# Anyone have a Sawyer water purifier?



## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

Has anyone here used one of the sawyer water purifiers (0.02 micron)? www.sawyerproducts.com/viral.htm

I'm looking at getting a non chemical portable water purifier (some purifiers are just a filter that has some iodine or another chemical in it to kill viruses).

The only ones I know of are:

The sawyer 
First need (larger pore size than Sawyer)
Lifesaver Bottle (smallest pore size, but cross contamination nightmare, short shelf life)
Hydration Technology Innovations (slow production, requires syrup)

The sawyer is the most interesting to me, but I've heard reports of slow water production, and poor customer service, So I'm a bit leery about putting over $100 down for one.


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## tyler_kd0bsa (Nov 4, 2009)

I have one of these MSR® MiniWorks™ EX Microfilter.. I really like it. It takes some work to get a ton of water but I use it to fill a nalgene at a time.


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## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

I don't know if I'd trust a filter since it doesn't remove viruses.

I know they're not suposed to be prevelent in America but I _realy_ don't want to get sick. lol


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I have an in-line 0.02 micron filter. But I added a prefilter silt filter and carbon post filter to take care of the weakness the Sawyer has in not really getting a few things out of the water, and no odors.

But only the Pocket Katadyn and some Sawyers go to 0.02 micron and get most of the viruses. I'll slowly be switching my various filters out to the Sawyer equivalent as I run out of replacements for my MSR and Katadyn filters.

As far as the 0.1 filters Sawyer makes, I don't see the point. You can get 0.1 filters with carbon and silver in them for about the same price. I want that 0.02 micron capability for future use. Not too concerned about it much right now, but better to get the purifiers now, while they are available and reasonably priced than wait and wind up not getting them when the time comes that they are needed.

I'll be getting the Sawyer 4-liter purifier kit next year, I'm hoping.

Just my thoughts on the matter.


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## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

That’s what I was planning on doing, 
I figured without a prefilter it’d clog up fast having such tiny holes,

And from what I’ve read you need activated charcoal to remove chemicals and bad taste (like from water with decomposing leaves in it).

How’s the flow rate on the 0.02 micron?


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

Haven't timed it. But the there is a solid flow the diameter of the outlet tip.

This is the prefilter I use:

MSR SweetWater SiltStopper at REI.com

And the post filter:

Amazon.com: Katadyn Carbon Cartridge: Sports & Outdoors

You'll need to stock up on the prefilter elements and the activated charcoal.

I've been getting the silt stopper elements also at REI and the charcoal here:

Katadyn Combi Replacement Element Carbon - 2 pack from Backcountry.com


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## mikesolid (Aug 24, 2011)

i've only heard of sawyers bite extractor. i have a katadyn water bottle filter (cost about 50 bux i think) ive used it on backpacking trips and havent died or gotten sick (phew). but the way it works is you actually suck the water through the filter, so it takes a bit of sucking to get the water. but i'll take a few seconds of extra work over getting "The G-bug".


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## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

Thanks for telling me what pre and post filters you used, Jerry D Young.

Would you say you could fill a 1 qt canteen in around 8 minutes with it?


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I think so. Haven't tried it. A lot depends on how high the water source is above the canteen. The higher the source or lower the canteen the better. That's without a pump. I'm thinking of trying to get some type of small hand water pump to speed things up even more.


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## PS360 (Sep 10, 2010)

I was also thinking of that.
The pump you'll need is called a transfer pump.

I haven't found anything very compact yet except for some aquarium pumps and I'm dubious of their ruggedness.

Also I was thinking about using one of these Chinese water purifiers as a pump, it's quite compact.

Army PLA Soldier Military Camping Water Filter Purifier | eBay


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## Jerry D Young (Jan 28, 2009)

I'm thinking about this one:

Hand Siphon Pump, Manual Transfer Pumps, Transfer Pumps - GEMPLER'S

Would have to make reducers since the barbs on the other tubing components are smaller in size. And it is a little big for what it does.


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