Bob’s Quick Take: The LifeStraw Personal Water Filter Straw is a lightweight backup water filter for hiking, camping, travel, and emergency kits. It is best for campers who want a simple way to drink from natural water sources when clean water is not close by. The big reason to consider it is its tiny pack size and no-batteries simplicity; the caution is that it is a personal straw filter, not a group water system or a filter for chemicals, saltwater, or heavy metals.