Platypus QuickDraw Filter

Voda a filtraceWeight: 69 g

Ultralight pocket water filter, 3 L/min flow rate

Buy Platypus QuickDraw Filter →

Pros

Extremely light (69 g) and truly pocket-sized
Fast 3 L/min flow — well above Sawyer Squeeze
Integrity test to verify the filter after drops or freezing
Threads fit standard PET bottles (smartwater) and Platy
Field-cleanable: shake-to-clean or backflush
Effective against bacteria and protozoa (EPA/NSF certified)

Cons

Does not remove viruses — add tablets/UV outside Europe
Does not remove taste or chemicals (chlorine, pesticides)
Hollow fibers must not freeze — carry close to body in winter
1,000 L lifespan is solid but not class-leading

Platypus QuickDraw is a pocket-sized hollow-fiber filter that turns a stream or lake into drinking water in seconds. It weighs just 69 grams, fits in your pants pocket, and pushes through up to 3 liters per minute — a flow rate the Sawyer Squeeze and BeFree simply don't match.

The core is a hollow-fiber membrane with a 0.2 μm pore size, which removes 99.9999% of bacteria (E. coli, salmonella, cholera) and 99.9% of protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium). Viruses and chemicals are not addressed — for those you still need tablets or UV.

The clever detail is the integrity test: after a drop or freeze you can verify in a minute whether the filter is still safe to use. Most squeeze filters leave you guessing.

The threads fit common 28 mm PET bottles (smartwater) and Platy bottles, so you can build a lightweight system without proprietary flasks. When flow slows, just shake-to-clean or backflush — no tools, no disassembly.

My verdict

For me it's an easy pick for mountain trekking in places where the risk is microbial rather than chemical (Tatras, Alps, Scandinavia, Scotland). The flow rate and integrity test are worth the premium over a Sawyer Squeeze. For expeditions outside Europe, pair it with virus tablets.