Brilliant: MSR Thru-Link Water Filter + Bladder = Easy Peasy Hydration

Sure, you can screw a Sawyer Mini onto a Platypus water bottle, or use a Lifestraw to drink right from a creek, but there’s something so easy and simple about a hydration bladder that a water filter that attaches to a bladder’s drink tube is about as good as it gets.

And that’s MSR’s Thru-Link filter.

It’s small, ’bout the size of a banana. It clips easily onto most hydration bladders, so there’s no need to cut tubes and futz with finicky adapters, like you’ll deal with if you try this with most inline filters. MSR designed this one specifically for hydration bladders and it works perfectly.

I love it on bike rides. I use the Patagonia Nine Trails hip pack when riding, and clip the Thru-Link onto the pack’s included bladder. When I hit a burbling creek, I top off the bladder and I’m up and riding again in a minute.

The ideal filter for cyclists or hikers out on spring trails when creeks are flowing.

And it’s inexpensive, at about $40.

• BUY: REI

– Justin Housman