The Lifestraw Sip: a straw for clean water when travelling
Lifestraw, a company specialising in clean drinking water, presented a stainless steel straw at the ISPO outdoor trade fair that filters water when drinking. The tube is designed to be taken along for all situations in which the water from the tap may be contaminated.
If you're travelling, you've been there. You're in a restaurant abroad and a carafe of water with cloudy ice cubes is placed on the table. Or you have dutifully emptied your water bottle at the international airport before the security check and now want to refill it in the washbasin in the airport toilet. And you always ask yourself the question: "Is this safe or will I catch a nasty stomach bug?"
The company Lifestraw, which has been providing solutions for clean drinking water for 30 years, has developed the "Sip" for these situations. The innovative straw has just been unveiled at the Outdoor by ISPO trade fair in Munich.
The stainless steel straw has an integrated, fine-pored filter which, according to the company, retains 99.9 per cent of all bacteria, parasites and microplastics from the water. The filter also blocks sediment and sand with a pore size of 0.2 microns (equivalent to 0.0002 millimetres).
The tube should be sufficient for around 1000 litres of water
The stainless steel suction tube is around 25 centimetres long and weighs 85 grams. With daily use, it should last for around 1000 litres of water before you need a new straw. The "Sip" comes with a plastic protective cover so that you can always have it with you. The silicone cap is available in different colours and is interchangeable.
Lifestraw has previously developed a range of straws for outdoor enthusiasts and for drinking water supplies in areas where clean water is a rarity. This filter straw is the first specifically aimed at travellers who generally have access to tap water. You can also use it on hikes for water from wells, lakes or a clean stream, but it cannot filter out viruses.
A first impression
I have already had the opportunity to try out the filter straw. I wasn't travelling in exotic areas, but in Germany and Switzerland, where the drinking water is generally safe. Nevertheless, I found it very useful on a 10-day camping trip because the water in the drinking bottles sometimes stood around uncooled for longer. The flavour of the water through the filter straw was good and after use it was easy to blow out to get the water out of the filter. I also like the simple look, which doesn't stand out even in a restaurant or beach bar.
We do not yet have the new product in our range. But you might also be interested in the Lifestraw drinking bottle with integrated filter, which I have already tested.
Find more interesting products from Lifestraw that make it easier to access clean water when travelling, such as the following filter bottles:
Research diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.