Head-to-head · Best Backpacking Water Filters

Platypus GravityWorks 4L vs Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.5 vs 4.6). The gap is mostly about Backpackers who are tough on gear and want the fastest-flowing, most durable squeeze filter and don't mind replacing the cartridge sooner. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Backpacking Water Filters

Platypus GravityWorks 4L

4.5

$135as of May 25

The Platypus GravityWorks 4L is the group and base-camp filter. Both CleverHiker and OutdoorGearLab score it 75 and call hands-free gravity filtration tough to beat for pairs and groups: hang the dirty bag, walk away, and return to clean water. It filters large volumes quickly and has a longer filter life than the personal squeeze filters. It is heavy, bulky, and pricey, so it is the wrong tool solo, but unbeatable for filtering for several people.

Strengths

— Hands-free gravity filtration: hang the dirty bag and walk away while it fills the clean one
— Filters large volumes fast, ideal for groups, couples, and base camps
— Fast treatment time for a gravity system, scoring 9.0 in OutdoorGearLab's flow metric

Watch-outs

— Heaviest system here at 11.5 oz, overkill for solo ultralight trips
— Most expensive filter on this list
— Bulky 4-liter bags take up more pack space than a personal filter

$135 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Backpacking Water Filters

Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter

4.6

$55as of May 25

The Platypus QuickDraw is the filter that has won over the most testers in recent seasons. GearJunkie named it Best Overall after years of use, and CleverHiker praised it as more durable with a faster flow than other squeeze filters. It is light, easy to clean in the field, and tough. The catch is a 1,000-liter filter life that is dwarfed by the Sawyer Squeeze, so it trades longevity for speed and durability.

Strengths

— GearJunkie's Best Overall pick after several seasons of hard use
— Fast flow and a more durable cartridge than other squeeze filters, per CleverHiker
— Easy to backflush in the field with a simple shake-and-squeeze

Watch-outs

— Short 1,000-liter filter lifespan, a tiny fraction of the Sawyer Squeeze
— Real-world flow fell short of the advertised 3 L/min in OutdoorGearLab testing
— Like all hollow-fiber filters it is ruined by freezing

$55 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Platypus GravityWorks 4L

The only hands-free group system here, filtering far more volume at once than the personal Sawyer Squeeze, Katadyn BeFree, or Platypus QuickDraw, but it is the heaviest and priciest; its 1,500-liter filter outlasts the BeFree and QuickDraw while falling short of the Sawyer.

Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter

Flows faster and has a tougher cartridge than the Sawyer Squeeze and Katadyn BeFree, but its 1,000-liter life matches the BeFree and is far shorter than the Sawyer's; it is a personal squeeze filter rather than a group system like the Platypus GravityWorks 4L.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Platypus GravityWorks 4L	Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter
Type	Gravity hollow-fiber	Hollow-fiber squeeze
Filtration	0.2 micron	0.2 micron
Weight	11.5 oz	3.6 oz
Capacity	4 L reservoirs	—
Filter Lifespan	1,500 L / 396 gal	1,000 L
Removes	Bacteria, protozoa, sediment	Bacteria, protozoa, microplastics
Operation	Hands-free gravity feed	—
Freeze Safe	No	No
Flow Rate	—	~44 sec per liter (tested)
Cleaning	—	Shake-and-squeeze backflush

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