Portable water purifiers aren’t new. It’s essential gear for camping, mountaineering, and other outdoor activities, after all. The GoSun Flow, however, does other portable water purifiers one better by being more versatile, allowing you to use it for far more than enjoying potable water at all times.
Like other portable purifiers, the device puts water through a series of filters that eliminate any pathogens and contaminants, allowing it to make even the most suspicious water sources safe to drink. Unlike them, it also integrates an automated pump system that makes drawing water from any lake, stream, or well extremely convenient, all while adding a good amount of pressure that lets you use it to take showers, wash dishes, and do other things you normally wouldn’t be able to do in the wild.
The GoSun Flow comes with several components, namely a tube-shaped filter, a pair of hoses (one six feet and one nine feet), a water pouch, a USB-powered pump, a power bank, and a solar panel that doubles as carrying case for the whole ensemble. You can use it strictly as a water purifier by using the filter as a straw similar to how you use a LifeStraw. Additionally, you can connect a tube directly to the filter, put the tube into a water source, and sip water out of the filter, so you don’t have to bend over and sip straight out of a shallow stream.
What sets the rig apart, however, is the inclusion of powered components. Connect the pump to the power bank via USB, hook it up to the two tubes, and you’ve got yourself an automated pump system that draws water from one tube and passes it on to the next. Just make sure the receiving tube is connected to the filter and you’ve got yourself potable water coming out at the other end. You can also connect the power bank to the solar case to ensure it’s replenishing whatever power is being used up, so you can have the pump system on tap whenever you need it.
The GoSun Flow’s filtration system can remove 99.99 percent of pathogens, including viruses, so any water you put through it will be perfectly potable, with the filter able to last for up to 1,000 liters before needing a replacement. The pump, by the way, has a maximum pressure of 15 psi, which is strong enough to use for showering and washing dishes, among other things at camp, while the battery can keep the pump running for around 100 gallons between charges, so as long as you keep it charging via the sun throughout the day, you should be able to use it well into the night.
If you want more creature comforts, they also offer a Pro kit that includes a collapsible plastic sink and a clip-on faucet/shower head with a bendable arm, so you can wash dishes and take showers like civilized people. Want hot showers? Get the Ultimate package, which adds a bigger 144Wh battery and a heater to the mix.
The GoSun Flow is priced at $249 for the base kit, $349 for the Pro, and $639 for the Ultimate package.