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  1. #1
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    Default What Sawyer filter do you use?

    I am getting back into hiking and was looking at the Sawyer mini filter. Is that the most popular one? I have a hiker pro now and would like to lighten my base weight.

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    I use the mini because I'm set up to use it as a gravity filter. That way I'm not worried about the fact that the squeeze is a little faster simply because it is bigger. I also like that a replacement is only 20 bucks at discount retailers. It’s two short comings are 1. No pump... difficult if you have a shallow water source and 2. You can't let it freeze. If I take a trip where I expect freezing Temps I take my old Sweet water filter.

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    how durable are the bags? That would be my one concern.

  4. #4
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    Mini for me too. For now I'm a summer hiker so freezing is not an issue for me. I have the bottom half of a water bottle to scoop from shallow water sources.

  5. #5
    Registered User Lyle's Avatar
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    I've used both. The regular Squeeze is quicker and needs back-flushing less often. The mini is smaller and lighter, but is also a bit slower, and I found that it needed to be back-flushed every day. Not a big problem, it only takes about 30 seconds to back flush, but you must remember to do so while you still have enough clean water to use. I found if I took care of flushing it while I waited form my dinner to cook, it was no big deal.

    Over all, I really like either of the squeeze models for one person. If I were filtering for two, I would definitely prefer the original, full size model.

  6. #6
    Registered User Lyle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawkhero View Post
    how durable are the bags? That would be my one concern.
    I've used one or the other model for a couple of years now, never had a bag fail. I understand they have improved them from the original. I also have some old platypus bags that fit, and managed to get a couple of the Evernew bags that fit the Squeeze. I use the bags for dirty water and Squeeze into the pot for cooking, or Gatorade bottles for drinking. Quite convenient once you get used to it. Don't force the water through, if the filter slows down so that you need to use excessive force, back flush. It takes less than a minute and makes things much easier. Plus you have less chance of damaging your dirty water bag if you aren't forcing it.

  7. #7

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    I have the Sawyer mini as well as the original Sawyer.Also bot some Evernew bags because they are supposed to be better.The original Sawyer is compatible for quick disconnects to fill a bladder hose tank without removing it from your pack.I can carry both and still be less than half the weight of my old MSR pump filter with the ceramic core.Have not used the filter or bags much yet to say but I like the light weight.In cold weather you can keep the mini on your person and hardly know its there.....

  8. #8
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    Think I will try the Mimi. Doesn't cost too much. Thanks for the info.

  9. #9
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    My current setup. Sorry for the picture quality. My phone takes horrible pictures.

    I used a 50.7 oz Poland Springs water bottle to create a scoop and funnel. The item screwed onto the funnel is the cap to the bottle, a cap to a Coke bottle and a piece of screen from a reusable coffee filter. I drilled holes through both caps and glued the screen between the caps. The construction acts as a prefilter. I screw the funnel onto the sawyer bag and pour water from the scoop into the funnel. After the bag is filled I... well... filter water. The mini is shown with all attachments. I made two caps out of the tops off coke bottles and a blanks made out of a thin sheet of plastic which I super glued to the caps. There is a dirty end cap and a clean end cap. The left end also has a Smart Water flip top on it for back flushing. That is best described in a video by Kaboose that I will attach at the end of this post.
    1428070671662_IMG_20150403_101318_261.jpg

    Assembled, the scoop and funnel click together to make a storage container for the filter, bag, mini, and attachments. The whole system weighs 3.8 oz.

    1428070605778_IMG_20150403_101447_543.jpg

    Here is the video review by Kaboose. Great stuff.

    https://youtu.be/1mBm3B8OqHY
    Last edited by BirdBrain; 04-03-2015 at 10:43.
    In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    I use the mini because I'm set up to use it as a gravity filter. That way I'm not worried about the fact that the squeeze is a little faster simply because it is bigger. I also like that a replacement is only 20 bucks at discount retailers. It’s two short comings are 1. No pump... difficult if you have a shallow water source and 2. You can't let it freeze. If I take a trip where I expect freezing Temps I take my old Sweet water filter.
    bring a ziplock to put your Sawyer filter in, and sleep with it in your sleeping bag to keep it from freezing. Did that on a weekend trip, worked just fine.
    Time is but the stream I go afishin' in.
    Thoreau

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by hawkhero View Post
    how durable are the bags? That would be my one concern.
    I use a 2L Evernew Watercarry for the dirty water bag because it will attach directly to the mini. A platypus will not properly screw onto a mini because platypus uses a custom thread pitch. The Sawyers use standard thread found on most store bought drink bottles and the Evernew.

  12. #12
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    I was looking at the Evernew bag. Not cheap!

  13. #13
    Registered User 4Days's Avatar
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    Thanks for showing this BirdBrain. I have both the Mini and Squeeze and was wondering about the plunger and which one to take. You answered all my questions and gave me some great insight into how to collect water and purge their systems.

  14. #14
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    We took a Sawyer Mini on the Long Trail last summer, one filter for two people. It worked fine, though one of the bags failed fairly quickly. I carried two bags, and had a third one in a mail drop halfeay through, which was good timing.

    Using the filter is slow and sometimes difficult, especially for someone like me with hand issues. Someone showed me how to sit on the bag for "auto filtering" and I did that for the second half of the hike. Much easier, though it looks a little, um, funny.

    We did take a bunch of Aqua Mira tabs and used those when we were on the move and didn't have time to filter.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  15. #15

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    That was pretty impressive using the Smart Water Cap to do the backflushing.Nice job on the homemade funnel.For those of you who don't want a DIY project,Hennessey Hammock sells a screw on funnel with a wire filter that you can also attach to your tarp to collect rain water.I have their funnel but have not tarp tested it.Here is the link if you are interested.....http://hennessyhammock.com/catalog/p...r_system_m190/

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    To be clear, I stole the smart water cap idea from Kaboose. The duel purpose case and prefilter cap were my ideas. I do not recall where I saw the caps made out coke bottle tops.
    In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln

  17. #17
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    Another option for the "double cap" on the original Sawyer Squeeze is called a Tornado Tube found on ine or hobby shops for around $5. It's meant to join 2 - two liter water bottles to create a water Tornado. Is great for attaching a Smart Water Bottle to the Squeeze for filling and then back flushing. Someone stated that the smart waterbottle cap will work on the Squeeze the same way it works on the mini. Haven't tried it yet. Still listening to many reports that the mini needs to be backflushed regularly otherwise the flow rate is greatly decreased over the heavier Squeeze. Was impressed by the flow rate that Kaboose demonstrated. Hopefully, he will follow up after finishing the hike this summer and then be able to compare one to the other from actual AT trail experience.
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  18. #18
    Registered User Lyle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    I use a 2L Evernew Watercarry for the dirty water bag because it will attach directly to the mini. A platypus will not properly screw onto a mini because platypus uses a custom thread pitch. The Sawyers use standard thread found on most store bought drink bottles and the Evernew.
    If you have an older Platypus they work fine. I use mine. My understanding is that the newer ones do , indeed, have a different thread and are not entirely secure.

  19. #19

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    Sawyer 3 way. I've used it both inline and as a gravity filter.

    The mini is rated for many fewer gallons than Sawyer's other products but considering it's $20 and will last a thru hike it seems like a good option.

  20. #20
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bucho View Post
    The mini is rated for many fewer gallons than Sawyer's other products but considering it's $20 and will last a thru hike it seems like a good option.
    The "Squeeze" has a lifetime warranty, where as the mini is listed as ONLY filtering upto 100,000 gallons.

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