B.E.S.T. Water Filter: Product Test
When you're out on the road in remote areas, one of your key concerns will be water supply – making sure you've got enough, and making sure it's of the kind of quality you want to be drinking and showering in. While most of us are pretty prepared when it comes to our water when travelling, you can get caught out, particularly in some of the country's more isolated regions. Often you might be presented with a questionable tap at a service station, or a waterhole where you have no idea what's been going up upstream from you.
That's why the B.E.S.T Water Filter was such a handy product to have on hand during CW's recent trip to Cape York. We encountered some fairly remote places, and while we were well-stocked with water it was nice to have the peace of mind that if we needed to, we could confidently filter water to add to our supplies.
The other thing that I thought was a huge bonus with the water filter was its size. This is a compact unit that takes up next to no space, something keen RVers will know is a bonus when load is such an issue for towing. On our trip, we had plenty of gear so this was a welcome feature.
When it came to testing the product there was one surefire way to gauge its popularity and effectiveness, and that was taking it to the target audience. During our Cape York trip we had a much deserved reprieve from the bone-rattling corrugated tracks, with a four day stay at Loyalty Beach Campground, near Bamaga.
Putting our need for a Happy Hour beverage aside, we took to the campground to chat to our fellow RVers to get their verdict on the water filter, ready to offer a trial to anyone who was keen. The first caravanner greeted us warmly, but was already one step ahead of us – she produced her own B.E.S.T Water Filter from her caravan and was quick to tell us how handy she and her husband were finding it during their travels in remote areas like Cape York and the Kimberley, where water sources were often questionable. Our presence around camp caused a stir, and we soon had a curious group of fellow campers eager to try the filter on their RVs. One family recounted their recent predicament of running out of water, and having to take a chance on a tap they found in a public park.
“We didn't get sick, but the taste wasn't great, and this would be excellent, to remove the uncertainty,” they said.
The B.E.S.T Water Filter consists of carbon/charcoal in the middle and silver coated crystals at each end. This SilverSafe technology removes chemicals and sediment, destroying bacteria and allowing you to safely draw water from towns, tanks, creeks, or bore water – perfect for remote touring. The installation is easy to DIY and one of its major benefits is that it can be reused after long periods of non-use. That's great if you're someone who only hits the wide open road on occasion. It's diverse too, and can be mounted vertically or horizontally. B.E.S.T Water Filters claim it removes chemicals for about 5000L – we didn't get to test it to this extent, although feedback from the RV community on its longevity has been positive.
You can use it in a few ways: by using it to filter water from a water source to your RV's water hose connection point, to your tanks, or using it in a built-in way to your drinking water system. Of course, the real proof in using a system like this is how well the water tastes. We hooked the filter up to a tap in the campground and sampled it, pleased to report that the water quality was crystal clear, and was completely devoid of any unpleasant taste.
More than just a great addition to your RV kit, you can also use the B.E.S.T Water Filter around the home. It's Australian made, and developed by Colin Hopgood, born into a third generation of plumbers, so you can have confidence there is some technical knowledge regarding filtration systems. A definite must-have item before your next Aussie road trip.
Price
RRP: From $110
