Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter

[Tony Wong]

Randy,

Great review of how it worked for you…appreciate hearing your real world experience.

I took a trip about 3 weeks ago to Hetch Hetchy Resevior in Yosemite and rigged two platypus 1L bottles together with the old black colored sawyer filter to approximate the squeeze bottle and it worked great.

In this configuration, I simply could backflush the filter by squeezing on the clean bag to force the water back through easily. Being a closed system, it did not require much pressure to back flush the filter.

Question for you Randy: does it look like you could screw on two platypus bags, one on each end? (Clean and dirty bag).

-Tony

[Randy Smith]

That's exactly what I'm thinking. I recieved 2 Aquasimple Bottle Caps from Arrowhead Equipment last night, but didn't have time to play with them. I also plan to order a "tornado tube" http://www.amazon.com/Tornado-Tube-Tubes/dp/B0006Z8YBQ or something very similar.

My goal is one filter that can be reconfigured to serve all my needs (solo, small group and large group). I think this product just might be the best starting point.

[Tony Wong]

Randy,

Sounds intriguing.

Once you get your setup together, maybe you can post some photos of what it looks like.

-Tony

[Rafi Harzahav]

Hi Randy,

I bought this new Sawyer filter, but I've found that my Platypus soft bottles do not form a tight seal on either the input or the output of the filter. This was somewhat disappointing. Was this your experience also?

Thanks,

rhz

[Hoot Filsinger]

Hey Rafi,
Are you using the enclosed white hose washer in the fittings? If not this will solve your leaks. I bought extras at my local ACE because they are easy to lose. I also adapted this filter as a gravity filter using the hose fitting at arrowhwad equipment.It has good flow with about a 2 foot hose.
http://arrowheadequipment.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/1191146

Randy,
Nice call on the tornado tube fitting.Now back flushing is made easy using any platy or any thin water bottle (no need to take the syringe).

Bill

[Rafi Harzahav]

I'll try it again when I get home, but it seemed like the entire Platypus threading was simply incompatible with the filter input. (I did try it with the washer.)

[Randy Smith]

I too found that my Platypus bag was a little more difficult to screw on, but if I used firm pressure while screwing on the filter, it sealed just fine.

The Platypus bag has fewer threads than the provided Sawyer bag.

The tornado tube is on order. I will report back the results.

[Curtis B.]

You all convinced me. Thanks for posting details and pics–you've given me everything I need to purchase and duplicate your setups!

[Hoot Filsinger]

Randy,

Because I am a science teacher I already had a Tornado Tube (TT) in my room to try out.I found you need to modify it by cutting (I used a bandsaw)about 1/4 inch off each end this allows Platys and other standard drinking bottles to seat into the threads. The seals are tight using the TT so washers are not needed. This is an excellent setup for backflushing and eliminates the need for the syringe. The modified TT weighs 12 grams vs 35 grams for the bulky syringe. I found this setup also works as a gravity feed system (see photos) without the need for tubing which is an added bonus.I included a photo of the arrowhead equipment adaptor but I doubt I will use this as the TT does it all.

[Randy Smith]

Thanks Bill for doing the legwork. Good news about the Tornado Tube fitting tightly.

[Richard Brownkatz]

Would someone please explain the Tornado Tube and its use here?
I Googled it and found what seems to be just a science project.
Thanks.

[Randy Smith]

It is a small plastic fitting used to join two 2 liters bottles together. Bill could likely give us the science lecture behind how it works. For our purposes, it is a fitting that will join the Sawyer Squeeze male threaded end directly to the male threads on a Platypus bottle. You can see the fitting a couple posts back. It's the blue object.

[Richard Brownkatz]

Thanks Randy

[Curtis B.]

What do you think of using the Sawyer quick disconnect male + female listed here: https://www.sawyersafetravel2.com/moreinformation.asp?pid=169?

I've sent an email asking for the weight in ounces.

I am thinking about using the quick disconnect to more easily connect to a 2L platypus bladder without having to unpack the bladder every time I refill.

