Finally need to buy a water filter, have REI dividend, what to get?

Sawyer Filters on Woot

I would recommend the Sawyer Squeeze over the mini. The mini needs to be backflushed a lot more often. Works great as a gravity filter setup.

http://www.rei.com/product/801824/sawyer-3-way-inline-water-filter

All of the Sawyers are essentially the same filter packaged differently. The Mini has integrated inline hose fittings to splice into a hydration tube but you can buy fittings for the Squeeze to do the same thing. I have set up my Squeeze in this way as a gravity filter, but I could just as easily unscrew it and use it with those foil packets they come with.

What Eric said. I'd skip the mini and go with the squeeze.

is the Sawyer Really adequate for travelling thru livestock pastures ??

I’d say it’s adequate. You could get a purifier to filter virus’ if you’re really cautious.

Sawyer Testing Bucket PDF

I prefer to stir (with a steripen) rather than squeeze. Just run the water through a bandana/coffee filter first if not clear.

Unless you know the air didn't get down to freezing, or you put your filter in your bag with you, the filter could be compromised by the expanding water. I'm sure many people on here know that, not trying to start something. Just something to consider when choosing filter systems.

Steve

I've used various water filters for over a quarter century – hey you kids, get off my lawn.
I used a Steripen for several years because it was lighter than the pump models. However, it was not dependable. If you don't take the batteries out, the microprocessor drains them. Really sucks to fill up your water bottle and then find the batteries are dead.
I've used the Sawyer for a couple years now in various conditions with no problems. On a trek in Katmai NP during a low rain period, I had to use muddy water scooped from shallow puddles and had no problems other than slowing down a bit, but no blockage.

“Now will be traveling where water runs through livestock pastures”
There may be viruses and pesticides in this scenario.

I don’t think the sawyer will touch the pesticide runoff. And it definitely won’t help with lake/pond tannin; The brown color will go right through. To make brown/green pond water clear, I’ve only seen one filter able to do that – the First Need. But it’s 16oz. But that’s what I take when I’m going into gross water areas. Plus it’s much faster and easier at pumping than Sawyer’s.

BTW, steripen, on mostly clear water, is my favorite. And I have had no problems with batteries (since mine is newer than 2010). Mechanical filters have a large list of failures.

-Barry
-Keep on drinking

Barry is right the First Need is the only one that will help with tannin and perhaps pesticides etc. Depending on how nasty of a place you are going it might be worth the weight and cost. For the weight however you could triple treat with a Sawyer Squueze, Aquimira, and Steripen.

I had a steripen that failed in the field too (on its first trip out) due to low batteries. It was cold (~30's) and the batteries had been sitting in the unit for about 30 days. That was in ~2008 though and I think they have fixed the battery drain issue in more recent versions. I went back to my previous treatment meathod (Aquimira)

Look at the new MSR gravity filter. Some say it's the best gravity filter.

Hi David

> where water runs through livestock pastures.
Then you MUST be able to handle viruses, bacteria and protozoa. You have several effective choices:

* Boiling: high cost of fuel etc etc

* Sawyer 0.01 um filter: very very slow

* First Need filter: very very heavy

* Rapid Pure filter: effective and fast. See http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/rapid-pure-filters-caffin.html

* Steripen Opti or (better) Classic3: effective and fast. See http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/steripen-classic-3-review-caffin.html

* Other filters: CAUTION, won't stop viruses, period.

* Chemicals: CAUTION, can be very slow on protozoa, or ineffective.

* Voodoo: how good are you?

MSR filters have ALL been a uniform and reliable failure imho.

Cheers

The Rapidpure filters are interesting. Would the scout version (1.2lpm or 1.6lpm) spliced into your hydration bladder hose (as an inline filter) work well as a gravity system for small volumes (around 1-2 liters) in camp? They say they work much faster than hollow tube filters

Hi Abraham

The Scout should be fine. Yes, much faster. Have you read our Review?

Cheers

Yes Roger, I read the review, thanks. I wasn't sure if the relatively shorter length of tubing with my hydration pack (as opposed to a dedicated gravity filter system) would be enough of a pressure head for the Rapidpure, especially for the smallest scout model (1.2 lpm). If I understand correctly it needs much less pressure than the Sawyer filters and those seem to work in gravity mode fairly well with shorter tubing, so it makes sense the rapidpure would work with the 3 feet or so of tubing I would use just to fill a 1.5 liter bottle in camp.

Hi Abraham

We expect a report on how well it goes when you come back!

Cheers

Went ahead and got the Sawer Squeeze. $39 and covered by my REI dividend. Also boiled or added a drop of iodine (old school crystal solution you can't get anymore thanks to methheads and terrorists).

After just one weekend use the squeeze is very light, fast, works on platy's and pop bottles. The bladder that came with it would not fill properly tho. Gonna change that out. Used it mostly as gravity feed at camp.