The Sawyer Mini may not be the best filter

[Yoyo]

The best filter may not be the Mini nor the Squeeze.  It may actually be a plain, nondescript filter that comes in a water bottle (kind of cheesy, I know).

I started off with this filter many years ago before the original Squeeze came out.  Anyway, I recently got a new one and have been pretty happy with it.  Here are my initial thoughts comparing the Mini vs. the Black filter (not sure what to call it yet):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8YkD5Xvp0

Surprisingly, the weights are close–initially, the Mini appeared to be a few grams heavier.

I plan to do a follow-up video soon on the Black filter along with a detailed video on the ideal gravity setup.  Stay tuned.

I’m curious why the Black filter doesn’t get any use or publicity…Picked up an extra one on ebay in case they discontinue them.

[Paul Geimer]

How this black filter compares to the Squeeze in terms of flow rate? I’d really be impressed if it ends up being close to the Squeeze flow rate at the weight of the Mini.

What is the retail price? A google search for “sawyer sp141” showed a huge range of prices, maybe an indication that it’s being discontinued.

[Abraham Schlossberg]

Don’t remember where I read this but my understanding is that the filter elements (the tubes, whatever) is the same size for the squeeze, the black filter and the 3-in-1

[Billy Ray]

I don’t understand. Is the ‘Black’ filter made by Sawyer? Or another company. If another company what is it’s name? Are they a reputable company? Are the Chinese? What is the filter element made of? I’d certainly want to know the answers to these things if I were going to drink water passed through it… er, basically, I’d want some kind of assurance that it actually works and that I wasn’t poisoning myself.

billy

[Ed Biermann]

It’s a Sawyer Billy. Tony Wong here for one uses this one as well.

[Yoyo]

@Abraham

That’s very likely.  I’ve heard that the 3-in-1 filter gets  a better flow rate than the Sawyer Squeeze.  I don’t have either of them unfortunately to test.  However, I will say that the Squeeze and 3-in-1 are heavier than the Black filter.  The Squeeze is also not optimized as a gravity filter and requires male adapters increasing weight further.

@Paul

I picked up the water bottle filter on ebay for about $33 shipped.  Here’s one online even cheaper:

https://www.bkcamp.com/products/sawyer-sp140-personal-water-bottle-with-filter?gclid=CjwKEAjw1Iq6BRDY_tK-9OjdmBESJABlzoY7VoNoX_XsqKY-0SOT7j7fg3XpMKqLfV8QRUgS_it40BoCM3Pw_wcB

 

 

 

[Ryan K]

The Sawyer mini used in the video looked defective or seriously clogged.  Gravity flow rate on mine is much faster.  The Sawyer Mini and the Sawyer Personal Water Bottle (PWB) filter are probably made exactly the same way.  PWB looks a bit larger, somewhere between the Mini and Squeeze, so it may be less resistant to clogging, which is a known problem with the Mini.  Mini has the added weight of the screw thread mountings, so that cancels out the weight savings from its smaller size.

I agree if you want a gravity filter or to drink dirty water straight Lifestraw-style, the PWB seems like the best Sawyer filter to go for.  I still think I prefer my set-up of Mini+Evernew squeeze bag with clean-water-only plastic water bottles or running soft flasks.  But I might pick this one up to have an extra filter to keep one in-line with my big Platypus bag I use for family trips.

[Ralph Burgess]

I think I’m in the same place as Billy, I fundamentally don’t understand.   Presumably Sawyer are not idiots.   They know that along with actually purifying the water, things like flow rate, not clogging and low weight are all key marketing points to the backpacking community.   I think I’d need much more concrete information and a clear explanation of why a “secret” filter exists, apparently manufactured by Sawyer but kept on the down-low, that’s superior in every way to the flagship filter that they are trying to sell us.

[Ryan K]

It’s not a “secret” filter.  It’s right there advertised on Sawyer’s site:

https://sawyer.com/products/type/water-filtration/

I presume that Sawyer took their existing filters and modified it slightly to be sold in-bottle, perhaps to compete with people interested in something like a Lifestraw.

[Yoyo]

@Ralph

I don’t mean to say that it’s a “secret,” it’s just that for many of us ULers it (may) represent the ultimate in gravity filtration.  The Squeeze and Mini were both designed and marketed for…well…squeezing.  I, like many others, prefer a gravity setup.  The Black filter used to be sold at REI circa 2009-10 before the Squeeze concept came on the scene.  What I like about the Black filter is simplicity–there are no extra parts to add weight…just two male barbs to ease setup in gravity mode.  The Squeeze and Mini are still great options, but I think that the Black filter fills a special niche for many of us (IMO)…for those that spend hours scouring the web trying to shave grams and increase flow rates…the Black filter may have something to offer those (questionably sane) individuals, myself included.

