I may still end up buying one of these. There is one major advantage to this unit over the First Need. That is, in cold weather, this smaller filter unit will go into the sleeping bag with you. The First Need is not really a good size for that, at least in a down-bag in a hammock. As they say, "been there , done that". In the swamp here one January, we were having 15-17 degree F. nights. If the First Needs freezes, then it's game-over. piper
A 3oz water filter..........
- Thread starter oldsparkey
- Start date
One thing they tell you to do for the Point One is to NOT let it freeze. So in cold weather put it in a small zip lock and into the bag with you at night.
Chuckmeister, my point exactly. The Point One will fit into the sleeping bag with my oversized self. The First Needs really would not. No chance of freezing here this month. Later in the year, say if the Packers win the Superbowl again, then anything is possible. (eg: "the Pack won't win the Superbowl till Hell freezes over" )
piper
piper
islandpiper said:
Having a 1st need in the bag with you would be like having a brick in there with you , rather uncomfortable , and really lumpy.
I haven't tried it but one way to prefilter the water before running it threw a filter would be to use a coffee filter to strain the big chunks or even using a bandana.
One report I read on the Point One the guy purchased one of the screen filters ( 1" Hose Filter Washer ) which is actually a washer with a cone shaped piece of screen between the filter and the bag of water. He replaced the washer on the filter with it.
Here is what it looks like................
Here is the article............
http://hikelighter.com/2012/03/06/sawye ... er-system/
I wrap paper coffee filters around the pick-up nozzle, and secure it with a rubber band. But, that's probably too high tech for some. :wink:
Surprising part is, though the water looks crystal clear - the coffee filter gets dirty. Yuch. (Sometimes, it looks like Joey ran some of his coffee chicory through it.) :!:
Surprising part is, though the water looks crystal clear - the coffee filter gets dirty. Yuch. (Sometimes, it looks like Joey ran some of his coffee chicory through it.) :!:
Well, i got my new miracle filter. I have not tested it yet in and "wild" water, but it does run tap water pretty danged fast. Backflushes easily, should fit just fine in a small space in my boat box. I tried the "blue water" test that my First Needs uses as a safety qualifier. This filter lets the "blue pass through". I'm not sure that's critical. Jack, what say ye? piper
I'm thinking the blue water test applies only to the First Needs. A filter stops particulate matter over a certain size. Stuff small than the minimum (whether poison or seasonings) will pass on through. THAT is the big difference between a filter and a purifier.
The purifier takes all the nasty chemicals out of the water by using some carbon in a per-filter and then the regular filter for any bugs. That is why they tell you to check it now and then with the blue dye to make sure it removes it. It purifies and filters the water.
The Point One is just a filter without the carbon in it to remove any nasty chemicals , all it removes are the bugs that can make you sick. That's the difference between the purifier and the filter. If you are not taking water from an industrial waste area or a agriculture run off then the filter does the trick.
The Point One is just a filter without the carbon in it to remove any nasty chemicals , all it removes are the bugs that can make you sick. That's the difference between the purifier and the filter. If you are not taking water from an industrial waste area or a agriculture run off then the filter does the trick.
Got some field 'sperience with the Squeeze Filter last week. Filling an envelope in flat water takes some thinking. I inflated the envelope, then scooped up water with it. Got it nearly full. Running water would fill it completely.
I'd recommend not squeezing the bag real hard, as this could shorten its useful life. Once a bag/envelope has a leak, it probably isn't nearly as useful as before.
I'd recommend not squeezing the bag real hard, as this could shorten its useful life. Once a bag/envelope has a leak, it probably isn't nearly as useful as before.
How was the water quality? Now, i know you start with fast, cold, light tan water....but how did it taste? piper
I received my Sawyer a couple of weeks ago. Pretty simple to use. The bags take a bit of fiddling to fill in standing water. I was pleasantly surprised how fast you can process a quart of water. The filtered water was clear and tasted good. Not bad since it came out of Bayou Lafourche, a slow moving bayou fed mostly from the Mississippi River.
I agree with Piper's idea of starting out with a gallon of water on a multiday trip and replenishing with the filter as needed. I mostly wanted my filter for emergencies such as we experienced after Hurrican Gustav. We could not drink the tap water at all for 2-3 weeks and had to boil it for consumption for another 2 weeks after that.
Joey
I agree with Piper's idea of starting out with a gallon of water on a multiday trip and replenishing with the filter as needed. I mostly wanted my filter for emergencies such as we experienced after Hurrican Gustav. We could not drink the tap water at all for 2-3 weeks and had to boil it for consumption for another 2 weeks after that.
Joey
jdupre, i am working on making a "screw on cap" connector so that the sawyer bag will connect to a water bottle or soda bottle. Then, the bottle can be cut off to form a scoop and filling the Sawyer bag will be simple. Pretty common to find those little caps are interchangable, and i think by drilling two out and hot-glueing them together an all-hread connector will result. piper
Good idea. Keep me informed on your progress. Hey, we might even use that on a camping trip............whenver the heck we can arrange that. :roll:
Joey
Joey
Do you suppose it will strain out the gator goo? Piper San's "plastic plumbing" will make it more adaptable. Next thing you know, he'll be using it to do hydraulic mining for gold.jdupre' said:
Here are some ways others fill there bags to have drinking water.
1... Have an old Platypus? Some bags made 2yrs+ ago have same threads.
2...Worst case, find an Ever-new water bladder. These have been confirmed to work as a dirty water bag.
http://www.evernewamerica.com/EBY205208.htm
3...Or just swish the bag in the water , a back and forth motion to fill it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQRa9c9A ... re=related
4...You can cheat and use a zip lock bag to fill it. Take the zip lock and get some water in it , then pour the water from it into the bag to fill the bag. One hand holds the filter bag by the top and the other hand is used to fill the zip lock and then pour the water into the filter gag.
Here is how to do that..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HX7IRaF ... re=related
5...If you started out with a gallon jug of water and then wanted to fill your Nalgene bottles use the empty water jug to get the water to fill the bag. Or designate one Nalgene bottle as the dirty water bottle to fill the bag.
By the way , the Nalgene bottles weighs from 3.5 oz to 6.4 oz each empty if you are hiking and weight matters. A 32 oz Gator Aid bottle is only 1.5 oz in weight (empty) and works just as good for a trip.
Just remember to NOT Squeeze the Sawyer bags to hard since they do have a reputation for tearing.
Chuck.
1... Have an old Platypus? Some bags made 2yrs+ ago have same threads.
2...Worst case, find an Ever-new water bladder. These have been confirmed to work as a dirty water bag.
http://www.evernewamerica.com/EBY205208.htm
3...Or just swish the bag in the water , a back and forth motion to fill it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQRa9c9A ... re=related
4...You can cheat and use a zip lock bag to fill it. Take the zip lock and get some water in it , then pour the water from it into the bag to fill the bag. One hand holds the filter bag by the top and the other hand is used to fill the zip lock and then pour the water into the filter gag.
Here is how to do that..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HX7IRaF ... re=related
5...If you started out with a gallon jug of water and then wanted to fill your Nalgene bottles use the empty water jug to get the water to fill the bag. Or designate one Nalgene bottle as the dirty water bottle to fill the bag.
By the way , the Nalgene bottles weighs from 3.5 oz to 6.4 oz each empty if you are hiking and weight matters. A 32 oz Gator Aid bottle is only 1.5 oz in weight (empty) and works just as good for a trip.
Just remember to NOT Squeeze the Sawyer bags to hard since they do have a reputation for tearing.
Chuck.