[pct-l] Sawyer Squeeze

[Scott Williams]

A number of us used the Sawyer Squeeze last year on the CDT and it got
generally very positive reviews from all, except for the problem of bag
breakage.  The filter is marvelous, but the bags they sold last year were
really chincy, they were made of a relatively stiff plastic that did not
lend itself to being folded hundreds of times the way a platypus bag does.
 If you are really careful with them, and don't squeeze down on them, they
will last, but for me, when the flow got slow and I was really thirsty, I
just tended to want to squeeze too hard from the material.  Back flushing
in town always solved the problem till the next iffy sources.

They tend to fail at the neck connection which then directs dirty water
straight into the clean water you've just filtered, and they get holes at
the points where it has been bent and folded every time you roll the bag
up.  There were times I had to squeeze with one hand and pinch a hole
closed with the other while waiting for a replacement.  Over 2,700 miles I
went through 5 of them, others I hiked with used 3 and 4, but some did the
whole trail with just two.  All I hiked with had them fail at some point,
so I'd recommend carrying a spare and having another spare in the bounce
box.

Even with all that, I'm using the system again this year in the Bowron
Lakes and in the Winds and Glacier.  It's a great system and there's no
reason they can't come up with a stronger bag unless they are invested in
selling replacements.  Planned obsolescence?  I'm not sure, but I still
like the system.  Using it as a gravity feed would solve the problem and I
may do that this year.

By the way, I usually didn't have a problem filling the bag.  I started by
giving the bag a puff and inflating it.  If there was any stream flow I
could gently hold the inflated bag in such a way that it slowly filled
nearly completely.  With no flow, but a large water source, the inflated
bag could be gently pushed underwater and again get a nearly filled bag.
 With very little water, I had to fill from my "Bestwestern cut down
plastic cup" I've been using for 15 years now, and it just took a bit more
time.

Shroomer


On Tue, May 28, 2013 at 5:03 PM, Yoshihiro Murakami <
completewalker at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Judson
>
> I am using MSR mini works for several years, and I love it. But,
> incidentally, I was offered a Sawyer squeeze system by the Japanese import
> agency  2 weeks ago. Now, I am thinking how to use it. At least, I must
> write some review in my site or blog.
>
> I read several posts of this topic in the PCT-L, and decided to use it as a
> gravity system, because the pack is not transparent and sometime fails when
> strongly pressed.
>
> I am using Platypus 1 litter pack for water storage for a long time, and
> also use it for hydration system. Therefore, I decided to bring four 1
> litter Platypus packs for dirty water, and four packs for clean water.  I
> punched 2 holes for each Platypus pack, and add nylon loop for hanging.
> When I need clean water faster, I will put my boots or stuff on the pack. I
> want to avoid "squeeze" the pack. I don't know whether I  use it this
> summer. The only week point may be that it cannot handle the very shallow
> tiny puddle.
>
> --
> Sincerely
> --------------- --------------------------------------
> Hiro    ( Yoshihiro Murakami  村上宣寛 )
> facebook  http://www.facebook.com/completewalker
> Blogs  http://completewalker.blogspot.jp/
> Photo  https://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/
> Backpacking since 1980 in Japan, A foreign member of PCTA
> JMT, 2009, 2010, 2011(half), 2012
> Handbook of Hiking will be published in 2013
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