Adapting sawyer filter to aluminum 25 oz bottle

[John D]

I’ve used a cnoc bag with a sawyer and adapter to fill 1 liter plastic bottles for years ,now switching to aluminum 25 oz water bottles with wider mouth to reduce microplastic load. Can anyone point me to an adapter to connect to the sawyer outflow nozzle?

[Brad W]

How will you squeeze it?

[John D]

The cnoc bag drains by gravity into a bottle attached via an adapter to sawyer outflow.  I’m too lazy to put physical effort into filtering.

[Todd T]

You’ll need a vent on the hard-sided bottle or it won’t drain through the filter.

[John D]

It should work the way my lifewater bottle works, you unscrew it slightly and it vents.  This worked for me for the AT. I’ve created a prototype by cutting a 28 mm hole in the aluminum can lid, and putting a cutoff plastic screw top from a life water bottle, which then attaches to the Sawyer with my old plastic adapter. Since I didn’t seal the hole with epoxy, it automatically vents.  However, I’m hoping to find a larger adapter like the ones they sell on amazon for life water bottles, which would be easier and more durable.  I guess I could try and find a way to 3d print one.  I’m frankly surprised more backpackers aren’t switching from plastic bottles, due to the really bad study results that show a reusable lifewater type bottle emits more microplastics with use and getting beat up (as on a long distance trip).

[Todd T]

Wait…you’re wanting to screw this to the outflow of the filter?  And still use the plastic CNOC bag on the inlet?  Why does the receiving end need to be screwed on at all?  Why not just stick a small bit of tubing on the outlet to dangle into the receptor bottle?

[JCH]

So…you are collecting the dirty water in a plastic bag, connecting it to a plastic filter with a plastic hose, then another plastic hose from the filter to the new aluminum clean bottle, that itself has been fitted with a cutoff plastic screw cap…and you are worried about microplastics from the old lifewater bottle?

[John D]

Exactly. Studies have now shown fairly conclusively that the clear plastic bottles we use to carry water for months at a time on long thruhikes shed large amounts of microplastics, which can end up in our bodies, including arteries and the microcirculation.  Rough handling and aging (typical of being carried in a side pocket) increase this markedly.  The plastic in the cnoc bag is unconcerning because the filter removes 99.9% of microplastics, according to sawyer.  If you thruhike the AT, you will see many hikers using this method. If you put the filter on the bottle and drink through the filter this is a nonissue, but I prefer the gravity fill while I set up my hammock at night.

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