I will say that a member of my group with an all-new Mini on my last trip did quite well and had a pretty good flow rate.  But this was a 3-day trip and the filter was brand new.  My Mini doesn’t seem to do quite as well.  Since the Squeeze and Black filter both state 1,000,000 gal as the guarantee (vs. 100,000 gal for the Mini), I think it’s safe to say that they are more robust.  In any case, the surface area for both is increased due to the “fatter” design.  What is attractive about the Black filter is the low weight–very comparable to the Mini.  If you watch towards the end of the video, it has wet weights for both.  I think the difference is around 0.6 oz if even that.

[Ralph Burgess]

So it has the diameter and superior flow properties of the regular Squeeze, but weight is kept down (similar to Mini) by omitting the threads.    Ok, that’s good to know, thanks.

[Cameron M]

 

NM

[Ken Larson]

The Black Filter (currently used in the Personal Filtration Bottles) and is a FILTER was a standalone product and one of the original filters Sawyer came out with a nomenclature of SP-121.

The Zero Two PURIFIER that was released at the same time, is larger with more filtering material and was incorporated with their 5 gallon bucket reservoir for groups purification had a nomenclature of SP-125.

Hope this helps……

[Jennifer Mitol]

Two of my hiking friends – the ones who turned me on to in-line filtering from a bladder – switched to the Black filter for their PCT this year.

When he found it he was raving about how much better it was than the minis we used on the CT.

Basically all day long I keep the filter in line with a dirty bladder – drink on the go, no squeezing, no nothing – just fill the bladder with however much dirty water I want then keep hiking.  Then at camp set it up as a gravity filter to filter into clean bladders while I set up camp.  It’s a brilliant set up!

So this Black works in that capacity – I picked one up to try on my upcoming trip in a few weeks.  I’m excited to see how it works!

[JCH]

Hasn’t this all been discussed previously, including the video in the OP?

No disrespect or argument intended…just wondering if I missed something.

[Yoyo]

@JCH

Yes, it has.  I kind of wanted to focus on the Black filter in this thread rather than the Mini, though…and didn’t feel like reviving an old thread…

[Yoyo]

@Ken

Yes, Black filter = SP121.  Same old filter going back to at least 2009–they just package it in the water bottle filter now.  I think the new 3-in-1 filter with the female quick disconnect on either end is meant to replace the SP121 as a gravity setup; however, it’s heavier than the SP121.  Hence my interest in the Black filter.

Waiting for Tony Wong to chime in here as he was an avid user of it as well for some time…

[JCH]

David,

As a result of what was learned/published in the previous discussion, I replaced both my Mini and Squeeze with the black filter (formerly known as SP121) in my gravity setup…works the charm, and I’m not going back.

Compared to the Mini:

1. Better flow rate
2. Similar weight
3. Rated for 1M gal vs 100k gal.

Compared to the Squeeze:

1. Similar flow rate
2. Lighter weight
3. Same 1M gal rating

My entire 2L gravity setup is now ~5.5 oz. Not sure how much more there is to say :)

[Ryan K]

For those using gravity set-ups with the black filter, how much water are you usually carrying at a time and how long does it take to refill at each water spot?

With a full bottle of clean water and a full squeeze bag of dirty water, I’m usually carrying at most 1.4L and squeezing water while I walk when the clean bottle gets empty. I stop for just a moment at water spots to refill the squeeze bag.  If there was an easy way to strap/unstrap a bag to my chest or pack as a gravity filter while I walk, that would be more efficient.

[JCH]

I rarely carry more than 1L and usually only 0.5L. I estimate the black filter gravity setup will filter 2L in just under 3 min.  It is surprisingly fast and as close to zero effort as you will find. I have never packed dirty water as I don’t like using a hydration tube or the effort required to suck water through the filter. Nor do I care for the effort to squeeze the dirty bag.

Once you go gravity you don’t go back :)

[Ken Larson]

JCH…..My tests produced average time of 72 sec for 1 liter of water in a gravity mode.

[Larry De La Briandais]

I have the SP121 filter which looks just like the black “bottle” filter.  I can gravity filter 1L of water in under 2 minutes after many days of use.  I believe it drops down to about 1 minute when back flushed.

I carry 1-2L of water when by myself, 2-4L between us when my wife is with me. Spending 10 minutes to refill our water when my wife is with me is never a problem.  We will likely take a longer break anyway.

Here is a video of me filtering 1L of water with a dirty filter (used for approx 10 gallons of silty Sierra water) in 1:47:

 

 

[JCH]

Ken

You busted me, I was totally estimating :).

I’ve never actually timed it and didn’t want to over-promise. I can totally believe 1min 24 sec for 2L. It’s a fast filter!

[Katherine .]

is it any less likely to get funky?

[JCH]

Katherine…not sure I understand what kind of funk you reference.

With all sawyers I’ve  owned, after each trip I always back flush with a (very) mild bleach solution, sling it as dry as possible and put it up.  I also back flush with plain tap water prior to a trip just to verify flow. No funk of any type.

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