LifeStraw Go Review

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 cannot 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

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.

The LifeStraw is made up of three components, making it easy to take apart and clean. That said, bottles with integrated straws can be a challenge to keep clean in the long term.

Durability

We found the Lifestraw to generally be a very durable bottle in terms of durability. The hard-sided, BPA-free plastic bottle saw no real damage throughout our testing period, and we didn't run into any issues with the filter, either. 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.

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.

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.

Should You Buy the Lifestraw Go?

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. However, it's not a very versatile option. It is difficult to drink out of, has a fairly small volume, and can only be used to hold water. If you think you will find yourself in scenarios where this bottle is useful, go for it. Otherwise, we might recommend more versatile options.

What Other Water Bottles Should You Consider?

Our favorite filter bottle from testing was the Brita Stainless Steel Filter Bottle, but it should be noted that the Brita is only for filtering impurities out of already potable water. If you don't plan to filter from streams but just want to make the local tap water taste better, we recommend the Brita, as it's much easier to drink from and is a great bottle overall. If you don't really need the filtration aspect but just want a good bottle to take into the backcountry (ideally with a separate filtration system), we recommend the classic and durable Nalgene Wide-Mouth.