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Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter
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Aug 22, 2011 at 1:09 pm #1771950
@Tony – Can you clarify which 1L Platypus you used exactly? Soft bottle? Plus bottle? Hoser?
Aug 22, 2011 at 2:00 pm #1771962David,
Sorry about the lack of details on the Platypus.
I am using the soft bottles, 1L, for my rigged Squeeze bottle knock off system.
I have a few of the old, discontinuted Platypus filter links that allow me to screw onto the Platypus bottles on either end of the Sawyer filter to make my connections.
NOT using the Big Zip closure system.
I use Sawyer as a gravity filter in camp with a 4L Platypus water tank, that has a zip lock closure system that is just OKAY.
Was a bit harder to seal up tight with cold water and wet hands.
My water tank is a few years old, so wonder if it is losing the "softness" that made it soooo easy to close when brand new.
Once sealed, you can squeeze the water tank too….even lean on it to apply pressure….not sure I would sit on a water tank though.
-Tony
Sep 12, 2011 at 10:46 pm #1779052The squeeze bags supplied with the SP 131/2 are probably like the new packaging I've seen for laundry detergent and pet foods, sturdy enough to resist granite scrape holes and almost as strong as Platy bags.
The Geigerrig system bag is a little heavier than I want, but I enjoyed the video they have of throwing one out of a truck going 100mph to show how sturdy it is!
Optimally, the water collection bag would have an open top to make collecting and cleaning the bag easy (the Sawyer squeeze bags wouldn't work to collect water in shallow desert springs). The best water collection/dirty water bag seems to be a sil-nylon bag with stiffener/roll top. It seems others have made/used these for gravity systems, but I haven't read anything about their use in a squeeze system.
Sep 13, 2011 at 2:08 am #1779070ziplock can be used to collect very shallow water, then pour into other container
Oct 12, 2011 at 6:47 am #1789497Has anybody taken a ultra-sil dry sack and used parts from USPlastics (or something else) to add a water tube coming out of the sack. Seems like it would be difficult to get a good seal with this slippery material. If you've succeeded I'd like to know how you did it. Thanks!
Oct 20, 2011 at 4:54 pm #1793164Just used one of these in the Grand Canyon last weekend. Very light, very quick and easy to use. It can be awkward to try to fill the "dirty" water bag because it is such a small opening, but we used a cup when we couldn't find a place where the water was "falling" to make it easy to fill the bag. The bags seemed durable but on the third day we developed a pinhole in the bottom of the larger bag. We could still filter easily but it created a drip of dirty water down the side of the bag. For anyone who has trouble with their hands from repetitive motion activities, squeezing the bag to move the water through the filter is a great alternative to traditional water filters. We filtered a lot of water very quickly. One person was filling dirty water bags (we took two), one person was squeezing the bag attached to the filter, and the other was holding the clean water containers. The threading on/off of the filter to the bag was very quick.
I have been unable to see how to use gravity to make this system work since we always had to force the water (by squeezing the bag) to push it through the filter.Oct 21, 2011 at 12:06 pm #1793478My experience so far has been similar. One of my two bottles, the smaller one in my case, started leaking a bit around the rim where the nozzle is. So far, that's been the only problem with the filter.
I've forced the water through the filter every time also, otherwise it takes quite a while. I think it would work by gravity alone, but pretty slowly. Maybe if you hang it high enough to have a larger hydrostatic head it would work reasonably well, but I haven't tried that.
I also found that the push-pull filter makes a handy faucet for washing one's hands; I place the bag full of water under one arm, tip it downward with the valve open, and squeeze gently with my arm. Quite convenient. :)
Oct 21, 2011 at 12:33 pm #1793487My squeeze filter also started leaking on the third day of use. The leak was at the end of the throat base. Sawyer claimed I had been "wringing" the bag (voids the warrantee), which I did not. Still, they replaced the bag, which was nice of them.
I still like the system, it's certainly quicker than my gravity Sawyer/Platypus system, but I'm hesitant about depending upon a system which starts leaking dirty water within a few days of use.
Oct 21, 2011 at 12:52 pm #1793495Are these failures you guys are having simply the dirty water bag? Or they the filter itself.
