The Sawyer Squeeze just got better

> replacing my sawyer with the MSR hyperflow since it would offer both modes.
Before you do that, try reading our reviews of the Hyperflow:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/msr_hyperflow_microfilter.html

and the modified Hyperflow:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/msr_hyperflow_modified_cartridge_review.html

You might change your mind.

Cheers

Right now, I have a Hiker Pro. Love it because I have a Big Zip Platy, as does my hiking partner, so refills are a breeze… water tastes great, don't mind pumping for all of a minute or two.

My ONLY issue with it, is weight. But the more I consider getting a Sawyer inline, the more I think I wouldn't be saving all that much weight anyway? Say the Sawyer is 4 oz wet. Throw in a "Dirty Bag" @ 3 – 5 oz, and an optional fill cup, and you're around 9ish oz. The Hiker Pro is 10 or 11 oz.

Anyone wanna convince me why a Sawyer is the better option? I don't really like the idea of just dunking my bladder under water and drinking from it. Especially for thru-hikes, that's a long time of having your primary water storage be all dirty.

Sawyer Squeeze weighs 3 ounces

Katadyn weighs 11 ounces

I may get a Squeeze. I'd have a Platypus for dirty water. Squeeze filtered water into pint bottle.

With Pro, I filter water into the Platypus. I also have a pint bottle.

Pro and Squeeze have the same additional weight requirement, a Platypus and a pint bottle

I got two 2 L Evernew bottles a couple of years ago, and they are holding up just fine. I'll have to wait a couple more years to see if they get brittle as Platypus do after about 4 years. I'm glad to hear they're compatible with the Sawyer Squeeze, because I want to try one of those.

Note that Evernew bottles are slightly heavier than the corresponding Platys. However, their cap attaches to the bottle, so you can't lose it! This is part of the reason for their being heavier, but it means you don't have to carry an extra cap or two as I always did with the Platys. There is also an elastic cord, which is removable, to hold the bottle tightly when it's rolled up. The cord is nice, but not really necessary unless you are trying to squeeze all your stuff into a too-small pack.

I have several old Platys that are getting brittle, so I will have a good supply of dipping containers to pour water into the "dirty" bag.

Has anyone actually used the Squeeze filter as part of a gravity system? That would be the best of both worlds!

Alex,

Thanks for reporting back on your Tahoe trip and using the Evernew Bottles with the Sawyer squeeze filter.

The only issue for me is if I should swap out my current inline Sawyer filter to the squeeze bottle setup.

Mine has been serving me well for the past 4 or so years and should go on for many more years to come.

I wonder if anyone has done a comparison between the Sawyer inline filter vs. the Squeeze?

The main attraction to me is that I think that the Squeeze filter might hvae a faster rate of flow vs. the inline filter, which would give me a compelling reason to make the switch over.

I thought that BPL was going to have a review of the Sawyer filters?

If so, when is it going to come out????

-Tony

With the inline filter don't you need a second Platypus (or whatever) bag? That adds a little weight – maybe 1 ounce – so maybe not important. Also some extra tubing.

@ Tony: "I wonder if anyone has done a comparison between the Sawyer inline filter vs. the Squeeze?"

The filters are the same. The only difference is the connections. The only difference is rate would be due to the large openings on the squeeze, which is there to accommodate the different connections.

With the advent of the Steripen and Katadyn chlorine dioxide tablets I thought carrying water filters was "so '90s".

I have a PUR filter and a First Need filter that never, EVER go along with me any more except for car camping.

Do you guys really carry these filters for personal use or are you talking about some kind of group use?

> I thought that BPL was going to have a review of the Sawyer filters?

Indeed.
You may recollect my mentioning that I had a disasterous disk crash last year and lost everything for a while. This delayed all the reviews I was doing. The series on 'water treatment METHODS' is coming long nicely. No ETA yet, but I have been working on it this last week.

Cheers

Eric,

Everyone knows RETRO is in!

Sawyer squeeze = 3oz, possibly 4oz wet; dirty water bag = 1oz. So, 4-5 ounces total for the setup and no batteries or electronics to worry about. How much does your Steripen setup weigh?

Reliability – from the reviews I've read, it sounds like Steripen still has some issues to address. I've used a similar Sawyer filter for the past two seasons for up to a week straight with no problems so I have confidence in this setup.

I've used CLO2 tabs for shorter solo trips, but I really like the instant gratification of the Sawyer setup so I'll probably stick with it for now.

With an inline system, you don't need a second "clean" water bag. You can just get by with your "dirty" bag, a filter and something to connect the two. Just drink right from the other end of the filter. For around camp, it isn't hard to setup a gravity system, and use other things (cook pot, for example) as your clean water bag.

I could also see doing the opposite, just having one "clean" bag. You would need something on the other end, of course, but this could basically be a cut off platypus (saving some weight). This would probably be the fastest way to get your water, using the "sip and go" method. Every so often, when you cross a creek, just stop, pull out the filter and cut bag (which would be connected to each other) stick the thing in the stream, hold upright and drink. No attaching or detaching. Use the clean bag for when you want to have a bunch of water available (around camp or on sections where you have to carry water). If their are a lot of water sources, the "sip and go" method can be a great way to quickly meet your hydration needs while never carrying water.

