Do you like Grayl? Please let me know why or why not. Grayl GeoPress Water Filter: geni.us/UM2Xwf Grayl Ultralight Water Filter: geni.us/T4hCpa

I used my Grayl for the first time this summer in a stream in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the water was brown and orange from the iron ore. The Grayl made the water crystal clear and the taste was completely neutral. I was sold.

Found your channel a few hours ago and have been watching and agreeing with many videos until this one. My first experience with Grayl has been rather bad as well. On the very first day I filtered water three times and by the third time the time it took went up to 24 seconds and it became extremely difficult to press. Like you said, since you can’t back flush it I thought I made a grave error. Since then I learned quite a few things: First, you just need to learn at what pace to press. You shouldn’t apply too much force expecting to brut through the speed and cut it short. Steady does the trick. Second, yes, just place it on the ground and use your body weight. Third, clearly you should pre-filter the water and/or use a better source. I bought a spirulina fabric (which is kind of like a nut milk bag) that has one layer of .2m (point two micron) which I use as a pre-filter. Fourth, once you dry the filter a lot of the particles will fall off and the time it takes to press will go back down. Fifth, the funny thing is I had far worse problems with the Katadyn Hiker Pro clogging and other issues so all in all I consider the Grayl to be one of the safer options if only for having less moving parts. Plus, the Katadyn has been found to develop micro holes throughout the layers which effectively makes it impractical to the point of being dangerous. Sixth, with all due respect to the “difficulty” of placing it on the ground and using your body weight to press for 14 seconds… please… compare that time to most filters and it’s literally the fastest filtration system in the world. By the time you filled up one of those silly Sawyer bags or got the Katadyn out of the bag I would have finished filtering and drinking already and continued on my way. I also found that the Katadyn gets heavier with usage and takes ages to dry. From my experience the Grayl is much better at everything but one thing (that the Katadyn is better for) which is when you need to filter through a crack and slipping a tube into an underground stream. In twenty years of backpacking and over seven years of backpacking combined and living a whole year in a tent while backpacking through half the planet, I have not once “had” to do that and had no other choice but that. Still. It is a theoretical point. As per pre-filtration, I’ve seen someone collecting water in a nylon bag, allowing it to sit so the particles will sink then carefully scooping from the top, pre-filtering again, into a filter. Not saying it’s ideal but if you don’t want to get stuck with broken gear seven day off of civilization, that is what you do. Again, in twenty years of backpacking I have not once needed to filter mud. The bottom line is that there’s simply no competition and the comparison is erroneous at best. No other filter filters what the Grayl does. Where you see weight and bulk, I see very cheap life insurance. I prefer cutting on a shirt and lighter weight sleeping mat but not risking screwing up my health for all eternity from some sinistre bacteria or worse, a virus. Any portable filter will be gambiling but using any other filter will be gambling a lot more. Obviously, if I was backpacking through places like northern England or the south of France where I know there is clean water shooting up straight from a spring, then the Sawyer or Katadyn would suffice (if at all necessary) but if I’m setting off on a year long backpacking trip and I have no idea where I’ll end up and/or I’m going to a third world country and/or I’m not sure about whether there’s pesticide spraying, etc, then the Grayl is the best option. In fact, it is the only option.

My fiancé and I have had the Grayl (older) for two years now. We just bought the upgraded version. I will never go out on the trail hiking or camping without it. Down here in Florida, it’s quite polluted almost everywhere. If you’re on the Florida Trail it’s a must. Especially when you come up through miles of farmlands and groves. The runoff of pesticides/chemicals get into the majority of the water supply(canals/rivers). The coasts are just as bad with pollution that goes for miles offshore. I understand it definitely has some added weight. Which can be a down fall for thru hikers. But, for safety and a piece of mind. It’s a definite winner! 🥾⛺️🌳💦

I bought a Grayl Ultralight for everyone (4 people) in my family. While it may not be perfect, I feel that the added piece of mind in that it will get rid of viruses was worth it.

