its win win because they taste good too
Sawyer MINI Water Filter bladder
- Thread starter Qwerty
- Start date
its win win because they taste good too
I have been using an Ortlieb 4l water bag http://www.tauntonleisure.com/ortlieb-water-bag-4l/p1466, tough, light, has a hanging strap, and somehow the sawyer filter gets rid of the plastic taste from the lining material. Also makes an Ok pillow.
I've had a mini filter for a while and another coming from the group buy. The pouch provided is fine but hard to fill from 'still' water but there is a very very very easy solution, take a plastic sandwich bag, make a small cut in the bottom corner and submerge in still water and it will very easily fill the Sawyer pouch. Much easier than fart assing about with chopped up pop bottles.
This method is a bit like using a Millbank bag in the way it pours into the Pouch but the plastic bags weigh next to nothing (take a few...they won't break your back).
This method is a bit like using a Millbank bag in the way it pours into the Pouch but the plastic bags weigh next to nothing (take a few...they won't break your back).
Another quick tip is to add some duct tape to the top so when you pinch both sides together the top opens up like a wide mouth bass
The plastic vortex connectors arrived this morning, just did some experimenting in the bath tub.
With a bladder with the bottom cut out i get the same problem in that the pressure of the water on the bladder is more than the pressure of the water trying to enter it.
If i hold the flap open and scoop up the water it does work though.
Best option i've found though is using a cut up 1.5L coke bottle.
Again i have to scoop, but it fills the bladder up very quickly and very easily.
With a bladder with the bottom cut out i get the same problem in that the pressure of the water on the bladder is more than the pressure of the water trying to enter it.
If i hold the flap open and scoop up the water it does work though.
Best option i've found though is using a cut up 1.5L coke bottle.
Again i have to scoop, but it fills the bladder up very quickly and very easily.
Pre filter using a milbank bag? That way you can drip into the bladder. It probably just needs a bit of clever hanging. Not tried that yet btw - my sawer is ordered and still waiting - but for the weight of all those scoops etc, you could have your back up filter with you, doing the same job, for a similar weight (millbank).
i have ordered one of these as my dirty water bladder. easy to scoop into, and ill fit my filtwer and other bit of water kit into it when not in use(though the filter witll be in a ziplock bag to stop it getting contaminated)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/douself-Por...fkmr0&keywords=large+opening+water+bladder+2l
http://www.amazon.co.uk/douself-Por...fkmr0&keywords=large+opening+water+bladder+2l
I would have thought a millbank bag was far heavier than any of the scoops/bags we have mentioned here?
I personally dont see the need for a millbank/pre-filter as the sawyer should do it's job. The scoop is simply just for easier water transfer into the "squeeze" bag whether it's the sawyer ones, evernew (best imo) or a platy type bladder etc.
Thanks for reply. I do see your point. It would be heavier - and messy. I was perhaps thinking in terms of longer trips and relying on one means to filter...
One assumes that boiling the water is not needed after using the sawyer but if need be, most would have a pot to boil with anyway. My suggestion was based also on the old necessity of prolonging the filter's life by pre-filtering, so the millbank would take care of the larger impurities in that instance.
It depends on the area you are in and the filter.
The standard Sawyer squeeze and Mini filter out bacteria but do not have pore sizes small enough to filter out viruses.
Not really a problem in the UK or even most parts or Europe, but if you're visiting areas in Africa or India then it's wise to filter and boil.
Alternatively Sawyer do a 0.02 micron filter, this removes viruses as well as bacteria.
Larger particles do not affect the life of these types of filter, it either goes through the filters pores or it doesn't.
The only downside with using water with larger impurities is the the filter gets blocked quicker so your throughput suffers.
This is easily remedied by forcing water back through the clean side to the dirty side, or backflushing as it's commonly called.
Sawyer provide a 60cc syringe for just this purpose.
Fill syringe with clean water.
Inject clean water from the clean side
Watch the dirty water come out the other side
3 or 4 "shots" is all i've ever needed, takes literally less than 1 min, very easy.
What you could do is the same as I do, I use my sawyer mini inline on a source bladder, but before the filter I have a small car petrol filter so it gets rid of all the big stuff. The same as a milbank would, but like I say it only works inline on a hydration bladder that has the tube.
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Do you think it would work if you say drop a water purification tab in the bladder as you fill it from a water source then run it through the sawyer as you drink it?
I'm thinking about a trip to a jungle in Borneo, and in the kit list it says to take aquamira (if that's correct) drops to kill off water born pathogens.
Iv been looking at the Geiger rig bladders, there inline filter kills off viruses and chemicals as well as filters it, but is only good for 50 gallons.
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I would check with local experts, but if it was me i would filter the water through the Sawyer, then add the chemical treatment.
