With everything going on in the world I was asked by my cousin which LifeStraw he should get in case of emergency.
He asked me because not only do I love research, I have also tried many different survival straws on my trips and adventures.
So which Survival straw is best?
Well their are two real options. The tried and true LifeStraw or the up and comer PureWell.
I will break it into three categories.
- Performance/ Taste
- Design/ Functionality
- Price
ROUND #1: Performance/ Taste
Both Straws filter out 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% of waterborne parasites. The PureWell does filter to .1 micron while the LifeStraw filters to .2 giving the advantage to the PureWell.
Out of the 2 PureWell tends to have a better taste.
Although the water comes through the LifeStraw faster compared to the PureWell.
The PureWell also comes with a straw making it much much easier to get a drink without having to bend all the way down to the water.
Winner: PureWell
PureWell Wins round one for proving higher quality filtration with a much more enjoyable taste..
ROUND #2: Design & Functionality
PureWell can filter approx. 528 gallons of water while the LifeStraw states it filters 1000.
As for Design they have a very similar design and size. The LifeStraw Does Weigh a little bit less at 2 ounces (Purewell is 2.1 Ounces) but, they are so close I can’t give the advantage to either.
As I mentioned before the LifeStraw filters water more quickly, which gives it a big advantage in the functionality category.
Winner: LifeStraw
LifeStraw wins this round due to its higher flow volume and longer lifespan.
ROUND#3 :Price
I am going to use a per gallon cost of filtration to decide the winner here. As value is more important then initial price.
LifeStraw is $17.47 at the time of writing this and filters 1000 gallons
Cost per gallon=.0175
The Purewell is $16.99 at time of writing this and states to filter 528 gallons
Cost per gallon=.0322
Winner By Almost Half The Cost: LifeStraw
OVERALL WINNER: LIFESTRAW
LifeStraw takes this one for its lower cost, tried and true design and higher flow.
Though both are a good option and either is better than none.
But, LifeStraw takes it!