Versa Flow Light-Weight Water Filter

[Ken Larson]

The Versa Flow was designed to be as versatile as you. It easily adapts to your lifestyle and can be screwed onto a plastic water bottle, used inline with your hydration pack, used as a gravity system or bucket filter, or can be used as a straw so you can drink directly from the water source.

The Versa Flow water filter is one of the lightest and most convenient personal water filters on the market. Weighing in at only 2 ounces you don’t have to worry about adding extra weight to your pack or try to find a dedicated spot for it. It will fit virtually anywhere. This water filter is perfect for backpacking, hiking, camping, travel, and emergency preparedness.

Although it is lightweight, it is heavy in features. Every filter is built to exacting standards and exceeds EPA standards for filtration. The Versa Flow has many tiny tubes called hollow fiber. Hollow fiber works through size exclusion. Meaning the hollow fiber tubes have thousands of tiny holes (0.1 microns) that block 99.9999% of harmful bacteria, Giardia, E. coli, protozoan cysts, Cryptosporidium and more. All of these organisms are too large to fit through the 0.1 micron holes. Some manufacturers filter the water through the core of the hollow fiber tubes, but this restricts water flow because only so much water can fit through the core opening. We filter water through the outside of the tubes by bending the hollow fiber. This dramatically increases the surface area and flow rate of the filter while protecting the filter integrity itself. If the core of the tubes become clogged from sediment on the competitors filter you can no use the filter. The Versa Flow allows you to be able to backflush the filter, clearing out all of the particulate and increasing the lifespan of the filter. If you consistently backflush the filter you can use it almost indefinitely. This means no additional filters, cartridges, pumps, iodine drops, or batteries to ever buy again.

The Versa Flow water filter does not remove chemicals or viruses from water. Generally viruses are not found in North America or in municipal water supplies around the world. Check out the Clear Flow if you are concerned about heavy metals or chemicals in your water. Lightweight and low cost, the Versa Flow should be in everyone’s backpack, survival gear or travel bag.

http://hydroblu.com/versa-flow-light-weight-water-filter/

[Erik G]

Looks like an improved Mini Squeeze to me. I like the threads and nipples at both ends. Strange that it says it’s compatible with standard plastic bottles, but not smart water bottles. I thought they had the same threads as soda bottles/most other water bottles. Either way, I like the design.

[JCH]

There is a nice review on Section Hiker.

[Rex Sanders]

Bottle threads are neither simple nor completely standardized:

https://cnocoutdoors.com/blogs/blog/lets-talk-about-threads

— Rex

[Bill in Roswell]

After reading Phillip’s review on SectionHiker, I ordered a Hydroblu Versa just to check it out. The filter life appears equal to the Sawyer Squeeze. Having cap rings on both the inlet and outlet ends is a well thought touch that will appeal to the majority of backpackers (as does the price). Threads are built into both ends of the Versa. The Versa inlet end screws onto the outlet of the CNOC bladder securely – no leaks (Evernew Water Carry fits just as well). I’ve used a Sawyer Squeeze for years along with a bag of parts to make it fit different bottles and it’s worked well, but it’s just more stuff to keep track of (I go backpacking to simplify life, not have more stuff to keep up with!!!). The Versa does leak on the outlet end mated to a Smartwater bottle. Here is the interesting part: the Sawyer hack of adding a washer with filtering screen leaves the OEM Sawyer washer as just a spare part in the bag. I put the OEM Sawyer washer into the outlet end recess of the Versa (the screen washer will not fit due to nipple length on the Versa). Voila’, that did the trick. No water escaping on the outlet end. The Hydroblu will now be my primary water filter setup, no bag of parts needed. The Sawyer, which is still a great filter, will now be the loaner filter setup. Kudos to Hydroblu for building a better mousetrap!
Cheers,
Bill in Roswell, GA

[Liz Black]

I’m getting the hydroblu and I want a one liter bottle with sports cap to fit it – please recommend something ?

[Sam Farrington]

Thanks for the reference to Section Hiker – only way I could find the weight – 2.6 oz (wet).         But: “… you NEED to clean the filter thoroughly after each and every use. And then dry it up completely.”  That sounds a bit too much like the Sawyer Mini.  Will just continue to pick up one of the smaller Minis for the same price at Walmart before each trek.  But use mine with a small ketchup pump.  Maybe for gravity or sucking, the Versa Flow would work better.

 

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