Would you put it in the tubing near the top of the pack or nearest the mouthpiece? I'm leaning towards the former to keep it from swinging around. Unpacking the lid to plug in and refill is ok, unpacking the whole pack to remove the bladder is a pain.

Thoughts?

[Randy Smith]

Makes sense for anyone using it as a hydration bladder.

[Dean F.]

The 0.02 micron "viral" filter that Sawyer makes is meant for people traveling in third world countries where getting hepatitis from the tapwater is a real concern. For the United States backcountry the 0.1 micron filter should cover you. IIRC it JUST BARELY misses the FDA criteria for a water purifier, as opposed to a water filter- I think that to be called a water purifier a device must remove 5 log of viruses, so 99.998% removal FAILS.

But most viral human-pathogen contamination in North American water sources comes from human waste, as opposed to bacterial or protozoan contamination which can come from stock or wild animals. So if you are in the back country you're probably safe as long as you aren't downstream from a sewage treatment facility or outhouse.

But make your own choices (HYOH).

[Kevin Kingma]

I'll be buying my first Sawyer filter system soon and need to choose between the SP121 and SP131 filter elements. I can get the SP121 for $30. Anyone have any opinion/info. as to which would be better? Would squeeze and gravity flow rates be similar between the two filters? Are the SP131 squeeze bags reliable or likely to get holes if accidentally scraped against rough granite? (I'll be using the same setups with needed connectors as nicely described in the previous posts – thanks.)

[Michael Davis]

When I saw Randy's post about this filter on another forum, I immediately ordered one. Since I am anti-chemical (except for backup) and anti steripen (mine failed) this seemed to be the ticket to lightening up from my gravity filter.

I was not disappointed. As a matter of fact, I am thrilled with this setup!
(A big Thank You to Randy).

From my digital scale:

Filter = 2.5 oz
2 L Pouch = 1.0 oz
Backflush syringe = 1.2 oz

Grand total = 4.7 oz

BUT, for a weekend you don't need the backflush syringe, so….

Weekend total = 3.5 oz

BTW: I have noticed several medical professionals post on here that irrigating a wound is very important. The syringe that comes with the Sawyer Squeeze would be perfect for that.

[Ben C]

This filter looks nice. I would love to get A couple of opinions, though. Can I leave a backup option at home? Can you screw this on a bottle and suck water out like you can on the Frontier Pro?

[Tyler H]

I guess you can't embed on BPL, should have known better.

[Kevin Kingma]

1) Do the Sawyer squeeze bags appear to be as durable as similar size Platypus bags?

2) Would the older style Sawyer filter (SP 121/122) connected to a 1L Platy bag with an inch of tubing as a squeeze system work as well/fast as the new SP 131 squeeze system?

[David Vo]

My heart sank when I read about needing an extra scoop for the bag. Why doesn't someone make a bottle or bag with a large opening on one end and an attached filter on the other? For example, a Clean Bottle (http://cleanbottle.com/g) with a Sawyer Filter on one end. That way you can scoop the water up, even from shallow sources, cap the scoop side, attach a filter on the other end and squeeze to filter. I am still looking for the ultimate filter setup and almost all the ones I read require carrying some sort of hacked Gatorade bottle to be used as a scoop.

[Kevin Kingma]

I agree, that is one of the flaws of this new system. The squeeze system requires a squeezable water collecting/feed bag. No mfg. makes a lightweight bag that has a reliable zip lock top that will hold under squeeze pressure and that has a bottom connection port to attach to the filter.

My suggestion would be to make one using something like a Sea To Summit 4 Liter Ultra-Sil Dry Sack (0.9 oz.). It has a large top opening for reasonably easy water collection, and a roll top closure with stiffener that should withstand / aid in squeezing water thru a filter. The connecting port to a filter could be easily DIYed using parts from USPlastics.

(and thanks for reminding me about the **update** post. It sounds like the Sawyer squeeze bags are not as sturdy as a platypus bag.)

