The Wayfarer from Lifesaver is designed to be the safest, most convenient water filtration system available. It features a two-stage water filter that removes virus, cysts, bacteria and heavy metals, a retractable, rotatable hand pump, and a pressure relief system for easy use. This is my review.
The Wayfarer consists of a two stage water filtration system. The first stage is a fiber based “ultrafiltration cartridge” that removes viruses, bacteria, cysts, and the real nasties that tend to make people sick on and off the trail. The second is an activated carbon disk that works to remove metals and other contamints that impart foul taste and smells in the water. This is fed by a powerful, suction based pump that’s driven by an extendable, rotatable hand pump. The shell is a sturdy nylon plastic that includes a convenient air purge valve, placed on the bottom of the unit. The kit includes the pump, replaceable cartridge, a cartridge puller, a dark colored feeder hose, and a clear clean water hose, a pre-filter, and a buoy to keep the feeder out of the soil. Combined, everything weighs about 16 ounces (one pound), packs down to about half a liter, is rated to filter 5000 liters of water, and retails for $105.
What I liked
Filtering water can be inconvenient, but it doesn’t have to be. The Wayfarer makes the process as simple as possible, and with little physical effort. To use it, simply drop the gray colored feeder line into the cleanest water possible, drop the clear line into your clean container, and start pumping. The flow is generous considering how well the filter itself cleans the water, and a smooth, slow pumping action is all that is required to keep it going. The pump slides relatively easily, but does require a sturdy grip on the pump itself. A one liter container can typically be filled up in about one or two minutes with good conditions, making this a viable option for filtering water for multiple people. The pump handle slides relatively easily up and down but does require a sturdy grip on the pump itself and a sturdy platform to keep everything stable. The feeder hose is long enough to drop into sunken streams and features an extremely useful pre-filter and float to help keep sediment from getting inside. To get the best flow results, it is important to lift the handle all the way up, let the pressure equalize, then slowly depress the handle. Being a pressure based feed, the water will continue to flow between pumps so there is no need to go fast or overexert yourself. It won’t change the speed of flow.
Once filtered, the water from the Wayfarer tastes amazing. It’s pure, crisp, and in my experience odor and taste free, although this can vary depending on the quality of the water source itself. Many filters leave a stale, plasticky flavor to the water, but that’s not an issue here. This makes staying hydrated a reward, instead of making it a chore.
Durability of the kit is overall quite good. The body is stout and takes a fall very well (I may have personally tested this a few times, definitely on purpose…) without chipping or scratching up. The purge valve and connections are all robust and feel stout when used with no flex or creaking. The internal filter is a fiber based filter, so it’s not going to shatter or crack either. The charcoal filter could theoretically crack, but that’s easy to replace and isn’t necessarily required for safe drinking. The handle is fairly sturdy, but could be stiffened up just a tad in my opinion as I found that it can flex just a bit under load. The tubes are robust and have yet to spring a leak, despite being dragged across rocks and logs. My only real complaint here is the mediocre storage bag, which is still fine and even sheds water, but feels a little cheap. The filter puller also feels soft and flexes a bit, which doesn’t instill too much confidence in me, but so far hasn’t caused me any issues. As it is rarely used, I’m not too worried about it.
The Wayfarer filters out all the major risks that one would typically find in natural water and springs, such as viruses, cysts, bacteria, and even heavy metals such as chlorine, cadmium, and lead and nickel. Careful water selection should still be practiced, of course.
A built-in purge valve located on the bottom allows the unit to dump any air that may get into the system, which would otherwise make pumping much harder, or even prevent pumping entirely. Simply flip it over, press the button and all the air is ejected instantly. Make sure to keep this clean and out of the soil though, as it is vital to the pump working properly. Thankfully, it can be cleaned.
Replacement filters are available online for roughly $60 for the fiber filter, and $25 for a 3 pack of carbon filters. That’s fairly standard typical for water filter pricing, especially of this grade.
What I didn’t like
The advertised weight is listed at around 11 ounces. I don’t know if they mean just the filter itself, dry, or what, but my kit lands at one pound even (16 ounces). It’s not a bad weight, but probably higher than users expect if they’re just reading the posted specs. I didn’t bother weighing just the filter without the other parts, or while the filter is dry because, frankly, it’s useless without the rest of the kit and it has to be primed before use. So, this is the real weight.
I have ran into an issue where I’ve managed to blow the clean end of my hose off the filter, dropping it into the creek or stream. This is probably mostly my fault and is relatively easy to manage by simply practicing patience, not pumping too hard, and making sure the hose is well fitted to the end of the spigot. As the pump can output considerable pressure, is easy to reproduce. Just something to keep in mind.
First setup and storage requires a little extra attention to detail. Initial priming involves a few minutes of soaking the filter in clean water to dissolve the internal plant based glycerin coating that protects it for long term storage. Then, simply pump 4 liters of clean water through before it is usable. Storage requires pumping chlorine tablet treated water through the system, and packing it up with the filter wet. Preventing the filter from drying out is apparently rather important. It’s easy enough, but worth pointing out.
Filter field maintenance is limited. If the internal filter gets clogged it can be cleaned in the field, but requires clean water to do so, which may not be available. There isn’t a backwash option either, so cleaning requires tearing the unit down. So, careful choice of water is required, like any filter really. Choose clear water free of silt and moving debris, and suction near the surface away from the soil bed and you should be fine. As always, pack chemical tabs as a backup.
Overall
The Wayfare is a great one step water filter. It is light enough for long backpacking trips, robust enough to survive a fall or two, and provides excellent tasting, safe water without the need to boil or treat with nasty tasting chemical tablets. It’s easy to use and filters fast enough for large groups, without becoming overly tiring. With proper care, it’s a kit that could provide thousands of liters of drinking water between filter changes too. It’s not the lightest system on the planet, and field maintenance is a challenge, but it is certainly one of the easiest to use. This makes it easy to recommend.
Highly Recommended
For more information on the LifeSaver Wayfarer, consider checking them out via their site. They sell direct (not an affiliate link).
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I want to extend a huge thanks to LifeSaver for providing this product for review. We couldn’t do it without their help.
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