Sawyer Mini

It's fine. I back flush my filter before and after ever trip. There's definitely a noticeable drop in flow compared to the Sawyer Squeeze. I'm impatient and am not sure if I'm going to bring the squeeze or mini on the Wonderland next month; we'll see.

One of my hiking buddies brought a Sawyer mini last weekend and paired it with a Platy 1L. Both were purchased less than a month ago. He didn't have any problems with dirty water leaking into the clean. Not sure if Platy has changed their threads back or not.

I use a 2L Evernew bag and couldn't be happier.

I used my mini over 2 days in the Snowy Range (Wyoming) for two people this last weekend. Worked perfectly, didn't even backflush it till I got home. I hate the bags though, I use Smart Water bottles to squeeze.

Best filter ever, hands down.

The Platy 2 liter bag was easier for me two squeeze then my evernew 2 liter. Not sure why. I switched over to the evernew because my platy started leaking around the threads, I believe its the older style. The half liter Sawyer bag was even easier to squeezebut a little small when filtering two or three liters. I just ordered a Sawyer one literand hope itsthe sweet spot.

Anyways, I too love this filter! Never had it clog up Burke the water is chunky I prefilter.

I usually use my Sawyer filter plumbed between two Platypus bladders (one dirty, one clean). When the filter does clog, I just squeeze clean water through it backwards to backflush the nasties out.

Consider Sawyer recommends bleaching the filter between trips and in storage to keep away growth that can also slow the flow. I considered picking up a mini but have been so happy with the squeeze set up after several trips I hesitate to switch. I carry the 1 liter bag supplied and a spare 1 liter platy I got free form a gear supplier as a back up or if I ever need to cut off the top to use as a scoop for troublesome water sourcing. Just got back from a trip in the Adirondacks, so many good water sources here we don't have to deal with much silty water.

jimmyb

if you put bleach in it, there's a chance stuff will clog up pores, maybe better to just use water

Jerry, I flush with plain water in the field after each use but when talking to Sawyer folks they said growth could clog the pours of the filter in between uses so treat with bleach when not in use for a while.

I am interested in how bleaching would clog the filter. Thanks,

jimmyb

Chemical molecules are far too small to be trapped in filter media – it's the standard warning to people who want to filter arsenic and the like out of water sources – filters don't do that.

Bleach won't clog any filter. But if the growth in the filter is too far gone, it won't help, either. I couldn't get anything through a gravity filter I had forgotten to treat before storage. Had to just get a new one.

Research Jerry. From Sawyer
"Sanitation
Before storing your filter, Sawyer recommends sanitizing your filter. This process is simple: Back flush filter. Run a standard bleach solution (fragrance free) through your filter (one cap of bleach per quart of water). Let air dry and then store in a cool, dry place OR store wet and clean before using."

I vaguely remember someone running bleach through filter and then it clogged.

Could have been random correlation.

If there's bleach in the filter, and then it dries, it could have some residue left in pores that would clog it up

Even though the bleach molecules are much smaller than the pores, when it dries, it forms a crusty material much bigger than pores

Like the salt pans in Death Valley. I think that has some chemical similarity to bleach

Sawyer says one cap of bleach to one quart water. Maybe that's low enough concentration of bleach it won't be a problem

But since Sawyer recommends it, maybe don't worry about it, bleach away…

After each trip, I backflush my Sawyer mini and then I hook it up to a fishtank air pump to dry. I hook the little plastic hose onto the small end of the Sawyer and let it run for a couple of days in my spare bedroom. I bought the air pump from Walmart for less than $10. This was a tip I learned here on BPL when the original Sawyer squeeze filters first came out.

Bleach is recommended be company. Any talk of it clogging the filter is nonsense.