[Gear Review] The LifeStraw® by Vestergaard + Giveaway

Next year, our family's number one bucket list item is a family backpacking trip. We had a backpacking trip planned this past May, but for various reasons, we had to put it off. I think it was for the best considering we are still doing research and budgeting to buy the essentials that we'll need like a smaller backpacking tent and more compact sleeping bags and mats.

One must-have on any backpacking trip is water. You can never have enough of it, especially with little ones embarking on long hikes, but water is heavy! Water bladders can contribute to over half of the weight you have to carry for a family of three to stay hydrated and let's face it, the more you can lighten your load, the better! That's why when Vestergaard contacted me requesting a review of their product, The LifeStraw® I jumped at it!

We have researched tons of filtration systems. We took into consideration that we almost always prefer treks, hikes and camps that are on some sort of waterway and that is why The LifeStraw® seemed like the best choice for our needs!

But, there's another, more important reason why I love this product so much, it's Vestergaard's global humanitarian efforts. Each consumer purchase of LifeStraw® products provides one school child in Africa with clean water for an entire school year. Let me repeat that: EACH consumer purchase of LifeStraw® products provides one school child in Africa with clean water for an ENTIRE school YEAR. WOW! If there were more companies out there doing what Vestergaard is doing, the world would indeed be a better place!

LifeStraw® is an award-winning point-of-use portable water filter that transforms microbiologically contaminated water into safe, clean drinking water. It is ideal for a variety of users outside of the home, from hikers and campers to people displaced by natural disasters.  

Features and Specs

• Retail Price $19.95
• Lightweight--only 56 grams (or 2 ounces) 
• Uses hollow fibre microfiltration technology 
• Purifies a minimum of 1000 litres (264 gallons) of water 
• Removes virtually all bacteria (99.9999 percent) and protozoan parasites (99.9 percent) that can contaminate water, including giardia 
• Reduces turbidity (muddiness) by filtering particulate matter larger than 0.2 microns 
• Made of durable plastic  
• Chemical-free 
• Doesn’t require electrical power, batteries or replacement parts–it’s powered by user-generated suction

How It Works

LifeStraw® uses advanced hollow fiber technology. This is a highly efficient method of filtration. Hollow fiber membrane requires no chemicals like chlorine or iodine.  

1. Water enters and is forced through narrow fibers under high pressure. 
2. Hollow fibers trap bacteria, protozoa, and other contaminants which are flushed out by backwashing. 
3. Clean water exits through tiny pores in the walls of the hollow fibers. 
4. Filtered water is safe to drink. 

Easy to Use  

Anyone who can use a drinking straw can use a LifeStraw®. Simply draw the unfiltered water through the LifeStraw®, blow air back through the straw to flush and clear it after drinking.

The LifeStraw® product and information have been provided by Vestergaard.

And now *drum roll* without further ado, here's the giveaway! Enter below to win your very own LifeStraw®! Contiguous US Residents only please! Good luck!! 

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