The best products tend to have inherent versatility. The UltraPress Ti water filter/purifier bottle, by GRAYL is just that, versatile. With the UltraPress, you get a kind of all-in-one vessel wit a 16.9oz water bottle, a water filter/purifier, and an outer titanium cup that can be used to heat water and cook food alongside hot coals or near a direct flame.
First Impressions
I believe that GRAYL is onto something, the UltraPress is clever in its design. I love products with built-in versatility, so I was instantly impressed when I received it. The quality of the product was top-notch, and it seemed easy to use. I was excited to give it a try.
I received the UltraPress about a month ago and have been using it off and on as my daily drinker, replacing a 32oz Camelback insulated bottle that I normally use. So, at only 16.9oz, all-day use isn’t the best for this bottle, as I found myself filling it up often. But, that’s ok, because that’s not what the GRAYL UltraPress is designed for.
Along with the UltraPress, GRAYL sent me their 4.5-liter BottleLock Hip Pack. It’s made to hold GRAYL bottles or Earthwell drinkware with the grippy BottleLock system.
They also sent along the adjustable Looney Bin bike cage made by Arundel. The cage has a nice feeling click-wheel adjuster that holds the UltraPress perfectly. So, if I don’t carry it on the Hip Pack, I can carry it on my bike.
When the click wheel is opened almost all the way, it will also hold a 32oz Nalgene bottle, which is great!
They also sent some paracord and their 170mm Titanium Spork. I didn’t see the paracord available on their website. And I wasn’t sure why they sent it along…but I figured it out and will touch on it a little later in my actual review of the UltraPress. Cool?
Much to my surprise, they also sent their Titanium Camp Stove. It came with an extra o-ring and a little stuff sack for storage.
It’s an extremely compact stove that is going to be great for coffee on day trips out to the desert in the Subie. Or better yet, this stove will take my #coffeeoutside kit to the next level.
With a weight of only 28g, and a fully adjustable flame, it will be nice for cooking on my bikepacking trips as well.
It’s a great-looking bottle. The color of the titanium with the laser-engraved, multi-color topo art, and subtle branding is very tasteful. They sent mine in the Covert Black color which actually looks more gray than black to me, but the UltraPress is also available in Olive Drab, Desert Tan, or Coyote Brown.
The outer cup can be used to heat water or cook food. The walls of the outer cup may look a little thin, but it is made of titanium, so it’s strong and should last a good long time without distorting. Plus, with the filter press nesting inside of it, the thinner walls make for an all-around more compact product.
Speaking of the filter press… I am out on my bike sometimes all day when I’ve run out of water and need to pull from a questionable, random drinking fountain (or other public drinking sources) in a city with whom I am not familiar… sure, it hasn’t killed me yet as I’ve been drinking from sources like that my whole life, but I could see myself using the filter as an easy way to eliminate germs or just get better-tasting water.
The one-way silicone valve is said to be drink-mix ready. You can actually use any potable beverage you’d like (filling from the top obvi) even a frosty brew. That’ll be nice at camp.
I was a little hesitant in doing a review of this bottle, as I don’t have many (if any) local rides here in Southern California where I am out on my bike all day with fresh, flowing river/creek water to pull from to filter and fill my bottle. But as I mentioned above, I am sometimes drinking from questionable areas, and the UltraPress will come in handy in those instances.
I will be taking it on my camping adventures as well as my bikepacking trips and I’m really excited to try it out.
Stay tuned for the full review.
