Filtering Grayl Water Bottle - Fly Fishing Insider Podcast

Grayl Water Bottle Review

If you've ever wondered how to Filter Water On-The-Go without looking like you're siphoning gas from a car, or drinking a McDonald's milkshake, I have a juicy tidbit for you: the Grayl 16 oz Filtering Water Bottle. So sit down, grab a non-filtered beverage (unless you already have a Grayl), and let's dive into this unfiltered opinion on Grayl.

How to Use Grayl Water Bottle, or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love Mud Puddles

Seriously, this Grayl Water Bottle thing is the best Filtering Water Bottle ever. It's like the Swiss Army knife of water bottles, except instead of a knife and corkscrew, you get clean, drinkable water. How to use it? Fill, press, and drink. Boom! You're officially an outdoor superhero.

Grayl vs. LifeStraw: The Ultimate Showdown

Picture this. You're on a hike, you spot a water source, and your LifeStraw buddy starts to perform the awkward dance of trying to sip water directly from a stream like some sort of woodland creature. Meanwhile, you, my Grayl water bottle-wielding friend, just dunk your bottle in, give it a quick press, and bam! No more Giardia for you. The ease if use is honestly incomparable in nature.

Grayl Water Bottle Quality Test - What's the Taste Like?

Ever drink water that has the subtle bouquet of a swimming pool? With the Grayl water bottle, your water tastes like... well, water! It's as if the bottle tells all the microbes and weird flavors, "Not today, Satan!" The filter system is Ion Exchange and Activated Carbon. Essentially, you have non-woven ceramic fibers that block particulates and provide structure for two technologies: Positively charged ions and activated charcoal. Combining these two technologies you get 99.9% of Viruses, Bacteria, and Protozoans. Plus you get particulates, chemicals, and heavy metals filtered out so you taste the water and not the pollutants.

Angler's Must-Have or Overrated Gadget?

Angler gear can get expensive, but if you've ever had to purify water the old-fashioned way, you'll know that Grayl water bottle is an Angler's Must-Have. Boiling water in the woods? Ain't nobody got time for that. Plus, you get to avoid that lovely "cooked pond" aftertaste. You also don’t have to sit by a body of water and pump an old clogged filter and move the intake 5,000 times to can a of water.

Grayl vs. Brita Bottle
Look, Brita's cool if you're chilling at home, but when it comes to Portable Water Filter options, Grayl water bottles win hands down. Plus, it's the only one I would trust for a Grayl Water Bottle Field Test during my fishing days across the country. Whipping it out on a hot day and getting fresh cold water is like a dream. I don’t have to carry all that extra water weight in and out to last the day and I have peace of mind.

Grayl Water Bottle Longevity
I mean, hopefully, we won't have to find out, but this thing is sturdy. It's like the Chuck Norris of water bottles—indestructible and always reliable. I watched about 10 out of 15 guys survive a week on a river only using Grayl water bottles as a source. We even gathered all our cooking water for the group each day by everyone filling up and bringing it to the pot. Long story short, the bottles last a long time, the filters are replaceable and the benefits of not being sick go without saying.

Hydrate or Diedrate
Seriously, don't mess around with sketchy water. If you're going on any sort of adventure, the Grayl 16 oz is a no-brainer. It's the epitome of H20 to Go. Take it hiking, take it traveling; heck, take it to your in-laws' house just to be safe (you never know). The filter is something that you don’t have to use. Use it like a regular water bottle with safe water, for example.

Grayl Water Bottle Pros and Cons

Pros:

Filters like a champ when it comes to the big 3 Viruses, Bacteria, Protozoans
Tastes better than your tap water
Sturdier than a LEGO fortress of the Castle of Fortitude.
Easy to use; even your grandma could do it. No tech, no brainer!
Easy to wash

Cons:

Kinda pricey for a bottle.
Fairly priced as a filter and you can’t really put a price on not getting dysentery?
Limited colors

The Final Sip

So, let's recap this Grayl 16 oz Water Bottle Review. Is Grayl worth the hype? Short answer: yes. Long answer: Y-E-S!

If you're a angler, hiker, traveler, camper, or just someone who hates the taste of chlorine, this is the water bottle for you. It's the ultimate Outdoor Water Filter Bottle. Your taste buds—and your intestines—will thank you.

More Essentials from Fly Fishing Insider

So you've decided to become a Grayl cult user. Congrats! Here are several must-haves for anyone looking to go into the wilderness.

Survival Whistle: Think of it as your "hey, look at me, I'm lost" noisemaker. Three blows and it's a universal "Hey, I need help!" signal. I've got one for every family member—even for my dog, Miss Fluffamupakis…aka Olive. It's a whistle party, and everyone's invited. Plus it has some fire starter in it for a few bucks.
High-Heat Lighter: After reading "To Build A Fire," I've been haunted by the thought of freezing while trying to light a twig. So get yourself a high-heat lighter, unless you want to be a Jack London cautionary tale. It’s worth every penny, and all the smokers in your live always forget one.
Pocket Knife: The OG MacGyver tool. It slices, it dices, and can probably hot-wire a car if you know how to use it (not that I'm recommending that, of course). My favorite brands are; Jack Hobak Knives, Gerber Gear, Buck Knives, SOG Knives. A multitool can substitute here but I want something I carry every day. Otherwise, I typically forget it when I really need to be MagGyvering something.
Car Med Kit: I'm not a "carry medical kit on my person" kinda guy—until the day that bites me in the you-know-what. But there's always one in my car. I've basically become the "guy who has it all" dude for accidents, splinters, and run-of-the-mill apocalypse scenarios. My Medic is the best brand for variety and a full kit. They are my go-to for medical kits. A little at the start, but they have it all: last for a long time, you fill little areas up again after you use them, and for the lifetime value, you don’t need to hunt it all down and find a good carrying bag.

Get 'em all, and you'll be ready for whatever wild or weird adventures come your way!

And hey, if you found this Grayl Water Bottle review useful, entertaining, or at least a distraction from your daily grind, feel free to share, like, or high-five me in the virtual world. Cheers!

Competitors to Consider:
Water Filters: Filtering water can be a life-saver or just make your day that much easier. People take the risk of drinking bad water and honestly it isn’t worth it. Here are a few competitors to consider. Hydroblue, Lifestraw, Seychelle Water Pump

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FFIP does receive a small commission from affiliate sales links. However, not all links are directed towards affiliate programs as I stay neutral and base recommendations more so on my own experiences. These commissions are used to support the FFIP expenses related to maintaining and hosting the show, blog, etc. Thank you for your support and by purchasing through the links within my articles when applicable!

Christian Bacasa, Host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast