The Sawyer Squeeze just got better

REI has all the camelback accessories

http://www.rei.com/product/695526/camelbak-filter-adapter

Just a reminder, with the sawyer squeeze, as reported, using the 1/8" washer, the new platy threads leak very badly, at least my test did. Leak as in squirting out a lot of water when you squeeze the bottle. The evernew does not leak.

However, with a few cents, you can fix it, go to Ace Hardware, go to their section of little boxes of bolts, washers, nuts, etc, find the 1/16" neoprene washer, make sure it's the right diameter, buy it. Buy 2 since you might lose one, keep the other as a spare in your ditty bag.

Take out the 1/8 washer, put in the 1/16, attach the platy. Note that it's very very easy to cross thread the platy new type threads, so make sure it's screwing on straight. If they cross thread it will leak, if not, they don't leak, that's sort of how you can also tell you cross threaded it. However, the ease of cross threading shows that the threads are barely adequate to grab the sawyer threads in my opinion, might wear out or strip over time.

The old platys fit exactly the same as the evernews, so if you use those, or evernews, you can use the 1/8" washer, if not, try the 1/16" neoprene washer, good 50 cents or whatever it costs.

Being careful of crossthreading, all types worked in my tests with the 1/16 washer, but I think I'd suggest getting the evernews, they are nicer than the platys anyway with their attached top and included rollup mini bungie thingie. Don't know about durability of evernew vs platy though.

I see what you mean about washers Harald

I just got a Sawyer Squeeze using my 20% off coupon at REI

I tried using it with my Platypus, and yes, it leaks and easily cross-threads. There isn't enough depth to capture enough of the threads.

I just removed the washer and it worked fine. You don't need a washer because both sides are plastic that's a bit soft.

And I just tipped over the Platypus enough so water went through filter so any sediment would remain on bottom of Platypus

Most of my water I heat, so I won't bother filtering it

Okay, I have to go on a backpack now to test it : )

I recently posted a review of sorts on my use of the Sawyer Squeeze over 5 trips over the last 6 months or so. You can find it in one of the parallel Sawyer Squeeze threads on the Gear Forum.

Anyway, as part of my review, I had commented on how I had successfully been using an old 2L platypus as my dirty water container both in squeeze mode and gravity mode without any of the reported leaking problems (I don’t have much confidence in the sawyer bladders provided with the filter). The platy threads mated with the filter threads just fine and got a nice, tight and proper fit. No issues.

Here’s a photo of it use from a trip last weekend:

But then… I did another trip this weekend. Brought the squeeze filter and the same 2L platy for dirty water (didn’t bring along the clean platy for this trip). First filter stop, the dirty platy threaded fine still, but then at camp that night, I couldn’t, for the life of me, get a good fit between the same dirty platy and the squeeze filter again. I tried multiple times and the platy always threaded on crooked and would leak. I tried manipulating/removing the washer, tried re-threading multiple times, no luck. Without a good seal, I was SOL, so I had to fall back on a couple of CO2 tablets to wrap up the trip. Bummer!

I’m guessing that the threading on the platy must have become worn down just enough to no longer get a good hold on the filter threads. Guess it’s time to pick up an Evernew bladder instead and hope for the best. I guess the moral of the story for anyone else successfully using platypus bladders with their sawyer squeeze is to be careful. While it may work now, it might not always!

Hey guys,

So is the consensus that the platypus bigzip is superior to the sawyer hydration bags (with the dirty/clean bag set up)? In terms of speed of filling up the bag? Aside from that, any other advantages?

The sawyer setup with the clean/dirty bags (SP 162) is only $81.99 here: http://www.highwaterfilters.com/SP-162-Sawyer-Complete-2L-Water-Treatment-System-p/sp%20162.htm

The SP 162 is quite tempting especially since it comes with the clean/dirty bladders. However, I'm not sure how durable those bags are compared to a platypus. Also, I dont' know how practical it would be carrying 4L water around. Right now I only have a camelbak hydration system…

Lastly, is anyone using a charcoal filter along with the sawyer inline one?

thanks.

@ Anthony: The Sawyer gravity setup does a great job, but replacing the Sawyer bags with platys will save considerable weight. I don't remember the actual weights, but when I switched them, I remember the weight decreasing a lot.

It's the Sawyer filter that's the key to that system – the bags and hoses can come from anywhere. Walmart sells a little bottle kit that has the same Sawyer filter in a black casing for around $30. Save some money, buy the Walmart filter and use the Platy bag for a nice light weight gravity system!

I had to go through three pages of google shopping before finding someone who had Evernew water bags in stock! I just hope the firm (one I never heard of) doesn't take my money and run! (I used a credit card just in case they do.)

Is it all these posts about Platypus not being compatible with the Sawyer Squeeze Filter? Or is Evernew discontinuing their water bags? All the usual suspects (Gossamer Gear, Antigravity Gear, ProLite Sports) either have only the 600ml bag or none at all. Amazon is out of stock and doesn't know if they'll get more.

I greatly prefer the Evernew water carriers because the cap is attached to the bottle. I was forever losing Platypus caps so had to carry a couple of extra lids with me!

