The Sawyer Squeeze just got better

[Diane Pinkers]

So, I'm toying with trying the Sawyer Squeeze, after reading Roger's report on water filtration. Currently I pack an MSR Sweetwater, with an adapter that pumps directly into our Camelback drinking tubes–don't have to remove the bladder from the backpack at all. That's what my boyfriend is still using. I've been experimenting with carrying less water at a time, and have been using an Evernew drinking hose on a Platypus 1 L, carried in an outside pocket on my pack, so it's easy just to unscrew the drinking tube, pump into the bladder, then screw the drinking tube back in.

My questions are, has anyone tried the Squeeze as an in-line filter to the Evernew drinking hose? It has a right angle port coming off the cap, so it looks to me like the filter might be flopping around being annoying right off the cap.

How fast does it filter as a gravity set-up? We generally will fill up 2 more Platypus 1 L bottles as we come to camp at night for water for dinner, breakfast and a small amount of washing. Would it be feasible to stop and use it as a gravity filter set-up for up to 4 L at a time? Would I want to get a larger bag and carry 2 L of treated water again?

[Diane Pinkers]

Also, do folks carry the syringe into the field with them for backflushing? If not on a 3 day trip, what about a 6 day trip?

[Jake D]

depends what kind of sources you are expecting. if you're going to have good streams, neither 3 or 6. if you might get some shallow or silty stuff then i'd bring it. 33g.. easy to pack away.. not the end of the world.

[Greg Mihalik]

We just completed 12 days in the Boundary Water Canoe Area. We used the Sawyer .1 in a gravity setup (with about 5 feet of drop) for all of our water – about 50 liters. By day 7 (28 liters) the filter was noticeably slower. I back-flushed by sitting on a Platy of clean water. Things improved a bit, but not back to "original". I didn't time it, but I guess it was around 5 to 8 minutes minutes a liter. BWCA is notorious for killing filters and pumps. Some sort of invisible red algae according to Katadyne.

When I got home I ran 10 syringes through it, each with a Lot of force.

The flow rate is back to 1 minute a liter, just like new.

It's a keeper.

[Katadyne Hiker cartridges run about $35 on sale and we kill them fast.]

[Greg Mihalik]

Diane,

"How fast does it filter as a gravity set-up?"
>>One liter per minute when new/clean/clear.

"Would it be feasible to stop and use it as a gravity filter set-up for up to 4 L at a time?"
>>If the filter is running near-new it's faster than pumping once you get a setup figured out.

Keep in mind that at a minimum you need "dipable" water and a pot. Lakes, streams, creeks, Big potholes, will work. A seep won't do it unless you can get your pot under a drip.

I recommend a "panty hose" screen at the "dirty water" Platy exit to keep the big stuff out of the Sawyer.

I also recommend a CamelBack On/Off valve somewhere to make the "clean" Platy changes easier.

[Diane Pinkers]

Thanks, Greg, that's exactly what I needed. Now to see if I can rig a set-up that's significantly less than my 11 ounce Sweetwater. Shouldn't be too hard. I think I'll need to get at least a 2 L dirty reservoir, and set it up as a gravity filter. That way I won't be bothered by it flopping around on my drinking tube set-up. I'll have to shop for pantyhose; I haven't worn any for years!

[Tom Lyons]

I haven't got my Squeeze yet, but I have been reading this thread and some others, and looking at some websites.

It seems that the Squeeze can be adapted to the Platypus bottle with an adapter called a "Tornado Tube" that costs only a few bucks. It has normal Platy-compatible threads in one end, and Squeeze-compatible threads in the other end. It's just a short stubby little thread adapter. Some vendors of the Squeeze are selling this as an accessory.

I just checked my Brita Bottle cap and removable activated charcoal filter, and the cap is 100% identical to the Platy pull cap, and the Brita filter drops right in the Platy like it was made for it.

So, if somebody wanted to add a sleek integrated activated charcoal filter to the Squeeze system and use their Platy bottle, all they have to do is insert the Brita filter in the Platy, screw on the Tornado Tube, and screw the Squeeze into the Tornado Tube.

Then, when you squeeze the Platy, it pushes the water thru the Brita charcoal filter first, and then thru the Sawyer Squeeze filter next, and the water squirts out the other end of the Squeeze.

You could even add a few drops of bleach into the dirty water in the Platy, or some tablets, if you wanted virus control. And the Brita charcoal filter would take the chlorine taste out along the way.
I would pre-filter the dirty water first, to get it as clear as possible as you put it into the Platy.

It just seems like a nice clean integrated package to me, that covers all the bases, with good solid connections and a compact package.

Flush some clean water thru the Brita before using, so the charcoal fines don't go into the Squeeze filter. This is true for when you first use any charcoal filter item.

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