Because I travel extensively across the Americas I got the Geopress. Recently used it for a week in Lima, Perú. I used it 4-6 times a day using tap water. Was a great change from buying bottled water. The morning I fly back to USA I emptied it, pressed it 3-4 times while empty and had no problems with airport security.

Hello Steven, I believe you have been quite thorough in your review and explained everything as it stands! A well researched and presented video! Thank you. As a sales professional who travels to various developing countries (and of course even within India!), I am in tandem with your viewpoint that this could benefit travellers such as I. I will be actively considering buying the Grayl soon. Cheers…..

I know I’ve seen others say this, but your overall production quality is nuts. Really enjoy your videos.

For anyone watching, the smaller and lighter version of the geopress is called grayl ultrapress

Can I just admit I got the grayl because it looks cool. As always, I carry a hydra blue filter as a backup. Always carry a backup. The lightest, smartest decision you can make. No clean water and your trip is a bad one.

I've owned Sawyer products for many years, and they are always my top recommendation. I just recently bought a Grayl, and it is now my top recommended filter. I'll soon be doing a video review on it.

I have both the Grayl Geopress and the Platypus Quickdraw. I pretty much agree with your assessment with a slight twist. If I have the space and I have the weight allowance I prefer the Grayl for its ease of use and purification abilities. Usually this would mean while traveling, on a short backpacking trip, or on a day hike. I don't mind overkill when it comes to purifying my drinking water. If I'm using the Geopress indoors, e.g. a hotel room, I find it's easiest to set it in a sink, place both bent elbows on the pressing points, and lean my body weight on it. If space is a concern, I want something lighter weight, *and* I'm fairly certain a simple filter will suffice I would take the Platypus Quickdraw with some extra Platypus 1 liter pouches and/or a bladder. I like having both filters and having the choice as to which one to bring depending on the situation!

Great video.I have noticed, most reviewers are not much more than glorified salespeople for the product.They tend to give good reviews for the good things of the product but fail to give a complete and honest review. I understand that's how most of y'all make a living. Nice to see someone like you being honest and letting us make a decision based on your results.

That has been by far the best filter water bottle I’ve used. I love mine. Great video

Okay, I am thinking of this as a great household item when the city water goes down , contaminated or drinking from well or other sources that may have contamination or virus issues. In this case, depending one the situation, I think it would be wise to pre-filter the water with something like a Sawyer squeeze. During certain weather events, the city water plant may be shutdown, have chemical contamination, or in droughts taste like chicken poop in this part of Oklahoma. In the west, no telling what may be leftover from old oil wells. Even a well that has good clean water except for salmonella, their may be chemicals from agriculture or energy production that leached in. This would be a good supplement to make sure the water is safe. In the old well when hunting, we typically let it run till the red sand clears up then drink from it. Supposedly the water filters in a sand layer for 1000 years, but doesn’t mean something hasn’t contaminated it or the pipes.

Thank you! I needed this list of cons!

Love your straight-forward, no nonsense, and concise reviews.

This was a great watch thank you! I have had the Grayl Ultrapress the past year. And yes for backpacking that i have down it is not the best. However, now I am in Peace Corps in Rwanda were a big problem is parasites (Schistosomiasis/schisto) and there is little to no water/plumbing infrastructure. I have not gotten anything yet and its been a great traveling item.

Thanks for sharing, nice review. Recently, I bought the Grayl Geopress and I'm really happy with it! Easy handling and clean water ... perfect! :)

I love my Grayl. We use it for drinking water. My well has a lot of iron dissolved in the water table. The Geopress gets the stuff out easily.

Absolutely love my Grayl the fact that it filters out viruses and heavy metals is everything 🙏🏼

You absolutely, are the ONLY one that has answered ALL my questions. Thank you.

Grayl bottle is my choice for water filters on trail, sure it’s a little heavier than be free or others, but the filter is so much better, allows so much more water through and is so much more convenient. Love it

Excellent review, thank you !

Great video and review. Thanks for sharing. For me it's more of a trust thing. I have grayl, sawyer, and life straw. I still have yet to use any of them as it is hard for me to trust that I wont get sick and they actually do what they claim. I feel you video might get me to actually try/use one of them.