[Ken Larson]

I have been “lurking” on this thread since its inception and feel it’s time to disseminate some facts and information from my personal experiences. One reason for me delving deeply into the water aspects of backpacking recently is because with my compromised immune system due the two stem cell transplants for multiple myeloma cancer. I cannot take ANY chances with ANY source of water. I have use chemical and filters to treat water prior to my dx of 2003 and after 2003 the Sawyer SP 125 PURIFIER in a GRAVITY MODE. I have a Squeeze system with a SAWYER SQUEEZE BAG (1.5L) (1.0oz set up and a SP 121/122 FILTER when I have backpacked with my grandchildren (ages 11 to 9) so they can get into the act of “making water” for their use. I also have a GEIGERRIG Hydration Engine system set up for use with the Sawyer SP 125 PURIFIER for areas that I will have difficulty with my Sawyer SP 125 PURIFIER gravity system (drawback to this system is weight).

Now to the posting above:

“I agree that is one of the flaws of this new system. The squeeze system requires a squeezable water collecting/feed bag.”

>>>> If you use a Sawyer’s squeeze bag (eg. SAWYER SQUEEZE WATER BAG 64oz/1.9L (1.0oz), with the necessary parts and tubing connected to a SP 121/122 FILTER or a SP194/SP190 PURIFIER you can squeeze water into any container.
My system: SAWYER WATER FILTER wet (.1 micron) (3.65oz) /SAWYER SQUEEZE BAG (1.5L) (1.0oz), HOSE ASSEMBLY 1.25oz/FLUSHING SYRINGE (1.12oz)/STUFF BAG (.35oz) – 6.2oz
If you purchase the Sawyer bag (s) (use as a squeeze bag backup) for a collection bag with your SP 121/122 FILTER ….you have a light system (see above and you further lighten this system by eliminating the FLUSHING SYRINGE (1.12oz) & STUFF BAG). Using a SP194/SP190 PURIFIER WITH a Sawyer squeeze bag is DIFFICULT to produce the flow compared to the SP 121/122 FILTER or a hand pump FILTER….I would NOT recommend from my experiences. I have NOT use a Sawyer product with a Platy bag so I cannot give any feedback on that.

“No mfg. makes a lightweight bag that has a reliable zip lock top that will hold under squeeze pressure and that has a bottom connection port to attach to the filter.”

>>>>Checked out GEIGERRIG Hydration Engine (http://www.geigerrig.com/ ) 3 L RESERVOIR – 4.0oz very Bomb Proof and while this system is a "squeeze system” it uses an internal pressurized system that is quite unique, that will force water through the SP 121/122 FILTER or a SP194/SP190 PURIFIER with ease BUT at different rates. I believe the Sawyer bag (though it does not have a zip lock top) will be reliable, though further testing/use on my part is needed to make any definitive statements. Check out [email protected] at Sawyer for further information and/or clarification on this issue.

Heading to Isle Royale Nation Park with the wife for nine trip tomorrow to walk the Minong Trail for the second time take in some wilderness. (There are issues with water in certain areas on the island but beyond this discussion.)

Cheers

[Tony Wong]

I just came back from a 16 day JMT trip and used my old "black" 1st gen Sawyer Filter (not the purifier) for the whole trip.

For this trip, I used a squeeze bag system of 1 dirty water 1L Platypus and 1L Platypus for clean water.

System worked well enough, but my hands got tired after 3L of water….was filtering for my buddies.

The Platypus bags really can take the abuse and held up fine.

Backflushing was simply squeezing the clean bag to force water back through the filter.

After 16 days, it did seem like the Sawyer was slowing down a little bit…maybe needed a more complete flushing from a faucet, but worked good enough or I was simply impatient or tired on the trail at the end.

I am very interested in getting the squeeze bottle system to see if the rate of flow is better than the inline filter that I am using.

Anyway, thought I would share….old filter can be adapted to function like the new squeeze bottle one.

-Tony

[Author]

Posts