Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter

Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter Review

I have had my Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter sitting in my test bin for a while and I finally decided it was time to test it out. Hindsight is wonderful because, spoiler alert, I loved this filter so much that it is now my go-to filter for all solo and couples hikes – if only I had tested it out sooner! This will be the water filter I carry on my 2026 Heysen Trail adventure.

For the past three years I have been using the Katadyn BeFree for all our filtration needs and while we have been very happy with it, the Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter does the same job but faster and with more versatility. So what do I love about it?

First up this is a 2 micron water filter which will remove all particulate matter as well as 99.9999% of bacteria and 99.9% of protozoa. This includes Giardia, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Salmonella and V. cholerae. Having said that I would suggest, no matter what filter you use, you should to ‘pre-filter’ your water to help speed up the process.

By no means is this a small filter but most manufacturers are shifting away from the smaller hollow core filters towards a larger size which greatly speeds up the filtration process. My Katadyn BeFree filtered 1 litre per minute whereas the Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter will do the same job but at 3 litres per minute when being used as a squeeze filter or if you are just sucking the water out, the rate drops to 1.75 litres per minute which is still very good. Believe me if you are filtering very dirty water or filtering for multiple people you will notice the additional speed in the filtering process. If you are drinking through the filter as opposed to just filtering, the different flow rate is also very noticeable.

Lets talk versatility. The Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter can be attached to a ‘dirty’ water source and you can drink directly from it. You can also use this with a soft water bottle such as the Platypus Platy Soft Water Bottles drinking directly from it or in our case, using it as a squeeze filter. This unit comes with a drinking spout that also has a closure cap that actually works and prevents water leaking out. If you aren’t going to be drinking through this unit then you also get an adapter that will screw on to disposable water soft drink bottles. There is also an option with the ‘connect cap’ to filter into a water bladder as a gravity feed. By far this is one of the most versatile water filler options available on the market.

Durability wise this filter will last for 1,000 litres of filtration which for most hikers will be 2-3 years, if not more. As such the RRP of just under $96.00 AUD makes this an excellent value filter and even more so on the regular sales that you will find on offer. Weight wise my full kit which includes this filter and a Platypus Platy 2 litre water bottle  comes in at 123 grams. This is greater than carrying a Platypus Bladder and Katadyn BeFree Filter 0.6 Water Bottle which weighs 99 grams. So while I pick up an extra 24 grams in weight, I get a filter unit that I can very easily drink from rather than suck.

Cosmetics wise this filter comes in four colours blue, green, pink and orange and if you are after a specific colour, try the different purchase options below.

When I find a water filter I will usually stay with it for 2-3 years and in the testing I have done with this unit so far, I wish I had of tested it sooner. The Platypus Quickdraw Water Filter is definitely worth considering as your go-to water filter.

Best Uses

Great for both solo hikers as well as groups due to the flow rate

Platypus product video

Product video from Platypus providing video information