Discussion: In Line Water Filter

Has anyone had much experience with using either of these products and if so, looking for some feedback.

https://sawyer.com/products/sawyer-mini-filter/
http://hydroblu.com/index.php/products/filters/ver...

Thanks in advance.
Simpy

Paulette used this one for her 866k race through the Pyrenees.http://a.co/bInWuRW

Randy, did it clog up at all for her?

I have the regular (non-mini) sawyer and it works great. Smart water bottles fit the filter perfectly if you aren't using a bladder. On packpacking trips, I'll flush/clean it once every few days or so.

The strike against the mini is that the flow rate is much slower than the regular Sawyer. If you're using it for races or when time is an issue, I recommend going with the full size as it is well worth the extra ounce.

Abiperk. She had no problems. But the water was pretty clear in the mountains. What she really like was the disconnect, you can pull the bag out without dealing with the hose

Here's a prior thread about this:

https://ar.attackpoint.org/discussionthread.jsp/me...

I got the Sawyer mini and, like Abiperk said, it isn't bad to drink through, maybe 1/3 more resistance. I let it freeze over the winter though, so it's toast.

Medical followup on my case suggests that I did not pick up any microbes while racing. I'm still not convinced that drinking from cold flowing natural water sources is risky, but definitely filter/treat if you want to be 100% sure.

We used the Sawyer mini-filters for several years but over the past couple have had some issues getting water through them -- sometimes just resistance and sometimes nothing at all, even almost immediately after flushing. We used the Sawyer water bottles at Expedition Alaska (with their non-mini filters attached), and they were great for that race because we had ready access to water at almost every turn - we each carried one bottle and just refilled as necessary. But they're a bit bulky and heavy, and only really practical in a race with lots of water.

ccarroll824, I'm curious about the setup you describe -- what's a "smart water bottle?" I googled it and saw several bottles described as "smart," but I'm not sure which ones would work with the Sawyer.

I'm guessing he's referring to smartwater-brand bottled water. A popular lightweight setup for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers is to put a 1-liter bottled water bottle or seltzer water bottle in each of the mesh side pockets of your pack. Each time you reach a stream, you fill the bottles with dirty water, and you screw your Sawyer filter (the regular one, not the Mini) onto the threads of the water bottle. You squeeze and suck directly on the clean end of the filter to drink. After a few weeks of squeezing, the bottles start to get beat up, and you recycle them and buy a couple new liters of ice-cold bottled water when you hit the next town.

This setup is lighter weight than a hydration pack, makes perfect use of the space on the sides of most backpacks, and allows you to "dip and go" as you cross streams without stopping to actually filter water.

Photo of setup:
http://cdn.atlantatrails.com/images/sawyer-mini-re...

Thanks danfoster!

I have this, and it works rather well. A smidge slow when needing to treat goo gobs of water eg at a backpacking overnight stop for a family of 6 who are too tired to treat water but all need bladders and bottles filled... :)

I also use the Sawyer Filter.
Mine is the Squeeze version and have had very good luck with it. (on its 2nd year of use) For larger groups I rigged up a gravity feed system from a Coleman shower bag and some clear tubing, works great.

Abiperk I was a bit slow on the reply but Danfoster is correct.

I used that set up at Stokesville this year with two 1.5 bottles, one for dirty water and one to squeeze the clean water into. Worked well and the bottle is easier to fill with dirty water than trying to use the pouch. The bottles are tall and slender so they fit well an external mesh pocket on my AR pack.