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walkingnatureworld
Walking Nature World
Joined: 12 Aug 2018
Posts: 203 | TRs
Location: Spain
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Sawyer Mini Water Filter is a Must Have for every Hiker? - Full Review + Tips
Watch the full video here:
In this video we are going to review our one and only water filter that we have Sawyer Mini. We have used it from the very start of our backpacking and hiking journey and now we are ready to share all our thoughts about it. We are going to look at the general specs of it, its features, pros and cons, how we use it on the trail and some tips and tricks we found with it.
Disclaimer: we don't have any affiliation with the brands and all items mentioned in the video were purchased by our own money.
What is your favorite water filter system to use?
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We are a young couple who loves hiking, nature walking and camping. We choose walking over driving and other types of transportation whenever we can. Also we have a Youtube channel where we're showcasing all our hikes. |
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Chief Joseph
Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 5830 | TRs
Location: What Verlot Forgot.
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Have one, flow rate too slow. Like The Katydyn BeeFree much better.
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Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof. |
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pula58
Member
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 400 | TRs
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| Chief Joseph wrote: |
| Have one, flow rate too slow. Like The Katydyn BeeFree much better. |
way too slow...into the failed gear pile. |
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neek
Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Posts: 1501 | TRs
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Agreed; the full size Sawyer is just a little bigger and heavier, and is 3x faster. I was kind of glad to have an excuse to upgrade when my Mini froze. |
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Chief Joseph
Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 5830 | TRs
Location: What Verlot Forgot.
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I have a full size Sawyer that I can hook up to my Curtis raft carry and inflator bag and use it as a gravity filter while in camp. Still kind of slow, but no hurry when in camp for the night. One of many things I learned from the gnome.
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Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof. |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
Posts: 150 | TRs
Location: Seattle
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Any advice for testing a Sawyer filter years after purchase? I've used it every season but there's always someone whispering in the back of my mind it's not actually filtering water properly anymore. 
I don't just want to contribute to throw-away culture and buy a new one. I'd really just love to filter a sample of water and test it somehow. |
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pula58
Member
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Posts: 400 | TRs
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If it has been frozen, at all (with any water/wetness inside the filter element), it should be thrown out.
So, for example, if it has been left outside the tent and been out in temps at or below freezing its not filtering anymore. |
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neek
Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Posts: 1501 | TRs
Location: Seattle, WA
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| zimmertr wrote: |
| I'd really just love to filter a sample of water and test it somehow. |
Easy. Filter a sample of water. Wait 2 weeks. 
Really though, impact wise, it's a tiny thing, just buy a new one. Or don't bother, and you'll probably be fine--although with more people out these days, I do sometimes feel that filtering is justified. |
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forest gnome
Forest nut...
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 3358 | TRs
Location: north cascades!!
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HEY CHIEF ...WHERE on earth did u learn that trick with the raft inflator bag??
I mean now that is an impressive double use of a piece of gear...absolutely amazing...stunning u might say...an so smart !!... |
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Navy salad
Member
Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1672 | TRs
Location: Woodinville
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I have the Sawyer full-size and mini, and the very similar HydroBlu "Versa Flow" -- all of which I mostly use(d) as gravity filters. I like the flow rate for the Versa Flow the best, so that's my go-to filter; followed by the full-size Sawyer; with the Mini in last place. With them all freshly-flushed, they're not that different, but the Mini seems to slow noticeably faster than the other two. I would definitely NOT consider the Mini a "must have". The Versa Flow also has a transparent "inspection window" that lets you look into the filter to see if it's discolored and needs cleaning.
If you're looking for a new filter, I would at least look at the Versa Flow. (See review on SectionHiker here) |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 4866 | TRs
Location: Seattle
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The slowness of the mini never bothered me that much. I've always appreciated faster ones when available, but it's never been a problem. I appreciate being able to have it in the hip belt pocket on a backpack. A friend has ... a Katydyn I think, it's much faster, and heavier but acceptably so, I don't like how much space it takes. It has to go into the main compartment. I can't imagine using the mini inline though, like in a hydration pack. That would be maddening.
The bags it comes with fall apart very quickly. First trip it came on, the bag came looked like a delaminated jacket. Maybe they've fixed that since I got mine, I had to buy a platypus to use the sawyer. |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
Posts: 150 | TRs
Location: Seattle
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| Cyclopath wrote: |
| The bags it comes with fall apart very quickly. |
I use two of these and I'm pretty happy with them. |
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neek
Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011
Posts: 1501 | TRs
Location: Seattle, WA
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| zimmertr wrote: |
| I use two of these and I'm pretty happy with them. |
Funny, I had two of THOSE fail pretty quickly. But they do have compatible threads unlike Platypi which however can be coaxed into working if you're careful. |
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Chief Joseph
Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 5830 | TRs
Location: What Verlot Forgot.
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The Katydyn Be Free filter comes with a collapsible lightweight bottle, fits in your packs water bottle holder. I am am losing a lot of fluids the Sawyer mini is painfully slow, the BeFree amazingly fast, no contest. Costs about twice as much but well worth it.
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Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof. |
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