apologies for the very loud waterfall in the background!

So a bit of a summary on the pros and cons with this:

Pros

• Bottle and UV Purifier come as part of the kit and it’s a great easy to use design, just screw on and press the button, agitate for 60 seconds and your ready to go
• The kit comes with a standard lid and pouch so you can stow away the UV cap
• USB Charging is great and on a full charge lasts for many purifications.  On the trip discussed in the video we used it approximately 30 times and still had a lot of charge (above half).  Great thing is if you carry a battery pack like I do
  then it’s easily charged from that if you are on a long trip
• No issues with taste like using the chemical purification which is what I have previously used on most other trips.

Cons

• Does not come with the Pre-Filter, you need to buy this in addition and I would recommend it as it keeps all the larger sediment particles out when filling from a stream.  It’s also a positive as it works really well, would just be nice if it came as part of the kit.
• Bulkier than the stick type UV filter as you need a bottle to screw it to, however I use this in combination with my 3L CamelBak water bladder so this combination works well.

I am no expert in understanding what types of bacteria are killed, I just want to know it has worked!  This is the description from CamelBak “Reducing bacteria by 99.9999%; viruses by 99.99% and protozoan cysts by 99.9%; All Clear purifies water not only to stringent EPA standards; but to CamelBak s uncompromising standards of safety and performance”.

The other point to note is CamelBak’s after sales support which in Australia is undertaken by Sea to Summit.  I have used this when I had an issue with my water bladder and the guys sent me a new bladder straight out to the nearest shop.  This was simple after sending a quick picture and description of the issue through.  Having good support after you purchase the product is so important.

To look at the product details on Wild Earth Australia take a look at the links below:

CamelBak All Clear 750ml UV Water Purifier Bottle 

CamelBak All Clear Pre-Filter

Review Transparency…A bit of info about this review as I get asked this many times so like to make it clear… This review is for a product I purchased myself and use on my adventures.  I am not sponsored by the brand or by anyone else.  This is a genuine review of what I use and hope you find this useful.  I do have an affiliate link from an outdoor store I use for most of my gear and find their prices really good as well as their customer service.  If you find this review useful then you can use my link to connect through or you can head off and do your own research on where to buy etc. My main aim is that you find this useful and if you do buy it by clicking on my link I will get commission on it at no cost to you.