It is also important to know that filtering water is not the same as purifying water making it safe for drinking, but in an emergency, this outdoor survival skill can be extremely useful.

When the best water available is muddy water, you will need a filter to clean the water. To filter water means that all visible debris and particles are removed making it safer to drink. You will still need a method of killing harmful bacteria and microbes but filtering will often make the water taste better.

To filter water, you must begin with a container. A bottle will work well. By cutting the bottom of the bottle off you will be able to use the top as a makeshift funnel. To trap small debris and particles put some cloth material into the funnel. Using a can will work, too. With your knife punch a few holes into the bottom of the can which the water can run through. Then it's just a matter of letting the water fall through the holes trapping anything else inside the can.

There are several methods to filter water in the wilderness. Without a bottle or a can you can consider this method in an emergency. You can place an item of clothing or cloth material directly over the container as a filter. This may remove some particles.

Use what nature provides. If you have rocks and sand, alternate these in layers to make a filter. The more layers you have, the better.

If you have no bottles or cans use some bark and twist it into a cone shape. Rocks and sand can be layered inside the bark cone. Put small rocks as the last layer in the bottom of the cone. This will help hold it all together when you tie the bottom of the cone with a piece of string.

Make sure you use both fine and coarse layers in the filter and alternate between each. At the bottom of the cone, you will need to stop the sand from pouring through. This isn't as hard as you might think. You can stop it with non-poisionous grass, small pebbles, or if available, use some material such as a piece of cloth or part of an item of clothing.

When your filter is finished start pouring your collected water into it. Make sure you have your container ready to catch it when it comes out of the filter. Pass the filtered water through the filter again if it's not clear on the first pass through. You might need to do it several times to get the water clear.

Don't forget that even though you might now have clear water it is still not completely safe to drink. Any water found in the wilderness will need purification. Bacteria and microbes that can make you sick still exist in the water. To purify your water use a purification tablet or boil it for five minutes over a fire.

Learning how to filter water in the wilderness is an essential outdoor survival skill. Keep yourself alive by making sure water is safe for consumption and staying hydrated until you can get the help you need. Make sure you can filter water by practicing when you don't need it. Dehydration is a killer when lost in the wilderness so this skill could easily be the difference between life and death.

As a keen camper I enjoy to develop the techniques I might require to keep my family and myself I alive in the event that things go drastically wrong. For other great camping tips and hints have a look at the web page camping water purifier.