The LifeStraw personal water filter, a "Best Invention of the Year" (Time magazine) winner, enables users to drink water safely from most contaminated water sources. LifeStraw is ideal for emergency preparedness, as well as for campers and hikers who may be drinking from rivers or lakes and are unsure of the water safety. Because LifeStraw is lightweight and compact, it is also great for travelers who do not want to rely on the quality of local water.
LifeStraw is the most advanced personal water filter available today. LifeStraw surpasses EPA guidelines for E. coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium oocysts, rigorous standards for water filtration.
Eartheasy is the official wholesale distributor and retail launch partner for LifeStraw, which is now available for US and Canadian customers to purchase. Since 2005, LifeStraw has been used in developing countries to assist in achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals for clean drinking water. We’re excited to help launch this useful product in North America.
Features & Benefits
- Filters up to 1,000 liters (264 gallons) of water
- Removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria (>LOG 6 reduction), including E-Coli
- Removes 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites (>LOG 3 reduction), including Giardia & Cryptosporidium
- Reduces turbidity, filtering down to 0.2 microns
- Ultralight: weighs only 2oz!
- Does NOT use iodine or iodinized resin
- Contains no chemicals (and is BPA-free), uses no batteries, has no moving parts
- Very high flow rate; no after taste (because no iodine or chlorine are used)
- Easy to clean. Can be stored and used periodically. Just keep uncapped so it can dry thoroughly.
- Very durable
- No shelf life. LifeStraw can be stored indefinitely. (Former shelf life estimates have been revised.)
- Used worldwide in harsh conditions since 2005
- Award winning & internationally recognized
For every LifeStraw® water filter sold, we provide a child in Africa with clean water for an entire school year.
When you purchase any type of LifeStraw® filter, we use part of the funds to donate LifeStraw® Community institutional water purifiers to schools in Africa. LifeStraw® Community is specifically designed to deliver clean, safe water to school children by removing waterborne pathogens and dirt commonly found in source water.
Since 2014, we provided 316,000 school children or 631 schools in rural Kenya with safe, clean drinking water, thanks to sales of LifeStraw in North America. Thank you for supporting this mission!
What LifeStraw removes/filters:
LifeStraw filters down to an incredible, 0.2 microns in size! This removes virtually all the bacteria (99.9999%) and protozoa (99.9%) from contaminated water, and reduces turbidity (muddiness) by filtering out suspended particles.
Bacteria removed include:
- Escherichia coli,
- Campylobacter,
- Vibrio cholerae,
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
- Shigella
- Salmonella
Protozoa removed include:
- Giardia lamblia ("Beaver Fever")
- Cryptosporidium Parvum
- Entamoeba histolytica.
Specifications:
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Length: 9 inches
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Width: 1 inch
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Weight: 2 ounces
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Construction: durable plastic. Does not require replacement parts or batteries, or any chemicals.
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Capacity: filters up to 264 gallons (1000 liters) of water.
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Included: Comes with a lanyard, and a cap for the mouth piece and end piece
How to use:
The patented LifeStraw is a small tube with specialized filters inside. Place one end in unfiltered water (a glass, water bottle, river, or puddle!), and suck the resulting clean water up through the top. Anyone who can use a drinking straw can easily use a LifeStraw.
Before use, uncap the LifeStraw and hold it upright in water for a minute. This allows the water to creep up the filter membrane. Then do five quick sucks and the water will flow easily. When drinking from muddy water, you may have to blow back down into it to purge out the turbidity if the flow slows or stops.
LifeStraw for Travel & Backpacking:
Because the LifeStraw is so small and lightweight, it’s great for travel overseas in countries with unreliable drinking water. If you’ve ever been sick while travelling, you know the importance of drinking filtered water! Make sure to drink all water through the LifeStraw.
LifeStraw for Hiking & Camping:
Access to clean water is critical while hiking. LifeStraw accomplishes the same thing as other filters, but does it at just a tenth of the weight. If you’re ultra-light hiking, this is a must. At only 2 oz, it’s the lightest way of filtering water while on the go. If you consume the recommended 3-4 liters of water per day while hiking, LifeStraw will last you for between 250-330 days of hiking. If you’re in a rush, there’s no need to stop and filter water by the lake. Just scoop your water bottle full, and sip from it as you walk. Or, dip the end of the straw right into the lake and drink until you’re hydrated.
As a hiking or camping water filter, the LifeStraw provides great convenience. A purifier or pump filter is great, but it takes a fair amount of time to wait for the purification or filtering to complete. Instead, experience the convenience of drinking directly from the water source using your LifeStraw. Perfect when you are hiking, or relaxing around camp.
LifeStraw for Emergency Preparedness & Survival:
In light of recent natural disasters, many people are realizing they cannot depend on their city water during an emergency. A water filter that’s lightweight, easy-to-use, and portable is important to have in your emergency preparedness kit. Buy a LifeStraw for each member in your household - it's a low-cost investment in security.
Awards and recognition:
LifeStraw has received significant accolades since its original design was invented in 2005. Time Magazine named LifeStraw the “Best Invention of 2005.” In 2008, it won the Saatchi and Saatchi Award for “World Changing Ideas”. Esquire called LifeStraw the “Innovation of the Year.” And Forbes noted that LifeStraw is “one of the ten things that will change the way we live.” Now that LifeStraw has launched in the USA and Canada, we expect continued positive responses.
History:
LifeStraw is manufactured by Vestergaard Frandsen, which is a Switzerland-based company specializing in disease control products for developing countries. Their core business model is centered around corporate social responsibility, and they help countries reach their United Nations’ Millenium Development Goals with products designed to prevent vector- and water-borne diseases. LifeStraws are shipped throughout the world to countries in need including Haiti, Pakistan, and Africa.
Common Questions:
Does the LifeStraw Personal filter out salt water, chemicals or viruses?
The LifeStraw Personal is designed for the backcountry and will filter out 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne protozoan parasites. Chemicals, salt water and viruses will not be removed. If you were looking for a high capacity filter to remove viruses, the LifeStraw Family 1.0 will be able to remove 99.999% of viruses.
Can I drink pool water with the LifeStraw?
Pool water contains chlorine and other chemicals. The LifeStraw can only filter out bacteria and parasites, not chemicals.
How do you know when your LifeStraw has reached capacity?
When your LifeStraw has reached capacity, it will no longer be able to draw water through the filter. To extend the life of your LifeStraw, please follow the instructions on the manual to properly back flush the unit.
How does your donation model work?
For every LifeStraw product sold, one school child in Africa receives clean drinking water for an entire school year. This year, we will be providing clean drinking water to 500 schools in Kenya. For more information, check out our Follow The Litres campaign.
What is the shelf life of LifeStraw products?
LifeStraw products use mechanical filters to remove contaminants from the water source. No chemicals or moving parts are involved within the filtering process, meaning nothing will expire. If stored in room temperature, the LifeStraw will last indefinitely until it reaches capacity...even after use!