Found your video very interesting, and admit all the cons you've said are cons for me as well. I live in Australia, and use my geopress when doing kayaking, bikepacking and hiking, and combining all three. I live near the Murray River, which is one of Australia's longest rivers, and used for agricultural irrigation - as well as drinking water etc for towns. This is extremely common across the board for Australia. The issue with using your rivers for irrigation and drinking water is that there's plenty of agricultural chemicals and waste end up in it, not to mention the European carp issue. When it ends up in people's taps and houses, it's been purified and is completely safe. That said more often than not, you're completely fine using the river water if you're only out for a night or too and just use a standard filter (love my katadyn), but week long trips out in the Aussie bush, no reception, no one around is another thing. This is where I think the Grayll excels. In regards to the particulates issue, I generally always use a milbank bag going directly into the grayll, never had an issue with this method.

From a kayaking/ canoeing perspective it is amazing. We use gravity filters at camp, but on the boat or as a backup group filter, the grayl is a winner

Finally a good review ,the best part of the video is when you said it’s more for people who travel outside the country! ✌🏼✌🏼 most videos I saw were only doing pros not cons !

The grayl can hold up and transport up to 1l of clean water itself. So it is also a bottle. It not so much bigger than a 1l canteen and if you add the weight of a 1 l nalgene to another filtering system, the added amount of the grayl is not so much as it seems at the first glimpse.

Very interesting review, thank you!

I like it, I live in Florida so we got some nice springs and we got also some of the most murkiest devils muck. It’s perfect for the spring water, but with its set up and my fear of gators, it requires a very special set up of: bucket + line, before daring to get water anywhere with it

Great video-the perfect amount of information under 10 minutes. I was considering buying one for my backpacking daughter who explores southern Colorado and Moab. However, she weighs 110lbs and now I doubt she has the strength to push the water through the filter

A GRAYL Ultrapress filter replacement costs about $25. Assuming a user is filtering reasonably clear water with low turbidity, it will provide up to 250 clean and safe half-liters of drinking water. That’s 10 cents per press. A great value by any measure, and safer than all of the other filters that don’t remove chemicals or viruses. I got the new Titanium Ultrapress, and have Amazon auto-ship me a new filter every 3 months, just so I’ll have spares when I need them. I’d suggest a 2-3 liter water bladder or a big Nalgene bottle to pour filtered water into for extra storage if you need it. GRAYL is awesome, and cheaper than getting sick even once. Happy trails..

A Milbank bag or even a simple cotton bandana can help dramatically with particulates. I've never had water shoot out. And never had a problem pushing the filter down.

No one talks about this but the fact that you don't have to get your hands wet to fill it up is very handy in cold places to avoid freezing hands.

Thank you for an honest review

Great, review, it couldnt be more detailed haha, thanks a lot !

Everything has its pros and cons. Amazing video!

Thanks man, great video!!

LOL! Great intro! Your channel is going to blow up!

I work overseas several times a year (one-month stays at Airbnbs) and I am tired of buying and carrying large jugs of water. So basically I would be using it to filter tap water in foreign countries. Would you recommend the Grayl for this type of setting? Another reason is that I just want to stop buying endless small plastic water bottles while on the road.

Great info! Definitely sounds like a hassle for the backcountry but great for travel in general. I’ve stayed at many places here I the US where I wish I had a filter handy.

Some forget to loosen the cap while baring down with their body weight to push the filter plunger down. Loosening the cap will help to avoid a brain aneurism or worse. Also you should pre-soak the filter itself for about 10 minuets

I love my grayl!! The only thing I've noticed is that sometimes some of the unfiltered water does not come through the filter. Most likely I don't press it with the right way. Any idea about this?

I have a Grayl, Sawyer mini, and a Katadyn BeFree. I prefer my BeFree. However backpacking here in MD I have encountered a few streams (roadside, and near farms) where I felt using the BeFree or Sawyer would be sketchy. I currently balance between weight and comfort and I am considering making a few trips with the Grayl to see if the cons outweigh my fears.

this is very informative, I was about to buy one but now I'm thinking twice.

