BWCA Sawyer Mini and Minimum Gear Boundary Waters Group Forum: Solo Tripping
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09/14/2016 02:19PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Trying to figure out what drawbacks there would be to re-using a couple of 1L softdrink bottles and my Sawyer Mini as my drinking water system for a solo trip. Seems like the bottles would be relatively easy to fill, very light when empty, and could be used to dispense clean water into a cup if need be. When I cook it's with freezer bags and dehydrated foods, so that water is boiled.

I've read some of the threads on the Sawyer filters, but nothing specific on this.

Comments?

Dave
 
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09/14/2016 03:59PM  
That's what I do. No problems in 3 years. Well I did have to replace the rubber gasket inside the mouth of the filter because you have to loosen and retighten the filter periodically with the soda bottle(just to let air in).
It's a LOT easier to fill the soda bottles than the fold up bottles that come with the filters.
 
09/15/2016 08:02PM  
Personally, I'd worry a little about the durability of some of the very thin, light bottles. I go with the sawyer bags or platypus bottles which are pretty light and durable.
 
muddyfeet
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09/15/2016 10:40PM  
I've also found the new sawyer bags to be easier/better than soda bottles. I've only used the squeeze, though, as it's not much bigger/heavier and reviews seemed to recommend it over the mini. It comes with a bite-open cap AND a small hose/fittings for gravity. I wouldn't hesitate to use it as a sole water source for both squeeze and drip setups. You can always boil lake water if needed.
 
09/16/2016 05:48AM  
The mini, which I haven't used in the field yet, came with a squeeze bag. I just wonder how easy it would be to fill the bag. Weighs almost nothing, so I guess I can bring the bag, too, and see how it goes.
 
09/16/2016 08:10AM  
I just take my Katadyn water bag with the retro Sawyer mini in-line, one Nalgene for portage water and one Sawyer plastic bag for extra camp water. Katadyn bag and plastic bag roll up nice and go in mesh stuff sack. Soda bottle seems neat but bulky, noisy, and maybe prone to creases and leaks. It might be overkill, but I also take my Sawyer Squeeze bottle for "travelling" water, plus it gives me a back-up filter in case the Sawyer mini would have problems. I hate the idea of pumping, squeezing or boiling.
 
09/16/2016 09:32AM  
I also take a Sawyer Water Bottle for drinking on the go. I use it to fill the squeeze bags, but have seen YouTubes of guys cutting a water/soda bottle in half to use to fill the Sawyer squeeze bags. The Sawyer Squeeze filter is faster than a mini, but . . . not that much. I set the mini up as a gravity with some fitting and tubing.
 
09/16/2016 10:12AM  
The 1L bottles seem to be a little thicker plastic. I have never had one rupture but they are bulky with the filter on top. Fits into a side pouch on my Kondos equipment pack nicely however.
 
09/16/2016 10:18AM  
I figure I'll dump any remaining unfiltered water at the start of a portage and refill a bottle at the end rather than carry water. I guess I like the idea of the old soda bottles because they weigh almost nothing.
 
OldFingers57
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09/16/2016 10:52AM  
quote NotSoFast: "The mini, which I haven't used in the field yet, came with a squeeze bag. I just wonder how easy it would be to fill the bag. Weighs almost nothing, so I guess I can bring the bag, too, and see how it goes."


The bag is easier to fill by taking a small disposable type water bottle and cutting off the top 2/3 of the bottle and using is as a cup to get water and pour into the bags. That is why most people use the Smart water bottles with the Sawyer Minis and Sawyer Squeeze. With the hard soda or water type bottles they do not collapse like the bag does when filling them.
The Squeeze has a better flow rate than the Minis do.
Also be sure and take the cleaning syringe with you to clean it out a lot.
 
09/16/2016 01:51PM  
Looking forward to trying it out, 18 days and counting down.
 
09/16/2016 02:11PM  
I use a squeeze and a mini. I take 2 of the bags and one gatorade type bottle. The bags take hardly any room and you have a second in case one fails. The gatorade bottles are pretty durable and little lighter than a nalgene. If the bottle fails, you can just squeeze right into your face's water hole.

I used to take a clear pop bottle for clean and a colored bottle (sprite) for the dirty so I didn't confuse the 2. Don't eat yellow snow was how I remembered, but now I just use the bags for dirty water.

To fill the bags, just hold them by the white collar at the neck and "swoosh" them forward through the water. That will force water into them and they'll expand taking on more water with each "swoosh".

Sorry to use a scientific term like swoosh, but wasn't sure how else to explain it. :)
 
09/16/2016 03:37PM  
I like the 2-liter bags. I hang a 2-liter bag of dirty water and before I finish setting up camp, I have 2 liters of clean water - enough for dinner, coffee, breakfast, and then some.

Let us know what you do and how it works out.
 
09/16/2016 06:45PM  
quote hooky: " I take 2 of the bags and one gatorade type bottle. The bags take hardly any room and you have a second in case one fails. The gatorade bottles are pretty durable and little lighter than a nalgene. "


I use Gatorade bottles also, for canoeing or backpacking. They are lighter and very durable.
 
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