The Sawyer Mini may not be the best filter

John, Now if they took the design above and used the bigger squeeze or the black filter now that would be a winner.

Kurt – EXACTLY! Female connections on both ends is the way to go, but as someone mentioned very early on, that would allow a yahoo to wire it up backwards and inevitably lawyers would start to swarm.

Thus handy folks like yourself must perform such mods.

I actually really like the black filter as-is and the way it integrates into my system…it just couldn’t get any simpler. My only fear is dropping it and breaking off one of the nipples.

I use one of the original sawyer filters, a liter Figi water bottle with the bottom cut off to facilitate quick filling and for use as a scoop.  I have a quick disconnect as I also use the sawyer with a 2.5 gallon water carrier for more of a base camp filter for many people.  I have used the base camp configuration to filter at least 20 gallons of water without back flushing.  The flow rate slowed slightly, but only to about 1.5 minutes per liter.  It does weight more at 6.2 oz, but I never carry a back flush syringe.

Cool setup Kurt!  Where did you buy the valved quick connector that’s on the orange cap?

I’m not a filter guy, but after looking at the mods you guys have done to make these setups lighter and more versatile I reckon that Sawyer’s R&D and marketing departments would do well to take note. :^)

I was an aquamira guy…but after learning that AM might not kill Giardia in 30 minutes but would take 4 hours like crypto…I’m probably changing systems. (I was recently diagnosed with Giardia) With AM, I was generally ignoring the possibility of getting crypto…

I’m now relooking at steripens, and looking at the sawyer black and the katadyn befree. I previously used a sawyer mini but was not happy with the work it took and flow rate to squeeze water through it.  There is also the MSR guardian, but I’m not taking accepting the weight or cost.

Now…with these sawyer filters, how many are actually secondarily treating with AM for viruses or are just ignoring the threat of viruses?

I use Sawyer and ignore viruses.

“People” say that you usually don’t need to worry about viruses in the wilderness in the U.S.

What Jerry said…or so I’m told.

Yeah, not worried about viruses.  Most of the water I drink probably doesn’t even need to be filtered, but I do anyway.

It’s inspiring and fascinating to see everyone’s UL gravity system and realize that while the fine details are all quite different, evolution has them all gravitating toward essentially the same design. Even more interesting to see that they are all converging on similar weights as well.

UP… 2 years later.

Wondering if anyone has anything to add to this thread? New insights? More experience?

I just read through with interest. Not sure if I have much to add other than a different perspective on using the Mini. I don’t carry water as I hike where the distance between water sources is not too far. I don’t carry a water bottle either. I typically just stop when feeling the need to drink, put some water in the Sawyer bladder, screw the Mini on and suck while gently squeezing. Been doing this since around the time Sawyer came out with these things and have never broken/split a bladder.

When doing multi-day kayak trips, I take a water bottle and some times use the same Mini for gravity filtering. Rather than all the barbs, connectors, hoses, etc that get discussed, I simply poke a hole in the bottom of the bladder with a paper punch and run a small cord through that. On one of the cord, I have a cord lock where as the other end has a hook. I just wrap the cord around a branch and use the hook to hook on the cord. The cord lock on the other end is used to adjust the height of the bladder. I then sit my water bottle under the Mini and go about my camp business for a few mins. Simple, light, and no extra parts to fuss with. Here’s a pic: