I have two of these and about to invest in the purifier.Let me say that this is an exceptional filter.
If you''ve never used an ''in-line'' system this is the way to go. There''s nothing to replace, wear out and it just keeps working. If it gets clogged up, use the faucet thingy, or just reverse direction and use a bag of mostly clean water in the same bag, roll and squeeze it until you blow out all the gunk then continue filtering.
The flow rate is surprisingly good. In my kitchen just now (using well water) it will empty a 2L Platypus Big-Zip in 2:30. Then I filled a 5 gallon car-boy jug in under 30 min. With a pump you''d only filter what you needed, often neglecting washing water etc. With this system I filter as much as I can then use the hanging bag as a hand-wash and dish wash station!
I found the flow rate is good enough to sip from the straw without too much resistance either from a bag, or dropping the ''dirty end'' of the tube into water and drinking directly. In fact, if you set the clean end of the tube downhill and remove the bite-piece and then get it started, it will syphon out of a pool or puddle nicely.
No other filter out there can come close to the "Million Gallon Guarantee" and that''s why I chose Sawyer and stuck with them.
After looking at many different options... MSR.. .Katadyn... Aquamira... I decided to go with the Sawyer 3-way Inline Water Filter.. I chose it based on reviews I found on-line.. And unlike the different pump systems out there that could(and have from reviews) break down.. I went with what seemed simple enough... Connect to hydration pack and sip.. I also liked the idea that this water filter could be used in many different ways.. From a simple straw system where you connect the tubes and dip directly into the water source and sip.. Or gravity system where you can fill up your hydration bladder with water.. and allow it to drip down into another container.. ie: water jug/dish tub/nalgene.. Or it can even be connected to a water faucet if you are in an area where you should not drink tap water..
The filter is good and guaranteed for up to 1,000,000 gallons.. How you would keep track of that is beyond me.. But I imagine it''s guaranteed for life by that statement. It is equipped with a 0.1 micron absolute hollow fiber membrane filter.. Protects you from 99.99999% bacteria and 99.99999% protozoa and cysts... The filter weights in at a whole 3oz.. So it''s definitely light enough for the hardcore backpacker..
So Saturday I finally got to test it out as I had forgotten to fill my hydration bladder before heading to the stream to do some fishing.. So I unhooked my platypus and dipped it in the nice cold stream and filled it up and my thirst was instantly quenched... First thing I was impressed with was how easy it was to draw water from my pack with the filter on.. Could barely tell that it was even hooked onto my hydration pack.. The second thing I noticed was how clean tasting the water was.. Even fresh well water has that metallic/earthy taste to it.. This water tasted as filtered and fresh as possible without the nasty chemical/chlorine taste that is added to municipal water sources.. Or from chlorine/iodine tabs.. Even with nymphs and all swimming around in the bag.. It tasted great! And 3 days later.. I''m not sick! So it obviously does it''s job..
I would recommend this to anyone looking into a hydration system as it''s simple to use and on the cheaper end at only $50-60.. No maintenance besides maybe having to backwash it as it get''s used more or is used in very dirty water.. And the chance of this thing actually "breaking down" seems slim
Buy Sawyer 3-Way Inline Water Filter Now
This is a lightweight lifesaver! I purchased this, along with a Platypus 3L Big Zip, for a recent Half-Dome hike as well as for an emergency preparedness go-bag. Had to use it a couple times on the Half-Dome hike for a group of six as we were all running out of or low on water on the return hike. I found a couple good faster-flowing areas to fill up along the Merced. I love how this utilizes quick change connectors very easy to work with. I built an inline carbon filter to supplement the Sawyer (based on this ) and it worked out well. I think the carbon filter improved the water taste quality slightly. Either way, the real test was to wait and see if me, my wife, or any of our friends got sick after drinking the water. I haven''t heard anything so far!It was a bit tricky getting this thing going. Maybe the carbon filter contributed to this. I''m going to have to play around with it more it seems like it required bit of pressure to get the flow started consistently.
That said, it was good that I had the system because almost everyone ran out of water on the way back down. We would have been in trouble but the Sawyer saved the day! Huge thumbs up for this system, and I love how simply back flushing the unit is enough to ''clean'' it out sufficiently.
They''re also really prompt in responding to emails if you have questions. One important thing to note: NEVER attempt to wash the filter with soap/soapy water this will destroy the filter.
Read Best Reviews of Sawyer 3-Way Inline Water Filter Here
Pointing out the obvious, this thing will filter to .1 micron, which is the best you''ll find ever in a portable water filter. Nothing beats this, and this will take out nearly everything. HOWEVER, since this filter does not have a carbon core, there is no change in water taste, so if the water is nasty, it will be clean, but still nasty. Excellent however for ultralight backpacking and hydration bladders.Want Sawyer 3-Way Inline Water Filter Discount?
While shopping for a traditional pump filter for backpacking, I stumbled upon this little inline filter and I''m so glad I did. With space and weight being a premium as a light backpacker, it is a perfect fit. Better yet, it provides a great flow and you can''t tell there is an inline filter attached to my Platypus Big Zip which is a great combination. I will most certainly buy again.For the ounce crunchers, the filter wet with the tubing connectors was right at 3 ounces.
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