this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2025
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Wait That's Interesting
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If you're gonna use paid products, just get some Sawyer Filters. They're super cheap ($17 on Amazon) and good for 100k gallons (379k litres) assuming you clean them as directed.
The only things they can't filter out are compounds that are smaller than a water molecule (dish soap is a good example).
As a sawyer filter owner, I will note that they will clog pretty quick if you use them with silty water like in the OP. But I've also done a lot of hiking (like, a lot) and have never run into a situation like that.
I use a Platypus quickdraw, I understand they're a good bit faster and better with silt, but also let slightly more microbes through. FWIW I've never had an issue with it.
Same, I like to camp when I road trip and have a 2nd filter that I keep as a spare. But I've never had to use it. I remember reading something (it was probably marketing material) about some remote tribes they donated filters to over a decade ago, that are still on their first filter. An entire village for an entire decade... on 1 filter. That's kind of nuts.
Any idea what they are made of or how to unclog them if they did clog? I've never used one of those products. Will water free flow through it if you say hooked a small hose / funnel up to it?
Edit: the clogs are fixed with a syringe to back flow it, appears to be included with the purchase. And it is made with fibers (didn't see what the fibers are made from, but are set to .1 microns maximum size to ensure the stuff can't get through, tested 3x before sold)
Nah, they're pretty slow, similar to a slightly restricted straw. They do make filters for taps/spigots though, which are probably better flow wise. While these are for camel packs, water bottles or drinking from a stream.
I've actually rigged a gravity filter on my sawyer. 2 liter soda bottle + some silocone + a bit of nylon hose. Way less work than the squeeze method, but takes longer. Good for a base camp situation, but not something I'd take backpacking.
Good to know, thanks for the heads up, that could be useful
Makes sense. I was thinking a rigged up gutter on the chicken run that has a tarp covering it, to funnel the water through it before it went into a drinking bucket. It really probably doesn't need the filter because they will jump in the water when it's hot anyways, but something about filtering the dirt out of their drinking water just seemed considerate. Figure the weight of the water might push it through and it doesn't need to flow quickly, just while it rains until it overflows onto the ground anyways
Right. You fix by backflowing with the syringe. Just saying it would be annoying to backflush after every liter to keep a decent flow rate.
dish soap isn't smaller than a water molecule, but it is a long skinny molecule that can probably thread its way through filter pores designed to let through water molecules