Could dirty water bag failures be fixed by using a platy bag instead?
Oct 21, 2011 at 1:05 pm #1793501Yeah, a platy would work. I already carry a 3 liter one, and plan on that being my backup in case the dirty water bag fails.
Mine isn't leaking, but it has seen little use yet. I purchased it a little over a month ago, and it came with a piece of paper stating that the bags are not covered under warranty. This makes me think they've had quite a few issues with the bags. ;)
Oct 21, 2011 at 1:29 pm #1793512Question:
Why can't you roll the bag to obtain the pressure? No, I don't have one of these new nifty toys, but am interested.
People are not liking the squeeze funciont. I would think rolling would be easier and create more pressure forcing the water through faster.
At least rolling is always faster when deflating rubber rafts and air mattreses.
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:42 pm #1793553Platys will work fine with it, and are more durable.
They need to include a quality "tornado tube" type (male-to-male) adapter for connecting to water bottles on the outlet end though, and beef up the bags a bit. the tornado tubes you can buy are poorly made and brittle.
By letting you connect a clean platy on the outlet, you can backflush by squeezing too, and dont need a syringe.
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:48 pm #1793555I tried a Platy and the threads didn't match. I could get it started, but it felt like it would strip and definitely wouldn't thread down far enough to seat and seal. What model did you use?
Edit: I was going back and forth on this and did an actual test of a Platy on the Sawyer and it leaks. I made another post with a photo of the two bottle threads and found that the Sawyer is a finer pitch. I would fear that forcing it could eventually damage the threads on the filter housing and I don't recommend it. The leak does trickle down the side of the filter and would drop dirty water straight into any container below.
Another poster mentioned using an o-ring rather than the flat washer supplied with the filter. That may allow it to seal, but I would be careful. Some of the Platy bladders I have actually started to thread on an angle, and all my mechanical experience says it is just the wrong fit. I did note differences in the thickness of the threads on several Platy products, but the pitch (the angle and spacing of the threads) is the same between them. The exit nozzle/end cap threads easily on both Sawyer and Platy bags and mislead me as well.
Oct 21, 2011 at 3:59 pm #1793563Rolling is exactly what I did, and probably contributed to the problem.
Explanation: I'm about 60 and have tremors familiar (sp?), which means my hands shake more and more as I get older. Trying to squeeze the Sawyer bag while aiming at the mouth of a Platypus left half the filtered water on the ground. So I used my left hand to hold the Sawyer filter and Platypus mouths in alignment, and squeezed with my right hand. After the initial squeeze, I rolled the top (bottom?) of the bag down (like on their cutsey advertising video), wrapped my thumb around the rolled section and my fingers on either side of the throat and squeezed. Rolled some more and squeezed. In three days, the Sawyer bag was leaking.
My guess is (Sawyer would not confirm this in correspondence with them) that by squeezing the bag on either side of the throat I created creases in the plastic of the bag, which (1) led to the leak developing and (2) Sawyer took as evidence of "wringing".
So if you roll the bag, do be careful of how you squeeze it – Do not use any force on the bag next to the throat which causes the bag to fold there. You will create a leak and have Sawyer accuse you of wringing!
I'd like to see Sawyer develop a more pliable bag, or at least do a (serious) video on how to squeeze the bag one-handed while aligning the filter opening with a narrow bottle opening. Again, Sawyer did not comment on this request.
Again, I still like the system, and appreciate Sawyer replacing my bag (I also bought some extras from them – though the suggestion of using Platypus bags sounds good!) despite their verdict of unauthorized wringing.
The tornado tube is a great idea!
Oct 21, 2011 at 4:46 pm #1793582Are u all using chems in addition to this, im hiking 75 miles of the AT in novmber and dont really want to wait for the chems. I normally use bleach and wait 30 min.
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:13 pm #1793589I don't plan on using any chems with this. But a drop or two of bleach would not hurt anything.
Has anyone found a usable (not brittle) tornado tube? I found some on amazon but have yet to buy one.
