Delios Portable Water Filters

Super Delios Bottle & Filter

I was recently given the opportunity to try the Delios Portable Water Filter and the Delios Filter. Those of you in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia are probably already well aware of the product, because it is used extensively by NGOs, the Red Cross, and other relief agencies in those countries.

The Delios is marketed for multiple uses:

Outdoor activities, such as hiking, mountain climbing, and camping
Traveling abroad
Emergency preparedness

The Delios treatment is carbon based, and removes bacteria such as Cholera, Giardia, Salmonella, as well as mold and protozoa from contaminated water. The pore size is 0.2 microns, which is comparable to other filters on the market. These Delios filtration products are popular among Japanese trekkers. That’s not surprising, given its ease of use, which I tested thoroughly, its light weight, and effectiveness. As long as the source water is one of the following, the Delios will be effective:

How the Delios Water Filter Works

Tap water, underground water, or well water
Water where fish can live
Toilet and bath water (that doesn’t have soap)
Bottled water that has passed its expiration date
Swimming pool water, rain water, and snowmelt

How the Delios Water Filters Stood Up to Hiking Lady’s Tests

Super Delios Ease of use? Good. To use the Super Delios, all you need to do is fill up the bottle with untreated water and then squeeze the contents thru the Delios filter at the top of the bottle, and into a clean container. A really nice feature is that you can simply screw on the Delios filter to a Playtpus bottle or other narrow necked bottle.
Drip Delios Ease of use? Average. If you’ve set up camp, the Drip Delios is a good option because it requires no squeezing action – gravity enables unfiltered water to drip out and into a clean container. The only drawbacks are that the process is slow, and a clean container cannot be easily attached, like the Sawyer Complete Water Treatment System that is currently on the market.
Weight? Excellent. Both the Super Delios and the Drip Delios are very lightweight – 2oz. and 3oz. respectively.
Effectiveness? Unable to test for sure. The manufacturer hasn’t had issues in the last 10 years, but without access to a lab I can’t guarantee that it works as claimed. I doubt the Red Cross would be using the product though if it didn’t work.
Suitability for hiking and backpacking water treatment? Average (Very good if using a Platypus bottle). The Super Delios seems to be the better choice vs. the Drip Delios for backpackers and hikers, however the bottle that is included is extremely small (only 10 ounces). If used with another squeezable bottle, such as a Playtpus, it would be much more suitable for backpackers and hikers because larger quantities could be treated without refilling the reservoir.