Using a Sawyer Squeeze with 42mm Hydrapak Seeker Water Bags
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While I’ve tried out a whole bunch of water treatment methods, I eventually settled in on the Sawyer Squeeze during my wife and I’s 2015 PCT thru hike attempt.
In subsequent years while plugging in several sections of the PCT that we missed in 2015, my wife and I tried out the Katadyn BeFree paired with Hydrapak Seeker water bags. From that experience, we learned two things:
1) The BeFree’s are hopelessly short-lived, slowing down way too much with normal use, even after a two week trip. No amount of cleaning or makeshift backflushing will restore even a reasonable flow rate. These things are just not made for the long haul.
2) The Hydrapak Seeker water bags are just so much better than any other dirty bags I’ve every tried. The rubberized material is super durable while still being light, and these bags in general are just way easier/more comfortable to use as squeeze bags for dirty water. Additionally, the 42mm openings are a great size: big enough to easily pour water into with a water scoop, but compact enough to not be ungainly to deal with.
So I was left with a strong preference for the Sawyer Squeeze and the Hydrapak Seeker bags… two things that are inherently incompatible due to different opening sizes. The Sawyer Squeeze accepts a 28mm bottle/bag while the Hydrapak Seeker’s opening is 42mm, as mentioned above. I searched far and wide on the internet and counldn’t find any 42mm to 28mm adapters. [Sigh]
Nevertheless, I had a few worthless (read: old and slow) BeFree filters around that were just collecting dust, and so I started experimenting. And by experimenting I mean that I started beating on the the BeFree hollow fiber filtering element with a screwdriver and a hammer.
It turns out, with some deft application of force, you can cleanly separate the threaded plastic outer adapter part of the BeFree from the hollow fiber filtering element. I was actually shocked the first time I banged this out and it sheared off cleanly, but I’ve now done it on two separate units and I’m confident that this is repeatable.
The plastic adapter piece weighs only 0.55 oz and perfectly mates a Sawyer Squeeze with a Hydrapak Seeker bag. I haven’t tested this out in the field yet, but my kitchen tests indicate that the seal is quite watertight and easily holds up to the pressure of filtering just like it would with the BeFree. I am cautiously optimistic that this might serve as my new setup, marrying the best of both worlds for me.
I will post an update when I get to use this further, but I currently see no reason why it won’t work as expected.
Sure! I know hydration reservoirs aren’t fashionable for ultralight but I just don’t drink enough unless I have ease of access. I go through a lot of water, and I’ve had giardia before so don’t skimp on treatment (I sometimes use chlorox tabs then filter and even in our roof-fed huts, I at the least filter the water). In the pics…
The quick connect is an Osprey; the bite valve is an Osprey too. There are lighter options but I like that the Osprey quick connects auto seal when a plug is removed and that the bite valve can be turned off.
Flux at left; seeker at right.
On the seeker, there is my befree + quick connect. To its right is the plug-n-play cap and some of the other bits I’d take to connect a sawyer – I no longer have the sawyer because, well, micro sawyer… endless frustration
These days, I take the seeker bikepacking and the flux thruhiking… and I never use the sawyer – just the befree, cleaning it out with 1:2 water to vinegar soak every so often (about 20mins seems to be optimal). I don’t need to do that while thruhiking as, in my experience, the biofilm gunking only happens when its been put in storage for a while (and that happens even after careful drying).
Usually, the flux or seeker is propped up on a branch, boulder or – if at a hut – a bench, with the tube running through my pack’s hydration outlet to the platy hoser (in pack sleeve), with the pack upright. It’s definitely slower if you do this because the platy is upside down… but it’s like 40s/L vs 25s/L so still way quicker than it was with a sawyer. I squeeze the hydrapak for a couple of seconds until there’s flow, then gravity/vacuum takes over.
On the seeker, you might just see a Leyzene bike tube patch. I’ve done 100+ days with the flux and had no holes, but the seekers pop a microjet every 1-2 weeks before that becomes unmanageable. Yes – a 1L seeker is about 2/3 the weight of a flux, but the flux: is stronger; easier to stand up; has a better lid to drink from; is an easier shape to drink from; is easier to store full or empty in a pack’s side pocket. I like having a 1L flux and a 2L seeker for different purposes, but if taking only one on a thruhike I take the flux. If accessing water is tricky, I just squeeze the flux straight into the platy at the water source, but even that is quick.
If anyone goes from a cnoc 28mm to sawyer to 42mm bottle I made a diy connecter
I personally only use my cnoc for dirty water. I like the big opening to fill easier and faster. I keep the small end closed fill via big, close big, turn upside down open small and attach sawyer keeping my clean clean.
I’ve even added a small section of hose and can get 1L water filtered in 1min via gravity feed, no squeezing!
Is this not what the original post created? Here is mine.. i can use the Sawyer on a be free bottle or the hydropack
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