Awesome man. Thanks for your opinion on it. I picked up the GRAYL for the very situation you said it would shine in: travel through developing countries with potentially contaminated water systems. I’m recently back from a trip and it worked beautifully. I did however notice all those little things you did as well. The inability to easily place it into a pocket, the weight, the limited capacity. But the peace of mind it offered was worth it to me while overseas.

Thanks man, exactly what I wanted, No BS.

Have you seen or used the Alexapure squeeze water bottle filter. It is supposed to be as good as their home gravity filter, but able to be used on the go. I own a few of them and for the price, it seems to be a really nice filter.

For me, it depends what I'm doing, and where I'll be doing it. On day hikes here in upstate NY, I carry a Grayl, and no other water bottle. There is water everywhere up here..... But there are also farms everywhere, and along with them, lots of chemicals. The Grayl filters out all of that crap, AND holds my water. If I'm going to be carrying stuff over long distances, or for multiple days, I'll probably switch out to a Sawyer, as it's way lighter and can be back flushed. For travel, it's the Grayl again, for all of the reasons you mentioned. Different tools for different jobs I say.

Thank you for this review.

I really just like the piece of mind. My husband has a thing for going to Mexico and South America and this is a great way to ensure that the water is safe to drink in areas where you can't be certain whether the tap water is safe to drink. It saves a lot of money on bottled water. While the seemingly low overall capacity can be seen as a drawback, it is much better than some of the other systems out there as far as shareability goes. You can press and fill many containers. I've had a couple instances with user error as far as having some water shoot up at me, but once I figure it out what I was doing wrong I haven't had any problems since. Mostly it was me not making sure that the filter was lined up properly. Yup, can't deny that it is a little on the heavy side, but I like it a lot. I bought this to replace an older much heavier system that I could no longer find filters for. If they come out with one that has a longer lifespan as far as the amount of water that can be filtered. I would jump on it in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the review.

I too bought my grayl for traveling India, I have stage 3CKD so good clean water is essential, price is nothing compared to piece of mind and safe water. Nice video and I agree not suitable for a backpack, unless dirty water is going to be an issue

Does anybody have any experience with the water- to- go filters?

Just catching up! Loved the intro. I think I just need to start using the quote "he chose...poooorly" way more often now.

Excellent review! That intro haha

For a biased vid,backpacking, you are spot on. But you mention how great this is for travel. Kudos to you for an honest straight up review!

I actually think its a pretty nice filter. Most people carry a nalgaen bottle in their waterbottle pocket anyways. So picture a waterbottle that is also a water filter. 350 presses is quite alot. Might not seem it but think about how many nalgaen bottles of water you drink on a trip or smartwater bottles. Aslong as water sources are available where you hike like they are where i hike. Then bam! Waterbottle filter in one. My only real concern was as you say the pressure it takes to fill it up. If you were injured on trail this could be a problem. The grayl is heavy duty though and should not fail you in that respect. Fill, press, drink!! Not many filters can do that. If you buy just buy with an extra $25 filter and always carry it with you and i do not see this water filter failing anytime soon. Weight is a bummer where as the most expensive katadyne filter at $300 weighs only a pound. But cost and ease of use even this filter out for me. I don't plan on filtering soda pop anytime soon either but i get it. Grayl has filtered some of the nastiest water ive seen and its crystal clear and safe to drink everytime. Good review man!!

I use it for Moto Camping, weight and bulk is fine for me. You got the same colot as me. I use mine as a travel filter to filter municipal water in hotels and campgrounds instead of humping bottle water cases. It is my filter of choice and works great for my coffee water needs. I have an old sawyer for hiking needs. And a Berkey with black and arsenic filters then a Pure Water distiller dripping through a charcoal bag to pollish the water I use for coffee at home made from Indianapolis water.

Thanks a lot for your video ! Is very useful for me.

Best review I have seen on Grayl 👍

Loved the intro, but definitely was let down that it couldn't filter the Coke! I was ready to be amazed!

Great video. Thank you ‼️

The Grayl geopress is awesome……. for some situations. For the ultralight hiker it’s going to weigh too much and not carry enough. For me it’s perfect. I do a lot of rafting and packrafting and the convenience to just lean over grab water and filter it on the go is ideal. I have a hiker pro pump as well and found I put off drinking because I have to pull over and get the pump out and fill a bottle. With the Grayl I just scoop up another bottle full as soon as it’s empty.

Could I use this around cities? City rivers and such. I want to do some stealthy over nights in my city but not a lot of public water sources. Seems to get rid of the really bad stuff but I've not heard a solid awnser on use in a city yet

I don’t care if the bottle is heavier than other options. I’ll carry less granola. Lols Being able to purify around 65 gallons of water is amazing. PURIFY. There isn’t much that removes everything this thing does, and there is some nasty stuff out there.

Very informative video

I took a Grayl Geopress on a 9-day 50+ mile backpacking trip with some Scouts. Between the crew members we had several water treatment options but everyone preferred the water from the grayl, hands down. One water source was so foul smelling and discolored that nobody would drink it even after the other water treatments. We ran it through the grayl and it got rid of the smell, the color, and made it taste clean and pure. It was worth the weight and bulk in my opinion.

I used my Grayl Geopress for the first time camping in Congaree National Park in South Carolina. The first few times I filtered out the dirty water from its various streams and creeks, it did not take too much force. Water filtered by this filter might have been the best tasting water I've ever had. After a little while of filtering this super dirty water I needed to press down HARD on the filter for 60 seconds or more to filter it. I cannot find any resources online for backflushing the grayl filter, either. I think from now on I will carry some kind of cheesecloth or finer filter to cup over the bottom container's opening when scooping water.

You hit pretty accurately on a lot of points. Some of the cons, however, aren't really a big issue if the user reads the instructions and employs a bit of care and common sense. I agree that it shines for travel.

I travel through Western Europe a lot. Since there im are city’s everywhere you can never be sure about the water. So I really like great this bottle can filter out everything. Is there another smaller filter system without a bottle that does the same? I really liked the smaller pumps you showed.

I'd say it actually made me want it more. The cons helped adjust my expectations, but something portable like that (in a car/travel sense) sounds like a great option that could also be used for the occasional backpacking trip, as well. Thank you, as always for the honest review.

Just got back from a trip in Tamagami, Ontario. My buddy was using the Grayl while I was using my 4 litre GravityWorks Platypus. My water tasted like lake water. It was safe to drink and all but just didnt taste that great. I just got home last night and ordered the 16oz Grayl. Ill still keep my Platy and filter the water from the Platy in the Grayl when I just want drinking water. For cooking ill still use the Platypus.

Awesome video you have valid points. If your a fisherman and your working streams and don't wanna bring a camel pack Or multiple bottle of water, the grayl is awesome obviously you're not pulling water out of a mud puddle you're more likely gonna pull it from a stream, river or lake. It definitely has its place in the world. $100 to not be gut sick, great investment, obviously if you're back packing probably not the best, but again it has its place. Awesome video thank you.

Love mine, mainly for the filter. Haven't had any problems pressing however I always strain through my bandana if water is bad. But here in PNW thats rare. Same with needing to carry water.

How would you say Grayl compares to a Lifesaver Liberty water bottle?

I love my Grayl (Ultralight) -- travelled three weeks in Peru (surely amongst the filthiest water in the world) and did not get ill). Think you'd find it easier to press if you put your weight above it, rather than on level.

First of all, i really like your videos. Great stuff, artfully explained! I just like the idea of not having hepataitis viruses in my water, this stuff is pretty resilient. Also i´m from europe, and there´s like farms and agriculture everywhere. So nitrate (?) is a thing. If you dont want to carry your 9kg or liters of water for a 3 day trip. This is my go to. Sry for typo and english, it´s not my foreign lanuage.

Thank you for your work . . . I see that Patience is key with this and it would have a place in bug out gear . . .

I used my Grayl at the lesser Blue Spring (not the one in Eminance, MO) in Ozark NSR and as I pressed I could see lots of bubbles come up through the filter. The water tasted fine but 2 days later I got very loose, explosive stool. Any thoughts?

