Is this yet another boring water bottle?

Definitely NOT!

I came across this bottle in a surprising way. I was at an outdoor trade show (that’s not the surprising part), but as I passed by this stand I saw a large fish tank filled with murky water containing mud amongst other things (I think there may have been an old sock in there, but I couldn’t be absolutely sure), and there was a man who invited me to take a drink from it.

I gave him a look that showed I thought him a mad man, but his question made me stop, allowing him a chance to explain the product, and how it uses a unique ‘3-in-1 Filter Technology’ - three different technologies, 1 traditional & 2 nano, made into one filter - to remove over 99.9% of all microbiological contaminants in water. The filters used in these BPA free water bottles are created using technology originally developed for the NASA space programme.

The 3 technologies used in a Water-to-Go filter are:

1. Mechanical filtration - a very small pore size which stops contaminants passing through.

2. Electrical (by a positive charge) which reduces the pore size even further and attracts the contaminants like a magnet would, trapping them inside the filter.

3. Activated carbon - instead of using adhesives to glue the carbon particles together, which vastly reduces the carbon’s efficiency, their carbon is contained within the membrane, helping to reduce contaminants whilst eliminating bad tastes and odours.

After he had bamboozled me with all the science he scooped some of the dirty brown water, and poured it into the bottle, and asked me again to take a drink. I did, and there was no bad taste, no nasty smell and actually it was a pleasant drink of water (the surprising bit).

Now this isn’t just a marketing gimmick, it has a very serious purpose. It removes bacteria, viruses, water borne disease, protozoa, heavy metals such as lead and harmful chemicals from any water (though not sea water) making it an invaluable tool around the world in places where safe drinking water is hard to come by. In places where water is safe, like the UK, this bottle also removes chlorine and fluoride from tap water.

Why is it great for the outdoors and travel?

With this bottle, if you are out’n’about, and run out of water, you do not have spend time finding fresh drinking water, you can drink water from lakes, dirty rivers and even puddles (though it will feel really weird doing so at first). Take a look on YouTube, and you will see vids of people drinking from everything from Koi ponds to the Amazon river.

There’s no need to boil the water, no need for water purification tablets and you can fill it up and drink straight away without having to worry about bacteria, which is especially useful if you travel to parts of the world where water can a bit dodgy, and you want to avoid the possibility of getting ill.

Just remember to keep the top part that you drink from away from the water when filling, because although the bottle can filter the water inside, it’s not magic, and can’t help you if you contaminate the bit that your mouth touches.

Better for the world…

This one bottle can save hundreds of plastic bottles going to landfill. Just one filter gives you 200 litres of clean water, which is roughly 3 full bottles per day for 3 months, so that’s potentially saving a whopping 1,095 bottles per year.

The filters are changeable, and a year’s supply of 4 filters (1 for every 3 months) costs only £30.99, which works out at approximately £2.58 per month, which is less than one cup of coffee!

Before you say that the filters aren’t that eco-friendly, the company has tried hard to minimise any waste, so they’ve made the end caps and shroud cover recyclable and the membrane can go on the compost heap (watch the video).

If, like me, you have a memory of a goldfish, and will never be able to remember when to change the filter, as long as you register your 75cl bottle on their website, the company will send you a handy little reminder email after 3 months. They also say this:

‘One of the three technologies in our filter (the one which controls the taste and the smell) is carbon. We programme just enough carbon into the filters to expire at either 130 litres or 200 litres. The filter will still be filtering bacteria, cysts and harmful contaminants; the water after this time will gradually start to taste and smell as it did before using the Water-to-Go bottle. This is a ‘sensory’ prompt for you to change the filter.’

The bottle we tested was the original black 75cl version that is a great size for taking on your travels, and there is also a handy drawstring carry pouch that you can get (with a discount if you buy it at the same time as you buy the bottle) to protect your bottle, which can be attached to your bags or belt.

The body of the main bottle is dishwasher safe, but the top is hand wash only (ensure you remove the filter before cleaning).

Can you use other drinks in the bottle, other than water?

The filters will become inefficient if used with additives such as isotonic powders, cordials, juices, however if you want to use the Water-to-Go bottle for other drinks, you can simply unscrew the filter, take it out, and use the bottle as a standard sports drink bottle.

Go! Bottle

They also do a 50cl more ‘gym friendly’ looking version called Go! Bottle, which comes with a clear body with four colour choices of tops, filters & band, great for distinguishing bottles between family members.

We haven’t had the chance to get our hands on this smaller bottle, but it has all the same technology the bigger bottle has so I reckon it’ll be just as great, and as an added bonus, it also has a timer indicating when to change your filter (filters will last 2 months or 130 litres). Unlike the Water-To-Go bottle, with the GO! the whole bottle is not suitable for the dishwasher, so it’s hand wash only for this version.

I also like that as a company they support the work of various charities. They support smaller organisations such as Child Aid Gambia, helped fundraising in Benelux and supplied Médecins Sans Frontières with Water to-Go products for their emergency packs.

Where to buy: www.watertogo.eu - it has a great FAQ section that answered every question I thought about.

RRP: Water-To-Go Bottle - £27.99 & Go! Bottle - £14.99