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:30 pm #1793592I don't use chemicals with the filter, but I carry MicroPur tablets for backup. In North America a 0.1 micron filter will get the usual parasites and bacteria. In other areas you may need to deal with viruses like polio and hepatitis and the chemicals are a good choice there. Ben has a lot of info on using bleach.
I like the filter as I can carry less water and not have the time issues. There is usually too much water where I hike. I have used a Steripen in the same way, but I prefer actually removing the bugs than just zapping them; also, there are no batteries to fuss with, and no issues with containers. The weight between the Sawyer and a Steripen is a wash if I remember right, maybe less when considering spare batteries or heavier containers with a wide mouth. It is still a mechanical device, so I carry the chemicals for backup. I've used a pump filter like a Katadyn Hiker Pro for group/family trips, but I think it's too heavy for solo use. The Sawyer has better filtration specs too.
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:32 pm #1793593I recently spoke with an Aquamira customer service rep re my Frontier Pro filter, which they immediately and willingly replaced. For whatever reason, my Frontier Pro, which I used in gravity flow set up for less than a week, became clogged and impeded flow.
The Aquamira rep told me they would soon release a filter system with their "squeeze" bags. Rep said bags will not be Platys, but from a contract manufacturer. Maybe the yet to be released Aquamira bags will withstand “wringing” and be a worthy alternative to Sawyer?
Oct 21, 2011 at 5:52 pm #1793596My experience and approach match Dale's, except I haven't used a Steripen. I like that I don't have to add chemicals to great-tasting water.
Oct 21, 2011 at 6:01 pm #1793598Good question.
Did the rep mention new filters with smaller pores?
Oct 21, 2011 at 6:12 pm #1793603Like Dale, I've used the Steripen with good success. I cut the top off a Nalgene "canteen" and zapped the bugs in it, then poured into a lightweight container (Platypus or Aquamira bottle. I may go back to it if I can't find a good way to deal with the fragile Sawyer bag thing.
For decades, I used to use iodine exclusively. Nasty taste! I'd rather not do chemicals now that there are so many other good alternatives.
Now I use a Frontier "suck thru" filter as back-up.
Oct 21, 2011 at 6:27 pm #1793606I replaced the hose washer with the same diameter thin black neoprene washers and platys and other bottles seal nicely.
Oct 21, 2011 at 7:09 pm #1793621Hi all,
I'm not connected to sawyer, but I did pass on your feedback to one of their reps. It'll be interesting to see their response.
Oct 21, 2011 at 7:13 pm #1793622I guess my current plan is to use a 2L platy for the dirty water bag and get a tornado tube or some equivalent so I can also use a 2L platy or standard bottle for the clean water.
I am still wondering how long a hose would be needed to make this filter work as a gravity filter? Basically how much head pressure is required to force water through it.
Oct 21, 2011 at 7:56 pm #1793628I have a Sawyer Squeeze, and am pretty happy with it. The bags *feel* more fragile than the Platys, so I just plan to use a Platy as a dirty bag when the Sawyer bags give out. Meanwhile, no need for anything fancy like a tornado tube. I took one look at the squirt cap and decided that that was a recipe for a big pain in the tuckus. So, I took two extra Platypus closure caps, made a hole in each of them about 1/2" in diameter, and taped them back to back with waterproof athletic tape (local drugstore brand). Has held together very well so far (a couple of several day trips), and easy to fix (more tape) or replace if it fails. (I even "borrowed" some of the waterproof tape off of the connecter for a hot spot.) It makes it a LOT easier to use. I keep the connector attached to the filter unit and put a baggie over it to keep it from getting contaminated by dirty water (I added a rubber band after the trip where I took this photo, to be extra safe). To fill the dirty bag it's easy – cut a very lightweight cheap water bottle in half, and use the bottom half as a dedicated water scoop. (Don't want to use my mug, then I'd have to disinfect it!)
(EDIT TO ADD: You can't tell in the photo, but I am holding the two bags connected to the filter suspended in the air. The tape held together that well.)
BTW, if you try this, use a smaller drill bit and then enlarge the hole. I tried a bigger bit at first and the caps sort of cracked. Had to start over…)
Here are some pics:
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