Having two bags gives you flexibility. If you are traveling with two people, one person can carry a dirty water bag, while the other carries the clean one. If you are on a section where water isn't plentiful, then fill them both up. Drink out of the clean one first. This means that you have plenty of capacity, while keeping your weight low.

The thing is a few years ago a filter would need a pump (inline filters were a slow joke), weight 10 oz and up and with a .2 micron pore size it'd take some pumping to get a decent amount of water. And they would clog easily plus other common failure reasons.

This Sawyer is like it's too good to be true. Is it? Am I missing something?

I am just curious why some of you are saying that the Sawyer Squeeze won't thread onto a Platypus bladder?
I have read numerous accounts of the stock Sawyer bags being fragile, so one day I decided to see if the Sawyer would attach to my 2L Platypus bladder. It screwed right on, nice and tight, with no leaks.
What am I missing here guys? Are certain Platy bladders not compatible?

Hi Inaki

Those were my thoughts too.
But since working on the survey of treatment methods, I am starting to think you are not missing anything here. Testing continues, but …

Cheers

Hi David,

I purchased a new 2L platypus from REI a few months ago and it was not able to securely screw onto my Saywer squeeze filter. I guess I should say that it kind of screwed on, but not very well, and that it leaked when used with the filter. You can visibly tell that the threads don't match up.

How old is your Platypus? Perhaps there are some that work? I have been using both 1.5L and 2L Evernew bladders which work with the Sawyer Squeeze.

I've been using a gravity filter setup for about 2 years now.
I've never used a 'clean' abag. I just fill up the bladder at a source, prefilter if necessary and screw on the cap. The end of my tubing has a camelbak on/off toggle. I now have 3 liters of 'dirty' water. When I need drinkable water I either drain a liter through the sawyer 3-way into a bottle or simply flip open the valve and suck water through my filter like a regular camelbak. This gives me the ability to carry 5L of water, all drinkable.
In camp, I just hang the bag from a tree or center hiking pole of my shelter and drain as necessary into a cup or pot.
The flow rate isn't much different than if you just let a camelbak run normally. Sucking water through it is a little more effort, but not enough for me to consider another method.
In total my setup weighs 8.5 oz- that's a 3L platypus Hoser with tubing and bite valve, a 3-way Sawyer, and a short alternate section of tube with on/off toggle.

Just splice in the filter to your platy line using the sawyer nipples and suck the water through it.

Works fine and will work as a gravity filter to fill other bladders or bottles.

Nice setup! Curious what the big zip setup weighs, is that a 2 or 3L bag?

Also, how's the flow rate with the filter on there? can you notice a difference?

Uuuum … well, hurts to say this but it is 5.5 oz. (2L)

I use this for a two person set up because it's easy & fast to fill both platys. I fill one using it as a gravity/squeeze filter and then fill mine and go.

Nice thing about the platy zip is the valve rotates so you can hang the filter down for gravity feed or have it flat along the bag in a bladder sleeve in your pack, or on the top etc.

There is some resistance with the filter on but not a big difference.

Daniel – I just noticed your post. I like the on off switch.

I just use a 3L MSR Hydromedary bag with an Sayer 0.1 inline filter. I just suck on the bite tube with a little force and get water. I use the Hydromedary because it is very durable and the opening is large on it and seals well. I also use the gravity system at my house my just pinching the end to fill a glass full of water but think I should get one of those Camelbak valves. Can you buy those anywhere?

Unfortunately, I don't know of any place to purchase the camelbak valve. The two that i have were cannibalized from Army issued camelbaks. One is on my filter pictured above and the other is employed on tubing to fill bottles in my homebrew setup.

4 L Platypus – 2.6 oz

2 L Platypus – 1.2 oz

Yeah, but I fully expect my Hydromedary to last 10 years and the fact that if I drop it on a rock from 12 feet I know it will still keep working (did that one by accident)or if I keep it out in the sun for long periods of time to heat the water up I know the UV is not breaking the bag down that fast. Plus it is also my shower if I want it to be or a 'ball' for a made up game. Of course I also use a Nalgene Ultralite Hdpe Wide Mouth bottle because the thing is pretty much indestructible for only an few ounces more. The last thing I want to compromise is my water system. And it can be used inside and outside of the house with a lot of flexibility.

Body 4.1
Sawyer 3.6
Tubes 2.4
Total 10.1 and durable

You can probably find those valves. I think they're made by CPC. The marking should be on at least one of the valves. I'd check places like US Plastics and McMaster. I found one outdoor supply shop that sold a variety of them, but unfortunately I can't remember the name.

Stephen,

Given that the Squeeze filter has a larger input and output, I was hoping that translated to a faster rate of flow from the Squeeze filter.

The inline filter has a relatively small/narrow opening that is around 1/4" and my thought was that the flow rate could be faster with a larger opening that the Squeeze filter might offer.

Roger,

Sorry to hear about the hard drive crash….very painful to have to try to reconstruct everything from memory after all the work that you put into it.

Definitely will be looking forward to your upcoming report.

I have been useing my 1st generation Sawyer inline filter as a gravity filter for maybe 4-5 yrs without fail and have seen a lot more interest in the the product over the years.

Great to see that BPL is finally going to have an article on them.

-Tony