Sawyer MINI Water Filter bladder

[Qwerty]

So after nabbing a great bargain (as mentioned on here), this weekend was my first chance to try it out properly. It's not exactly rocket science and the filter itself works just fine.

My problem was trying to get water into the bladder. No matter how many times I dunked it into the river, or squeezed it, or moved it forwards to increase flow into the opening, it just wouldn't fill. Three to four mouthfuls was the very best I could manage. Now I realise you can use all sorts of other bottles, tubes etc. But why is their bladder so hard to fill by itself and has anyone any tips for a full volume?

 

[theoctagon]

Hi Qwerty, I've never had a problem with this, especially when the water is flowing, I have found blowing in to the bladder to open it up a little prior to putting it near the water helps though, also adding a small amount of cord to the neck of the bladder can make it easier to hold on to. If you can get the bottom of the bladder lower than the opening then it should flow in fairly easily

 

[Will_]

If you submerge the bladder completely, the flow of the river may press the sides of it down so water struggles to go in.
I found (with a platypus 2L) that it works a lot better if you half submerge the opening and try to keep half the bladder out of the water. This is easier if you blow into it to slightly inflate it first.

 

[cbr6fs]

If you submerge the bladder completely, the flow of the river may press the sides of it down so water struggles to go in.
I found (with a platypus 2L) that it works a lot better if you half submerge the opening and try to keep half the bladder out of the water. This is easier if you blow into it to slightly inflate it first.

Agreed.
I've had the same problem in that the pressure of the water on the outside of the bladder is more than the pressure of the incoming water, so the bag doesn't fill up.

3 options i've found so far

1/ Move the bag to forwards, this increases the water pressure flowing into the bladder.
I've found a on it's side firgure 8 type movement best.
Still takes a while to fill up mind.

2/ Cut the bottom out of a bladder or coke bottle and use this as a scoop.
Problem i've had with this is:
a) You can't leave the filter attached while you do this as you'll contaminate the clean end of the filter with dirty water.
b) If the filter is not attached you still need to transfer the dirty water to your dirty water bag

3/ If you're boiling water in it the next use then you can use your camp cup/pot to fill the bladder.

I've got one of these on a very very very slow boat from the USA

Plan is to use a old Sawyer bladder i've cut the bottom out of, i'll connect it to my dirty water bladder and hopefully the vortex effect will counteract the pressure on the outside of the bladder to speed up filling up.

I'll then unscrew the connector, screw on my Sawyer and be done.

Fingers crossed.

If that doesn't work then i'll just use a cut up coke bottle as a scoop and use this to connect it to the dirty water bladder.

 

[dave89]

Could you not use a stick to direct the water into the bag, while keeping the bag out of the water

 

[Shewie]

I use the bottom off a cheap mineral water bottle, it goes in the side pocket of my pack and holds the empty 2L Platypus bottle and the Sawyer Mini.

 

[Qwerty]

Thanks guys, so either add more kit (albeit it light and cheap) or use a camp cup. Just a shame their own product is relatively useless on its own

 

[copper_head]

I use the bottom off a cheap mineral water bottle, it goes in the side pocket of my pack and holds the empty 2L Platypus bottle and the Sawyer Mini.

I do the same.

 

[cbr6fs]

Thanks guys, so either add more kit (albeit it light and cheap) or use a camp cup. Just a shame their own product is relatively useless on its own

It's not really a Sawyer problem all water bladders are the same, as i say if you move the bladder around in a stirring motion you can fill it up, it just takes a min or so for my 2L bladder.

If you fit the filter in-line then bladders with a big opening fill up a LOT easier.

I use one of these for long mountain biking days together with a in-line sawyer squeeze filter.

Fills up very quickly and easily, i just have to be careful i don't get the bite nipple in the unfiltered water source.

 

[cbr6fs]

I do the same.

Do you guys keep the cap on and just scoop and pour, or do you have another system?

 

[dave89]

Not sure if this would work or not, but what if you blow into the bladder while its under water using the straw to increase the internal pressure?

 

[copper_head]

Do you guys keep the cap on and just scoop and pour, or do you have another system?

I use the bottom of a water bottle so it's just used as a scoop. Although I plan to cut the base from a 2l pop bottle and leave the screw end intact. Then use some cord to make a gravity filter set up, inspired by your post using the double evernew bags. I think we need a sawyer mods thread given the amount being bought in the Gb.

 

[Shewie]

Do you guys keep the cap on and just scoop and pour, or do you have another system?

I use the bottom of the bottle rather than the top so there's no cap.

 

[jacko1066]

Sorry if it's already been said, but another option is to screw the sawyer filter directly to a squash bottle, the threads are the same. I use it Inline with a source bladder that I can open the top up so it fills completely.


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[dave89]

Cut the top off a large capri sun drink, i think they are about 330ml and can roll up with your saywer bladder bottle

 

[Qwerty]

Cut the top off a large capri sun drink, i think they are about 330ml and can roll up with your saywer bladder bottle

Actually that might be the most useful solution for me. Thanks for the tip

 

[ADz-1983]

Not bad idea

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[tom.moran]

ive been looking into solutions for this as i want to be able to fill a container, attach the sawyer to it then hang it up to gravity fill/filter into my camelback. what i cant work out is what dirty water container to get? lidl/aldi were doing a 2l bladder for a couple of quid a few months ago, i wish i had bought a couple them so i could use one for dirty and one for clean

as for holding open you bag to fill them up why not just find a piece of green sapling/willow type material to roll up inside and hold it open?

 

[ADz-1983]

Decided to grab a capri!



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[Shewie]

Decided to grab a capri!

View attachment 30909

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They make good meths carriers too