My logic being that the smaller the lumps of detritus left the better chance the chemicals have of doing their job.
I have read of some bacteria and viruses being able to stand some chemical or heat treatment because the detritus that surrounded them shielded them to a certain extent.
I can understand the thinking behind that, but i think the treatment would have to be pretty weak.
Still if it's my stomach i'd sooner be safe than sorry.
Interesting find on those Geigerrig filters.
Just looked at their FAQ's and filter specs to try and find some specs on the pore size.
Found this in the FAQ's
Q: Does the Geigerrig filter remove bacteria and virus?
A: In order to make a valid bacteria and virus claim a filter must remove >99.9999% (commonly referred to as “6 logs”of bacteria and >99.99% or 4 logs of virus.
Many filter companies make misleading bacteria claims with lower removal ratings than required by the EPA.
The Geigerrig filter reduces bacteria and virus, but it does not reduce them enough to make the EPA regulated claims.
Therefore we do not make any bacteria or virus removal claims.
Yet on their product page they state:
FAQ's here:
http://www.geigerrig.com/cmsdocuments/Geigerrig-Filter-FAQs.pdf
Spec sheet here:
http://www.geigerrig.com/cmsdocuments/70042_A-Filter-Capsule_Geigerrig-w_UQC.pdf
Hate to keep harking in about Sawyer products, i'm really nothing to do with them honest
But i do think that they're quickly becoming the standard, and one of the most common filters used.
Any ways Sawyer give pretty specific independent data on their 0.02 micron systems.
http://sawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/point-zero-microtest.pdf
As adults we all make our own risk assessments and decisions, personally looking at the data offered by Geierrig i would not trust one of their filters to remove bacteria never mind viruses.
When i visit countries with the smallest chances of viruses in the water i use the Sawyre 0.02 system.
Flow rate isn't great, takes about 10 mins to filter 1 litre, but again to me personally that's a compromise i'm willing to take.
If i'm even slightly concerned i'll also either treat chemically or boil as well.
If you are base camping with plenty of fuel for fires then no matter what filter you use i would boil it as well.
I will be the first to put my hand up to being a bit paranoid about dodgy water though as i have been very ill because of it, so please take that into consideration.
Cheers
Mark
I would check with local experts, but if it was me i would filter the water through the Sawyer, then add the chemical treatment.
My logic being that the smaller the lumps of detritus left the better chance the chemicals have of doing their job.
I have read of some bacteria and viruses being able to stand some chemical or heat treatment because the detritus that surrounded them shielded them to a certain extent.
I can understand the thinking behind that, but i think the treatment would have to be pretty weak.
Still if it's my stomach i'd sooner be safe than sorry.
Interesting find on those Geigerrig filters.
Just looked at their FAQ's and filter specs to try and find some specs on the pore size.
Found this in the FAQ's
Yet on their product page they state:
FAQ's here:
http://www.geigerrig.com/cmsdocuments/Geigerrig-Filter-FAQs.pdf
Spec sheet here:
http://www.geigerrig.com/cmsdocuments/70042_A-Filter-Capsule_Geigerrig-w_UQC.pdf
Hate to keep harking in about Sawyer products, i'm really nothing to do with them honest
But i do think that they're quickly becoming the standard, and one of the most common filters used.
Any ways Sawyer give pretty specific independent data on their 0.02 micron systems.
http://sawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/point-zero-microtest.pdf
As adults we all make our own risk assessments and decisions, personally looking at the data offered by Geierrig i would not trust one of their filters to remove bacteria never mind viruses.
When i visit countries with the smallest chances of viruses in the water i use the Sawyre 0.02 system.
Flow rate isn't great, takes about 10 mins to filter 1 litre, but again to me personally that's a compromise i'm willing to take.
If i'm even slightly concerned i'll also either treat chemically or boil as well.
If you are base camping with plenty of fuel for fires then no matter what filter you use i would boil it as well.
I will be the first to put my hand up to being a bit paranoid about dodgy water though as i have been very ill because of it, so please take that into consideration.
Cheers
Mark
That's some great detective work there mark lol!!
I didn't even think about looking that deep, I just read the advertising blurb!!
What's worse is everywhere I have read about the inline filter it says it is effective or removes the bacteria and viruses!! Cheeky swines!!
I guess like it said above it removes SOME of the horrible bits and bobs so they get away with it.
Ideally I would like the geigerrig pressure bladder and sawyer filter as it works well under pressure, in this country I'm not so bothered about viruses etc as long as your fairly clever, but like yourself I'm really paranoid about water. I have got a another inline filter which gets rid of everything, it's the wwebtex clone of the aquamira filter, but the flow rate is really really poor, it will hardly gravity empty at all!!
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