The LifeStaw Go is a bottle designed for a very specific use. The bottle has a straw and integrated filtration system, which takes up a large part of the overall volume of the bottle. We found it fairly difficult to drink out of the straw since water is being drawn through the system as you drink. All that aside, the LifeStraw bottle is unique in that it provides you with quality drinking water no matter where you are. The manufacturer claims that the bottle can filter water from any source safely. If filtered water is something that is important to you, this bottle could be a great one to use every day. It could also be useful on short day hikes where it could be refilled from streams along the way.
LifeStraw Go Review
The Go is designed for a specific use. It provides filtered water on the go, but this also restricts its overall versatility.
Price: $40 List | $36.84 at Amazon
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Replaceable filter, unique purpose, well-made, durable
Cons: Expensive, small capacity, can only be used with water (no other liquids)
Manufacturer: LifeStraw
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Replaceable filter, unique purpose, well-made, durable
Cons: Expensive, small capacity, can only be used with water (no other liquids)
Manufacturer: LifeStraw
By Jane Jackson ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ May 8, 2018
Our Editors independently research, test, and rate the best products. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Learn more
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Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Go is a small volume bottle with an integrated filter. We had a hard time figuring out the best use for this bottle, as it is too small and cumbersome to use backpacking, and lacks the ability to filter large quantities of water. For short hikes near a water source, the LifeStraw is useful because it can be refilled anywhere. This means you can carry less water, and thus have a lighter load. The bottle is also useful in an urban setting where you may not have access to filtered water all the time.
Performance Comparison
We found it difficult to suck water through the straw, since it is attached to a heavy-duty filter inside the bottle.
Ease of Use
The underwhelming score that the LifeStraw received in this metric is due to the difficulties we had drinking out of the filter-straw. The filter also takes up a ton of volume in the bottle itself, which reduces the overall capacity of the bottle drastically. You have to suck on the straw pretty hard to get water through the filter, which can get tiring after a while. When we had the bottle full of drinkable water (which we usually did), we often took the lid off and skipped the straw and filter altogether. We found the Camelbak Eddy+ to be much more effective as a comparable straw-style bottle. Of course, the Eddy+ does not have the filter component that the LifeStraw does.
The LifeStraw is made up of three components, making it easy to take apart and clean. That said, bottles with integrated straws, like the Camelbak Eddy, can be a challenge to keep clean in the long term.
Durability
In terms of durability, we found the Lifestraw to be in general a very durable bottle. the hard-sided, BPA-free plastic bottle saw no real damage throughout our testing period. We did not run into any issues with the filter either. According to their website, LifeStraw recommends replacing the filter after 4000 liters (or 1000 gallons). The filter is the weakest point of this bottle and it can be easily replaced.
Drinking filtered water from the LifeStraw. The filter is a nice feature for road trips when you are filling up water without having the option of filtered water out of the tap. The LifeStraw eliminates this issue.
Weight
The LifeStraw is on the heavier side of the plastic bottles in this review in terms of weight. This high tech bottle weighs in at 10 ounces. The extra weight, of course, comes from the integrated filter, which weighs a bit on its own. This is a bit of a detraction because it also takes up a fair amount of space in the bottle, reducing the capacity. If you are set on filtering your water, then the weight is less of a concern, but it is something to be noted.
The filter takes up a lot of space inside the bottle, reducing the overall versatility of the LifeStraw.
Taste
Because it has a built-in filter, it is no surprise that the LifeStraw Go gets a relatively high score regarding taste. The hollow fiber membrane and integrated activated carbon capsule filters bacteria and reduces chlorine and bad taste. Obviously, this bottle makes water taste good! The downside is that the bottle is only made for water, meaning you cannot put any other liquids in it. The straw can collect a bit of flavor, and if you are constantly filling the bottle with bad tasting water, a slight smell can develop. The filter itself also traps flavor, which is another reason to only use water in this bottle.
Here, the LifeStraw is shown next to the Thermos Intak. They are comparable in size, but the Intak has a larger capacity since it lacks LifeStraw's filter.
Value
The LifeStraw is way more expensive than similar-sized plastic bottles. Of course, the bottle comes with a fairly high-tech filtration system, so it makes sense that you have to pay a bit more for this setup.
Conclusion
The LifeStraw Go is a unique bottle with a number of positive features and a few downsides. If you are looking for a bottle with an integrated filtration system, this bottle is a great option, and it is not insanely expensive. If you need a bottle that will be more versatile, the LifeStraw may not be the best option. It is difficult to drink out of, has a fairly small volume, and can only be used to hold water. It also filters water and makes it taste great! So it's up to you to decide whether filtered water is a priority or not.
— Jane Jackson