Re: Sawyer Water Filter

I got my Sawyer last summer and first used it while on an extended dry camp with the RV. (used a 5 gal bucket....worked great)

I new of the bag issues before I purchased it and knew to be VERY careful in using the squeeze method with the Sawyer.
Before the first hiking trip (5 nighter) with it I had back flushed it at home.
 On the 3rd liter on water, from a very clean source high in the Cascades, the seam started to leak.

I now use the Evernew bags with it and all is fine.
With a tornado connector I can easily back flush it with any pop bottle or with one of my water bags.

As for backup, I use boiling .... makes my stove multi use.
I don't think it is a good idea to go without back up to something so important in areas where filtering of some sort is needed. I also do not like the chemical idea as the stuff I'm most concerned with, on the PCT, takes a long long time to kill and drinking the water in 15 minutes is highly risky.

The Sawyer bags are VERY cheap and VERY light weight .... the two just do not go hand in hand to equal tough.
What are we expecting?

'til later
jon