My Grayl actually failed with the top cup that screw in to inner fo filter, i cannot use it anymore - as it become unreliable to hold on to - and to pull. It pops up from thread with little pressure

If it’s not the best than what is? Just used my grayl and I’m not sick so there’s that. But what other equivalent would you suggest over grayl? Thanks.

Do you need to use the filter all the time? Or can you just use it by filling it up? For example.... not going on a hike but going to the gym instead.

Excelent discusion topic. I guess your way analize it is right an common sense... Thanks.. Greetings from Venezuela.

I did a test with cold tea. It did not remove any color at all, or maybe a bit. So, it does not remove color. And yes, it is awkward to push so hard, but after some rtimes you learn to use your weight. And for sure, there are no other filter as fast as the Grayl. Still, color went trough it. I don't know if it has any safety issue.

How did you manage to fit that whole clip in without getting a copyright strike? I'm impressed.

That other video is a complete lie 😂😂😂😂. Man... Your the man! Facts don't lie! Keep up the good work!

A comment to note that I don't see many talking about is the ability to refill the Grayl to top off if needed. I like mine I use it almost everyday while working on job sites where my water might be a garden hose.

Thank you for demo of grayl. As I suspected it is to hard to use. If my life changes and i travel wielrd places I will try to borrow one to see if I can make it work.

I have one of the earliest editions of grayl, bought it through Orvis. my opinion was that the earlier versions were better for people that were backpacking. it was easily my favorite filter at the time. I could really tell that it was for travelers and people who weren't hiking/backpacking long distances. like you said. also that you had options for filters, depending on what you were doing. its nice to see the stream lining for their processes for filters. it didnt have the rubberized bottom but I miss the flat top lid that it had.

I'm on board for the fact that it can screen all those toxins especially chemicals. I live in NJ so I'm glad.

Saying the Grayl does not filter turbid water is analogous to my 150.00 knife not cutting granite. No filter is advised to filter turbid water. I clip my grayl on outside of pack. My favorite in the U.S. is Katadyn Be Free. Outside U.S. Grayl. Bring a platypus or Nalgene canteen for filling. No problem. Very well done video.

I've used my Grayl at least 100 times, and I've never had water shoot up the sides like that. Also, using body weight to press/filter water instead of working a tiny pump with your arms is so much more efficient. You're correct about the bottle being a bit heavy, but the quality of the bottle and the filter makes up for it. Your videos are great, but this one was pretty off for me personally.

It's hard to judge a "coke filtration" vid when it has cuts. Docks YOU points, even if you're correct. Worth noting... I haven't tried mine in very turbid water at all, and as bougie as it sounds, I'd probably ATTEMPT to prefilter if it were an option. I can say even testing it against tap water, the difference is insane. It smells like pool water in comparison from the chlorine alone. The taste however, is barebones flat and makes me consider hydration salts to compensate the lost minerals. It is indeed heavy to press, and I imagine the smaller ones might be harder still. I think you hit the nail on the head with where an area of it shines: travel. I wouldn't write it off as a backpacking rig 100%. There's a trade off all around. It is tough to "dispense", and I wouldn't want to do it hungry. The Sawyer mini requires some maintenance, especially with darker, more turbid water. All that said, save yourself the $30 and buy a plain white rig and spend the extra on a spare filter if you're into it. I'm gonna test mine more thoroughly and see if I still have the Grayl bug, but so far I've been content. I think a key is knowing when a tool fits. I won't go dipping it in mud and expecting miracles.

Thank you 🎉

I’m still going to get a grayl, especially now the titanium one is out for that extra feature my family are campers and sometimes go abroad; my dad goes to Africa for work so it would be used to it’s filter potential.

Thanks a lot for showing good and bad stuffs of this filter bottle

My Grayl is my Go To Filter. Howver I also have the Sawyer Squeeze with a 2 Liter Bladder and a Charcoal attachment as a Backup.

Your review was helpful and reinforced another review I read. A bit cumbersome and slo-than advertised for backcountry, but if you're traveling via hotels and want to drink tap water and be ultra-safe, it's a good purchase.