[pct-l] (no subject)

[Dan Jacobs]

So a lot has happened to me recently, some of which I might  explain later,
but for now, I have a water filter review I’d like to share with y’all ( I
was born in the south, well, southern California, but I like the folksy
southern colloquialisms and use them when I can when in good company.
Consider yourselves what I consider good company, considering. Yup.)

I bought a Sawyer squeeze filter last weekend with the REI 20% off discount
offer for members. This made the filter purchase cheaper than buying it
through Wal-Mart, which has a lower normal price than REI. It came with
three bags, the filter itself, and a back flushing syringe. The
instructions for filtering and flushing are printed on the bags. The
package contained a sixteen ounce, thirty two ounce, and sixty four ounce
squeeze bags, a good range of sizes and when empty weight nearly nothing at
all and take up almost no space.

I have read many experiences of others having the bags come apart at the
seams when squeezed. This was a concern for me, so I will be treating these
bags very carefully in an effort to see if there are quality control issues
or if there might be something else going on. Maybe folks are just not
pleased with the water throughput of the filter and are trying to speed
things up by squeezing harder than the bags can handle? I don’t know, but I
suppose I might find out the hard way.

So after reading the instructions, perusing the Sawyer website, and viewing
the videos they have there, I decided I would use it with some good old tap
water, just to see how it actually worked.  The instructions also said to
not squeeze the bags too hard, and that filtering speeds up as the hollow
fibers become wetted. I found that filtering did occur faster after some
water had been allowed to flow through the filter, and that just gravity
alone would filter at about the same rate without squeezing as a gentle
squeeze when the filter was dry and used for the first time. It does not
filter at a fast rate, water will not come squirting out of the filter.
However, if the bag is given a gentle squeeze and rolled down as you go
along, and the fibers have had time to be thoroughly wetted, you can get a
liter of water in less than a minute with very little effort.

I can see that it might be difficult at times to get water into the bags,
as the opening on them is the same size as a water bottle (think SmartWater
or the like), so I will find a silicone or packable funnel to use to get
water in there. I will then either drink from the bag with the filter
attached, filter into a water bottle(s), or use a hydration bladder or two.
An added benefit to the filter is it has an adapter on it that allows you
to put the filter on the end of your hydration bladder hose easily. You can
fill a bladder with “dirty” water, and filter it as you drink it.

I cannot do any testing to tell if it is filtering out the nasties it says
it does. I’ll have to trust that the right folks have done the right
testing and come to the right conclusions about that stuff. As an added
assurance, i will be adding Aqua Mira to filtered water just to be sure.
(For more info see
http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/travel/backcountry_water_treatment.html
)

I have not had the chance to do any “serious” testing with this yet, as in
out in the field (which I am sometimes out standing in). When I do, if
there is anything noteworthy, I’ll pass it along. It’s too early to say if
I am happy with this system yet, but I am glad I got it for the price I
did. Anytime I can beat Wal-Mart prices I get a little happier.

Dan Jacobs
Washougal
-- 
"Loud motorcycle stereos save lives."
Motorcycle to hike, hike to motorcycle.
Make a friend of pain and you'll never be alone.