Mary,

I've been trying to find one of the larger ones too, where did you find them?

Will the Squeeze work with 2 smart water bottles? or 1 smart and 1 Evernew? would you need the tornado thing?

I ordered Evernew water carriers from greatoutdoorsdepot.com. However, I just got a call from them this morning. The 0.9 liter ones that I wanted for my dog's pack are out of stock. They do still have the 1.5 liter and the 2.0 liter bottles. Also, I didn't check their location and ordered 3-day shipping. It turns out they're located just north of me in WA state, so standard shipping is just as fast!

"Will the Squeeze work with 2 smart water bottles? or 1 smart and 1 Evernew? would you need the tornado thing?"

Do those bottles have standard soda bottle caps? Not the new shallow caps.

the generic smart water bottle i have isn't correct. I did find some 1L aquafina bottles that should work though. now to find a tornado thing.

my REI store didn't have Squeeze's at all.. so Backcountry.com will get $ instead.

I've used the 1.5 liter green tea bottles. I was lucky I had those on a trip when I found that the Platypus threads wouldn't seal like they did at home.

http://www.campacopia.com/evernew-2-liter-water-carry/

on sale too, for 11 bucks. They also have all the evernew pot sizes as well, also on sale.

Maybe finally I'll break down and grab that .9 or 1.3 liter for a wide based pot…

The 2 liter seems the best option anyway for dirty water, that way you can use it if you need extra storage as well.

Oh, wait, items not available.. the bladder still is. Is evernew stopping? I'm seeing their stuff vanish too.

I might get the 1.5L smartwater or whatever bottle for dirty side. it seems like as long as they are somewhat squeezable it goes through ok? Eugene have you tried plastic bottles on both ends and hung/stood them up gravity style?

The 2L is $9.49 regular price at greatoutdoordepot.com

Jake, that would require a Tornado fitting on the clean end. I don't think it'd work though because eventually the dirty bottle will come into equilibrium and not drop any more water. It must be squeezed. Cutting off the bottom of the dirty bottle could work though.

You can also order 3 of the 2L sawyer bags for $10, 3 bags + a little duct tape just might last as long as 1 $10 evernew.

Hmm.. i guess i'll give the stock sawyer bags a go for a bit. I'd rather have a dirty bottle that could be used to haul extra water and have just the 1L bottle always clean.

has anyone figured out why the evernew bottles are disappearing? seems odd

I asked the guy from Greatoutdoorsdepot.com when he called this morning, and he said he hadn't heard anything about Evernew water bags disappearing. At the time he called, they still had the 1.5L and 2L bags, but I'd advise emailing them since they didn't state on their website that the 0.9L bags I wanted were out of stock (and have been for 2 weeks). The 2L bag I ordered yesterday was shipped today.

I found that TrailDesigns lists the 0.9L Evernew water bags so I ordered from there this morning. I just hope they aren't also out of stock!

ah.. i wish they had them in regular stores i hate paying $6 shipping for a $8 water bottle :P

When the postage costs almost as much as the item, it's frustrating! On the other hand, for me the gas to drive to the nearest REI and back costs just as much, especially out here on the Left Coast (2 gallons at $4.15/gallon). Going to the local gear stores near downtown Portland is worse because of parking fees on top of the same amount of gas.

Trail Designs just shipped the two 0.9L Evernew bottles I want for my dog's pack, so I'm now OK!

Edit, next day: Gas here (east of Portland, OR) is now $4.20/gallon!

so are we all in agreement that one should purchase the sawyer 3 way inline filter (sp122) and buy the bladders separately? Either platypus or evernew? This is for backpacking purposes (4-5 people, 5 day trip)

The sp 162, which has a 2L clean and dirty bag can be had for $89 with free ship which seems more convenient!

thanks all, learning lots

campacopia.com has very very cheap shipping, check it out, was a few dollars. The more online vendors who realize that sending something light via first class mail for 3 dollars or less, the better. A few are starting to do that, makes sense for light gear after all.

Re using sawyer stock bags, just touch them, then touch an evernew, roll them both up a few times, that's why I bought the evernew 2l, which I like better than my platys anyway, I'm not buying more platypus bags. For sawyer stuff, a bag that starts leaking and fails miles from nowhere is useless, doesn't matter how cheap they are per 3 pack. And if you bring two in case one fails, that's more weight than one decent quality one like evernew. I wish they'd use a few mil thicker bag, but they don't, maybe some forum threads like this will wake them up.

Anthony A, near as I can tell from this thread, unless you have old platys, this thread is largely agreed that the new platys aren't sealing well, and even if they do seal, the threads are too small and might fail at any time even if you do get them to not leak. The cross threading isn't subtle, it happened to me the first times I tried it, and I'm reasonably mechanically tuned in.

I'm thinking about getting the Sawyer filter bottle (http://www.rei.com/product/822013/sawyer-water-treatment-filter-bottle) rather than the Squeeze, but do you guys think there'd be a problem with taking the filter out and hooking it between 2 Evernew bottles to create a gravity feed system at the campsite?